Sword Rose Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Sword Rose Synopsis
Deng Yan, a policewoman who is determined to join the Anti-Drug Brigade and uncover the truth behind her drug enforcement officer boyfriend's death, shines brightly during an unexpected operation to rescue a baby hostage. As a result, she is transferred by the Party Committee of the Tianhai City Public Security Bureau to serve as the acting director of the Anti-Trafficking Office. In order to solve cases of child trafficking and forced prostitution of girls from other regions, Deng Yan employs meticulous reasoning, precise judgment, and courageous actions. She not only turns skeptical colleagues into admirers who firmly support her but also gradually unveils shocking secrets hidden behind each trafficking case.
Confronted with cunning and ruthless criminals, Deng Yan, along with her colleagues in the Anti-Trafficking Office, work together tirelessly. Through extensive investigations, arrests, and rescues, they overcome various obstacles such as interrupted leads, false accusations leading to suspension, and hired assassinations. Eventually, they bring each suspect of the human trafficking network, including Deng Yan's sister-in-law, to justice. Meanwhile, the truth behind her boyfriend's murder also begins to emerge.
Sword Rose Recap
Episode 1 Recap
On the night of April 25, 2009, in Linshan City, Deng Yan, a section chief from the Provincial Bureau's Secretariat Division, was walking through a bustling night market when a young girl named Fafa approached her. Fafa claimed the road to her home was dark and she was scared to walk alone, asking Deng Yan to escort her. After confirming Fafa's parents were supposedly waiting at home nearby, Deng Yan agreed.
As Deng Yan dropped Fafa off at her apartment building, a van suddenly screeched to a halt. Two men, Zhao Liang and Hu Xifan, emerged, subdued Deng Yan, and forced her into the trunk. Zhao Liang then ordered the reluctant Fafa into the van. They were human traffickers who used Fafa as bait, telling their victims they were helping them find wealthy, powerful men to secure a life of luxury.
Inside a secluded warehouse, Hu Xifan instructed Fafa to remain in the car. Another abducted girl was already being held inside. Hu Xifan tried to inject Deng Yan with a sedative, but she struggled fiercely. Just then, an associate announced the buyer's imminent arrival, and Hu Xifan and Zhao Liang exited to greet them. Seizing the opportunity, Deng Yan found a piece of broken glass and began cutting through her restraints.
Zhao Liang returned to get the other girl, beating her when she resisted. Deng Yan, having freed herself, kicked Zhao Liang to the ground and rescued the girl, promising they would escape together. As they approached the exit, another kidnapper spotted them. Deng Yan grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed the criminals, urging the girl to run for help. The girl managed to scale a wall and flee, with one of the kidnappers in hot pursuit.
Unbeknownst to Deng Yan, this was a carefully orchestrated police raid. An hour earlier, Han Liang, Captain of the Linshan City Police Bureau's Criminal Investigation Detachment, and Yin Jiansheng, Deputy Director of the Anti-abduction Office, had deployed their team. Officer Chang Rui was undercover, posing as a buyer. When the abducted girl escaped and ran into Chang Rui, she urgently told him another girl was inside who needed saving.
Chang Rui immediately reported the change in situation to Yin Jiansheng, who, concerned for the safety of all victims, ordered the team to move in. As police stormed the compound and apprehended the traffickers, Hu Xifan seized Deng Yan, holding her at knifepoint. He demanded a car to escape, forcing Han Liang to agree and order his officers to back off.
Spotting a knife on a nearby table, Deng Yan grabbed it and stabbed Hu Xifan, allowing officers to apprehend him. When Yin Jiansheng came to her aid, he was surprised to learn her true identity: she was also a police officer. Meanwhile, Officer Yang Jiajia tried to comfort a trembling Fafa, but the frightened girl ran away and had to be taken to the station by another officer. After the raid, Chang Rui expressed his frustration to Han Liang.
He explained that they had spent immense effort on the Zhou Min abduction case, building an elaborate network to capture the mastermind, but Deng Yan's unforeseen actions had disrupted their plan, allowing the main culprit to escape. Despite Chang Rui's objections about her lack of frontline experience, Chief Xiao Wenjin had already decided to appoint Deng Yan as the new Director of the Anti-abduction Office.
Deng Yan admitted to Xiao Wenjin that her actions had interfered with the operation but explained that as a police officer, she had to act when a life was in danger. Xiao Wenjin reassured her, emphasizing that the safety of the people always comes first. Xiao Wenjin then introduced Deng Yan to the Anti-abduction Office team. Despite Chang Rui's visible displeasure, Deng Yan humbly introduced herself, acknowledging she was new to anti-abduction work and asking for their support.
She immediately began working, requesting all unsolved cases from Yin Jiansheng. Meanwhile, Officer Ai Xin was unable to find Fafa to hand her over to the welfare center, eventually discovering the girl hiding under Chang Rui's desk. Later, Deng Yan found herself drawn back to the night market, stopping outside the "Tuanyuan Restaurant." A missing person poster for "Lin Ran" hung outside, and inside, the restaurant was filled with photos of other missing children.
This sight triggered a painful memory for Deng Yan: twenty-four years ago, on her birthday, her best friend, Lin Ran, went home to get more money to buy her a music box, promising to return. While waiting, Deng Yan witnessed Lin Ran being abducted by traffickers. The tragedy devastated Lin Ran's family; her mother, Madam Zhang, fell severely ill, and her father furiously blamed Deng Yan's family.
From that day on, a young Deng Yan vowed to become a police officer and dedicate her life to finding Lin Ran, regularly writing letters to her that she intended to deliver upon their reunion. On the night of May 10, a man known as Whiteboard approached university student Zheng Weiwei in an alley. Claiming he needed help choosing a gift for his sister, he offered her a bottle of water as thanks.
Zheng Weiwei drank the water, which was laced with a sedative, and quickly collapsed. Upon receiving the report, Han Liang urged Deng Yan to solve the case quickly, highlighting the severe impact of such crimes during their special operation. Deng Yan reviewed the blurry surveillance footage and deduced that the abductor was a seasoned criminal. She sought Chang Rui's opinion, but he responded with cold detachment.
Deng Yan then assigned Yang Jiajia and Yin Jiansheng to interrogate Zhao Liang, Yan Lei to interrogate Hu Xifan, and dispatched Ai Xin and Chang Rui to investigate the scene. At a nearby convenience store, a student confirmed seeing a suspicious black car parked there for several days. During interrogation, Hu Xifan confessed that his handler was Whiteboard, whose full name was Bai Wentao.
He revealed that Whiteboard was known for planning "big jobs" and preferred using sedatives, a detail that aligned with Zheng Weiwei's abduction. Deng Yan proposed merging the Zheng Weiwei and Zhou Min cases. The link was confirmed when Ai Xin showed surveillance photos to Hu Xifan, who immediately identified the man as Whiteboard. Han Liang approved the merger, instructing the team to find Whiteboard quickly.
Separately, during their interrogation by Ai Xin and Yan Lei, Zhao Liang revealed that Fafa called Whiteboard "Dad." Deng Yan realized this meant Fafa could be a valuable source of information, and considered the possibility that Fafa herself was a past victim whom Whiteboard had raised.
Episode 2 Recap
Deng Yan learned that Fafa called Whiteboard "dad" and sought to question her about Whiteboard's whereabouts. Ai Xin observed Fafa's guarded demeanor around people, leading Deng Yan to suspect that Fafa might have been kidnapped by Whiteboard. The officers spent the night comparing old kidnapping case files, and Ai Xin quickly identified three cases with similarities to Fafa. Deng Yan decided to visit Fafa at the welfare home the next day to verify the information.
The following morning, Deng Yan arrived at the welfare home to see Fafa sitting on the ground, seemingly lost in thought. Noticing a wound on Fafa's hand, Deng Yan gently bandaged it. Upon learning that Deng Yan was a police officer, Fafa grew suspicious, asking if the police were there to catch her father. Deng Yan affirmed that police officers catch bad people and would indeed apprehend Fafa's father if he were a criminal.
Meanwhile, Chang Rui, having heard that Whiteboard was a heavy gambler, went to a casino he frequently visited to investigate. Deng Yan's conversation with Fafa confirmed Whiteboard's gambling habit. She immediately contacted the Anti-abduction Office, instructing officers to search all entertainment venues and underground casinos in the city for Whiteboard, ensuring no lead was overlooked. Just then, Chang Rui called back, confirming he had already located Whiteboard.
Chang Rui, posing as a wealthy man named Xie, began gambling lavishly at a casino and arranged a high-stakes game. The casino boss, alerted to Xie's presence, called Whiteboard to join the game, also involving Zhao Dafeng. Whiteboard, introducing himself as Bai, readily agreed and quickly won a substantial amount of money. When he attempted to leave, Zhao Dafeng, nicknamed Crazy, challenged him, leading to a heated argument.
Chang Rui intervened, calming the situation and suggesting they continue playing for fun, covering Zhao Dafeng's previous losses. Chang Rui continued to play with Whiteboard and Zhao Dafeng through the night, eventually winning all their money. He then returned their winnings, explaining that he sought partners to expand his "business" in Linshan, and proposed they make money together. Whiteboard and Zhao Dafeng were eager to join him.
Chang Rui immediately called Yin Jiansheng, explaining that he had found not only Whiteboard but also an accomplice named Zhao Dafeng, whom he suspected of being part of an organized kidnapping group. He wanted to prolong the operation to catch a larger target. Yin Jiansheng then reported this to Deng Yan, who, in turn, decided to report the situation to Captain Han.
Suddenly, Yan Lei received an urgent report: a baby boy named Little Spud was missing from the Central Garden Square in Xinmin Street. Deng Yan, without delay, led her officers to the scene, instructing Ai Xin to remain at the office for calls. Upon arriving at the small square, Deng Yan and Yin Jiansheng learned from local police officers that the child's grandmother, Mrs. Lin, a former doctor, had rushed to help an unconscious person.
After the ambulance took the patient away, she realized Little Spud was gone. Deng Yan recognized Mrs. Lin as her mother's colleague and reassured her that they were there to help. Little Spud's parents soon arrived, distraught and demanding that the police find their child immediately. Deng Yan calmly explained that they were already deploying traffic police and other units to assist in the search.
Yang Jiajia reviewed the square's surveillance footage and quickly identified a suspicious vehicle with a fake license plate. Deng Yan, suspecting it belonged to kidnappers, personally led the pursuit. The vehicle carried a couple and a baby. The couple sped away, but Deng Yan and Chang Rui pursued relentlessly, eventually forcing the vehicle to stop. The couple adamantly claimed the child was theirs, attributing their frantic escape to having smuggled cigarettes and a fake license plate in the car.
Forensic tests confirmed that the baby in the vehicle belonged to the couple. Little Spud's parents were devastated and directed their anger at Mrs. Lin. Deng Yan felt their investigative direction might be flawed and suggested broadening the search. She proposed expanding the search radius beyond the park entrance to include all exits, deep areas, and blind spots, ensuring no area was overlooked.
She also suggested re-visiting the park to find potential eyewitnesses and contacting other police stations to issue a joint investigation notice, as the child might have already been transferred. Deng Yan and Yan Lei began posting missing person notices for Little Spud near the crime scene. They arrived at Tuanyuan Restaurant, a long-standing civilian anti-kidnapping organization. Madam Zhang, the proprietor, immediately recognized Deng Yan as a childhood friend of her missing daughter, Lin Ranran.
Madam Zhang greeted her warmly, and Deng Yan assured her that she had never forgotten Lin Ranran's case. Yan Lei then received a call from the bureau, prompting them to leave. Meanwhile, lawyer Sun Wenhan encountered Luo Xiaoxing on the street. She was still searching for her younger brother, Luo Xiaoyu, who had been kidnapped fifteen years prior. Sun Wenhan offered to be her legal representative and accompanied her to the Public Complaints Administration to seek assistance.
The administration then called Deng Yan's office. Both Sun Wenhan and Luo Xiaoxing expressed doubts about the Anti-abduction Office's effectiveness, to which Deng Yan responded by detailing the police's extensive efforts, including 327 investigations across 11 provinces and interviews with over 760 individuals since Luo Xiaoyu's disappearance. Luo Xiaoxing recounted her family's tragedies: her mother committed suicide after Luo Xiaoyu went missing, and her father, grandfather, and grandmother all passed away without seeing him return.
She expressed her anguish, having searched for fifteen years with no results. Sun Wenhan pressed Deng Yan for tangible results, demanding Luo Xiaoyu's swift return. In response, Deng Yan made a solemn promise: if she failed to solve Luo Xiaoyu's case, she would resign from the police force. Later, a fisherman discovered Zhao Dafeng's body in a river. Chang Rui personally went to confirm the identity, confirming it was indeed Zhao Dafeng.
He recalled their last encounter in the casino, where he, as Xie, had befriended Whiteboard and Zhao Dafeng. During that meeting, Chang Rui implied he was involved in human trafficking, using the slang term "leather business," which Zhao Dafeng confirmed was also their line of work. Chang Rui then offered Zhao Dafeng 30,000 yuan as a down payment for goods, agreeing to a two-day delivery. Back at Tuanyuan Restaurant, Qian, the landlord, arrived to collect rent.
Madam Zhang, in financial straits, gathered 1,100 yuan, supplemented by money pooled by the restaurant's volunteers. She handed it to Qian, who noted it was insufficient but agreed to give her a few more days to gather the rest.
Episode 3 Recap
Sun Wenhan and Luo Xiaoxing arrived at Tuanyuan Restaurant where they witnessed Qian pressing Madam Zhang for overdue rent. Madam Zhang, explaining her financial struggles, could only offer 1,100 yuan, promising the remaining 2,000 yuan soon. Without hesitation, Sun Wenhan covered the outstanding amount, telling Madam Zhang to consider it his rent for working from the restaurant. Deeply grateful, Madam Zhang accepted his generosity.
Sun Wenhan then introduced Luo Xiaoxing, explaining she had come to Linshan to find her brother, Luo Xiaoyu, whom she had been searching for 15 years, and had been living on the streets. Madam Zhang, empathizing with Luo Xiaoxing's plight, offered her a place to stay and work, noting that other staff members were also parents of abducted children, sharing similar experiences. She assured Luo Xiaoxing that everyone at the restaurant would help her.
Chang Rui, undercover as a buyer, confronted Whiteboard, pressing him about Zhao Dafeng and demanding the promised "goods." Whiteboard, desperate, offered to provide "young and pretty" girls himself. Chang Rui then received a call from "Mr. Li," an alias for Yin Jiansheng, who was pressing him for the goods. Chang Rui informed him that he had secured "top-notch" goods and would send them to the "usual spot," simultaneously transmitting his location to Deng Yan's team.
Whiteboard led Chang Rui to a deserted factory. There, Whiteboard received a text message from his handler, warning him that "Xie" (Chang Rui's alias) was "bogus" and instructing him to hold onto Zheng Weiwei. Realizing Chang Rui was an officer, Whiteboard attempted to ambush him with a brick, but Chang Rui swiftly overpowered him. Deng Yan and her team arrived promptly, securing Whiteboard and taking him into custody.
Deng Yan and Chang Rui meticulously searched the abandoned factory, discovering a hidden room where a terrified Zhou Min was being held captive. Zhou Min, in a state of extreme distress and exhibiting signs of severe trauma, was rushed to the hospital. There, medical personnel worked to calm her as she cried out in fear, pleading for them not to touch her and to take her away.
Chang Rui wished for Zhou Min to identify Whiteboard, but the doctors confirmed she was still in a highly disoriented and fragile mental state, unable to be questioned, advising against any stimulation. Yan Lei and Chang Rui began interrogating Whiteboard. Despite mounting evidence, Whiteboard adamantly denied his involvement, falsely claiming Zhou Min was his girlfriend and that he had only "punished" her for misbehavior.
Yan Lei informed him that sufficient evidence of his crimes had been gathered, offering a reduced sentence if he confessed and revealed accomplices. Whiteboard, however, remained uncooperative, suggesting they bring Zhou Min to confront him. Chang Rui, drawing on his past experience as a drug enforcement officer, warned Whiteboard that he was facing serious charges and that Zhou Min would identify him once she recovered. He then pressed Whiteboard about other victims and accomplices.
When shown a photo of a child named Fafa, Whiteboard initially claimed she was his biological daughter, then shifted to say he found her abandoned in his hometown around November 2002 and adopted her informally due to his inability to complete legal procedures. Chang Rui countered, revealing that the girl's true name was Qiu Luoluo, and he knew Whiteboard had kidnapped her. Meanwhile, Little Spud's family was consumed by anguish and disarray.
His father printed numerous missing person flyers, which the entire family went out to distribute. His grandmother, tear-stricken and self-reproachful, agonized over the fact that Little Spud went missing while under her care, leading to a heated argument among family members before they resolved to focus solely on finding the child. Deng Yan, overwhelmed by the lack of progress, found herself in a state of distress.
Whiteboard continued to be uncooperative, and Zhou Min's fragile mental state meant she was unable to provide testimony. The fate of Zheng Weiwei and Little Spud remained unknown, fueling Deng Yan's urgency and desperation. The Anti-abduction Office received an anonymous tip reporting that Little Spud had been sold to Nanyangdian Village. Deng Yan, accompanied by Yin Jiansheng and Chang Rui, immediately headed to the village, where they were met by Officer Hu from the local police station.
Officer Hu warned them that Nanyangdian Village had a history as a notorious trafficking hub and its residents were extremely wary of law enforcement. Yin Jiansheng devised a plan for them to pose as a team conducting law popularization education. They proceeded to Yang Yong's house, where local intelligence indicated a recent purchase of a boy.
Upon entering, they observed baby formula, bottles, and children's toys, despite Yang Yong's insistence that he had no children and that these items were merely placed to "attract luck" for his wife to conceive. While Yin Jiansheng engaged Yang Yong in a discussion about anti-trafficking laws, Chang Rui, feigning a search for a restroom, discreetly located Yang Yong's wife attempting to hide a child.
After Chang Rui located the child, Yin Jiansheng discreetly advised Deng Yan not to disclose any findings to Little Spud's grandmother, who had called Deng Yan for updates, until the DNA test results were conclusive. Deng Yan and Chang Rui then separately interrogated Yang Yong and his wife. The couple confessed that they had purchased the boy after years of infertility, obtaining him through the wife's distant cousin, Han Yougang.
They described meeting a rundown van under a row of willow trees at the village's eastern entrance, where the child had been left for them by an unseen trafficker. Following the pre-arranged price, they left the money in the vehicle and took the child. However, subsequent forensic DNA testing confirmed that the rescued child was not Little Spud. Deng Yan's relentless dedication to her work at the Anti-abduction Office meant she was rarely home, deeply concerning her parents.
Her mother understood that Deng Yan's fierce commitment stemmed from the unresolved case of Lin Ran, who was abducted 24 years prior when she went back to get money for a birthday gift she had saved up to buy for Deng Yan. Meanwhile, Sun Wenhan, whose son Sun Xiaoguang was abducted over a decade ago at Fushan West Gardens when he was two, was consumed by grief.
His profound sorrow sometimes led him to mistake other children for his lost son, resulting in him being falsely accused of child trafficking and taken to the police station. Fortunately, Ai Xin arrived to clarify the misunderstanding, explaining his tragic circumstances. At the hospital, Deng Yan learned from the doctor that Zhou Min, while physically recovering, had suffered significant mental trauma and showed abnormally high estrogen levels in her blood.
When Deng Yan attempted to question Zhou Min about potential other victims, Zhou Min's mother vehemently refused, citing her daughter's fragile state and inability to withstand any further distress. She even angrily suggested police use harsh interrogation methods on the traffickers, which Deng Yan patiently explained was unlawful. Later, Zhou Min's parents celebrated her birthday in the hospital room, a scene that triggered Deng Yan's painful memory of Lin Ran's abduction years ago.
With Whiteboard refusing to confess and Zhou Min unable to cooperate, the Anti-abduction Office faced a deadlock. Initial leads on Han Yougang also hit a wall, as the provided phone number was suspended and Han Yougang himself had gone into hiding. Frustrated, Deng Yan decided to pursue a new line of inquiry with Whiteboard. She confronted him with evidence: the discovery of Estradiol in his home.
Deng Yan explained that this drug, used to treat estrogen deficiency and known for promoting growth and breast enlargement, was clearly not for him. She accused him of forcing Zhou Min to take it to accelerate her development, intending to force her into prostitution. Cornered, Whiteboard finally admitted, claiming Zhou Min was his girlfriend, that he had indeed given her the drug.
Episode 4 Recap
Deng Yan and Chang Rui began their interrogation of Whiteboard, focusing on his administration of estrogen to Zhou Min. Whiteboard, cunningly, claimed he only wanted his girlfriend to be "more developed" for his pride, accepting responsibility while implying it was a minor transgression. Chang Rui, frustrated by Whiteboard's evasiveness, believed they needed concrete evidence and suggested questioning Zhou Min. Although Deng Yan initially noted Zhou Min's mother's refusal, Zhou Min herself surprisingly arrived, willing to testify.
Zhou Min bravely recounted her ordeal, stating she wanted to prevent Whiteboard from harming others. She described encountering him on her way home from school when he asked for directions. After showing him the way, she blacked out. When she regained consciousness, she was in a small room with a man in a white coat, whom she identified from a photograph. Terrified, remembering stories of organ harvesting, she struggled as he tried to remove her pants.
He then covered her face with a cloth, and she lost consciousness again. Her next awakening found her blindfolded, disoriented by loud club music, and only able to hear voices. She distinguished her abductor talking to another angry man, repeatedly apologizing. During a subsequent interrogation, Deng Yan and Chang Rui confronted Whiteboard with the confessions of Hu Xifan, an unlicensed doctor, and Zhao Liang, both of whom had revealed details of his activities.
The officers exposed that Whiteboard's supposed "dating" of Zhou Min involved taking her to an unlicensed doctor for a "goods inspection" before sending her to a nightclub. Under pressure, Whiteboard conceded he was upset with Zhou Min for being "stubborn" and had impulsively considered selling her, even to Chang Rui. In a slip, he mentioned he "didn't have a handler" before quickly retracting, insisting he acted alone and denying ever mentioning a "boss" when with Zhao Dafeng.
He finally divulged the name of the nightclub: Platinum No. 1. Deng Yan and Chang Rui then led Anti-abduction Office officers to the Platinum No. 1 nightclub. Inside, the loud environment led a colleague to advise Deng Yan to remove her earpiece and relax, as her tense demeanor made their purpose obvious. On the third floor, Zheng Weiwei was observed being forced to drink with a client, Mr. Li, who treated her roughly.
A manager, having booked the entire floor for a week for Mr. Li, received an urgent order from "the boss" to immediately bring out the captured girls, specifically "the girl" the boss had "got his eyes on," a command that frustrated the manager. Deng Yan discreetly ascended to the third floor, noticing two men guarding a door. She then witnessed two individuals forcibly dragging a girl away. She intervened immediately but was swiftly surrounded.
Chang Rui arrived to back her up. Despite their efforts, the girl was still taken. Deng Yan promptly called Yin Jiansheng, instructing him that the suspects were moving downstairs and to "move in now." In the underground parking lot, Yin Jiansheng and his team intercepted the abductors who were dragging two girls. The police secured the area, assuring the rescued girls they were safe.
During interviews, Deng Yan learned that the girls had been lured from Mount Mangqing with false promises of lucrative city jobs, only to be tricked and forced into serving clients. One girl recalled being taken to a "forest-like place" where others were waiting, then to a house, made to change, and put into a car. She mentioned another girl, remarkably brave, who jumped from the moving vehicle and escaped.
The rescued girls were uncertain if the runaway was recaptured, as they never saw her again. They identified a bald man as one of their captors, later confirmed as Bai Wentao, by his code name "Number Four." They also mentioned seeing another girl being dragged away by two men, but couldn't confirm if she was the one who had escaped earlier.
Based on the victims' accounts, the police concluded that Bai Wentao's statements were largely accurate, but his "handler" remained unknown, as both Bai Wentao and Hu Xifan were clearly intimidated and refused to provide information. An officer suggested the escaped girl was a key clue, and Deng Yan agreed, emphasizing that even without knowing her identity, they knew "where she was last seen." Madam Zhang hosted a regular gathering for parents of abducted children, where they shared their painful experiences.
One mother, Meilian, tearfully recounted her child being missing for over eleven years, lamenting that she no longer knew what he looked like. Another parent, Liu, expressed deep self-blame for losing his grandson, Xiaoxiao, after being just ten minutes late for kindergarten pickup. Madam Zhang offered comfort, urging them to believe their children were safe and would eventually return.
During this time, Deng Yan received an update from an officer confirming the identification of the two recently rescued girls and the notification of their families. However, there were no leads on the escaped girl from the nightclub or on Little Spud. The officer advised Deng Yan that anti-trafficking cases demanded patience and were comparable to "looking for a needle in a haystack." Madam Zhang introduced Lin Hao and Cai Xin, Little Spud's parents, as new members of the group.
Cai Xin, visibly distressed, initially declined to share her story. As another speaker passionately discussed the reality of "spiritual connection" and the power of "blood ties" in finding children, Cai Xin erupted in anger. She sharply criticized the group for focusing on "psychic connections" instead of actively searching for their children, some of whom had been missing for years.
Despite attempts by other parents to express understanding, Cai Xin retorted that she didn't comprehend their passive approach, accusing them of "sighing, pretending everything's okay, avoiding reality, and wasting time." She emphatically declared, "The kids won't come back on their own!" and stormed out, leaving Lin Hao to apologize for her outburst.
Later, Deng Yan, Yin Jiansheng, and other officers deliberated on a potential link between the trafficking of girls and children, with Deng Yan suggesting Bai Wentao might be involved in both. She proposed that finding "Luoluo" and the "middleman" who connected her to Bai Wentao could be a breakthrough for child trafficking cases.
Yin Jiansheng, however, maintained that the operations were separate and prioritized finding the escaped girl from the nightclub, especially since Bai Wentao claimed Luoluo was an adopted child. They ultimately decided to focus on locating the escaped girl. Concurrently, at home, Lin Hao's aunt visited his mother, suggesting that Lin Hao and Cai Xin should have another child to provide Cai Xin with "something to hold on to." Cai Xin overheard this conversation and became furious.
She confronted her mother-in-law, accusing her of prompting the aunt's suggestion and angrily declared that Little Spud was her only child, "not some object you can just replace," vowing never to have another. She harshly told her mother-in-law that if she held such a view, she didn't "deserve to be his grandmother." Lin Hao arrived home amidst the escalating argument.
Cai Xin then lashed out, blaming his mother for Little Spud's disappearance, asserting, "If it weren't for her, our son wouldn't have gone missing!" Lin Hao stepped in to defend his mother, stating that his mother did not lose Little Spud on purpose. His mother, in tears, expressed deep regret and self-blame, stating she understood Cai Xin's pain as a mother and would even trade her own life to bring Little Spud back.
Soon after, Lin Hao received a phone call and excitedly informed his mother that there was news about Little Spud. He, Cai Xin, and his mother then met Zhao Zhilong, who introduced himself as a volunteer from a community outreach group. Zhao Zhilong claimed his cousin had seen Little Spud in Lianxiang Town, identifying him by a black mole on his back—a detail confirmed by the parents from a missing child notice they had posted online.
When Lin Hao eagerly suggested they go to Lianxiang Town immediately, Zhao Zhilong advised caution, warning that rushing might "alert the traffickers." He offered to have his cousin, who was familiar with the area, scout a general location first. He then made them promise not to involve the police once Little Spud was found, reasoning that child trafficking was a serious crime and that police involvement might provoke the traffickers to "do something extreme."
Lin Hao's mother voiced her suspicion, stating, "I don't trust that man. Something feels off. I feel like he's connected to the people who took our child." However, Cai Xin, desperate to find her son, dismissed the concern, declaring, "I don't care if he is connected to them or not. What matters is getting my child back. I only care about that!"
Deng Yan and her team continued their search for the escaped girl from Platinum No. 1, but surveillance around the area yielded no useful leads. Suspecting she might have left Linshan City, they decided to extend their search south towards Pengcang Town. Meanwhile, Cai Xin and Lin Hao were packing for their trip to Lianxiang Town. Lin Hao's mother urged them to contact Director Deng, but Cai Xin vehemently refused, reminding her of Zhao Zhilong's warning against police involvement.
She argued that if the police could have found Little Spud, they would have already. Upon arriving in Lianxiang Town with Cai Xin's maternal grandparents, they met Zhao Zhilong's cousin, Wang. Wang confirmed Little Spud was in the town but couldn't pinpoint the exact family who had taken him, suggesting they'd need more people to help inquire. He provided a map with marked locations and proposed they split up.
Lin Hao and Cai Xin began showing Little Spud's photo to locals. At a stall, a woman confirmed seeing a "chubby child who smiles at everyone" recently, indicating he likely lived nearby, which greatly encouraged Lin Hao and Cai Xin. Soon after, Lin Hao received a call confirming Little Spud's location. They rushed to meet Wang again, who showed them a photo of Little Spud taken by his friend. Lin Hao confirmed it was their son.
Wang then revealed that his friend, who was near the buyer's house, was demanding 200,000 yuan, claiming the money was not for him. Lin Hao and Cai Xin were stunned, realizing they didn't possess such a large sum. Following this, Lin Hao led Cai Xin to a small shop run by Madam Liu, known as "Chatterbox," renowned for knowing everything in town. After purchasing some candy, they discreetly asked Madam Liu if she had seen any "young girls from out of town lately." She confirmed she had.
Episode 5 Recap
Deng Yan and Chang Rui traveled to Peng'an Town for their investigation. An informant approached Chang Rui for a fee, and Chang Rui paid him all the money he had. They learned from an old woman that the wealthiest family, the Mo family, had taken in a mute girl. The old woman initially mentioned the east side of town but then corrected herself, stating they lived on the west side of the street.
Deng Yan and Chang Rui decided to visit the Mo family to investigate. Upon meeting Mr. Mo, he claimed the mute girl was a distant relative who had returned home after failing to find a job due to her disability. His son, Mo Lin, was present but remained silent. Mr. Mo quickly sent him away. Deng Yan suspected Mr. Mo was hiding something and believed the mute girl was key to solving a case.
When Chang Rui suggested further questioning, Deng Yan decided instead to have someone monitor the family to avoid alerting them. Separately, Cai Xin contacted Lin's mother, explaining that she and Lin Hao had located Little Spud through Zhao Zhilong's cousin, but the individual demanded 200,000 yuan for his specific whereabouts. Lin Hao and Cai Xin only had 20,000 yuan in cash, so Cai Xin appealed to Lin's mother to help raise the rest.
Lin's mother was overjoyed at the news but also worried about potential scammers. Cai Xin quickly sent her a photo of Little Spud's back as proof and assured her that people in the town had seen him. Lin's mother offered to borrow money from relatives, but Cai Xin adamantly urged her not to involve anyone else or the police, fearing it could jeopardize Little Spud's safety.
Lin's mother promised to find a way to raise the money herself, without telling anyone. Meanwhile, Luo Xiaoxing, whose brother Luo Xiaoyu was abducted, had become an orphan after her parents and grandparents passed away. Despite twenty-four years passing, she continued her search for him. Sun Wenhan, whose own son Xiaoguang had also been abducted, empathized with her plight.
He offered to represent her as her lawyer and introduced her to Madam Zhang, the owner of Tuanyuan Restaurant, where Luo Xiaoxing started working as an assistant. Luo Xiaoxing spent her free time drawing her imagined version of Xiaoyu, fearing she wouldn't recognize him if they ever met. Madam Zhang and Sun Wenhan, both carrying the pain of missing children, offered words of comfort, emphasizing a psychic connection between family members, which helped ease Luo Xiaoxing's heart.
After careful consideration, Lin's mother decided to sell her apartment. Despite it being a valuable school district property that was about to gain more value with a new school branch, she insisted on a quick sale for cash, even if it meant a significant price reduction. Her real estate agent quickly found a buyer willing to pay cash that day. Lin's mother transferred the 200,000 yuan to Lin Hao.
Later, seeing an anti-fraud public service announcement, she grew increasingly uneasy and called Deng Yan for advice. Deng Yan immediately recognized it as a scam, leaving Lin's mother devastated and distraught, blaming herself for being tricked. Lin Hao and Cai Xin met with the individual, later identified as Zhao Zhilong's cousin. He took half of the 200,000 yuan, and a middleman revealed Little Spud was supposedly at Yao Laosan’s house in Lianxiang Town.
The individual then quickly left after receiving the remaining 100,000 yuan. Lin Hao and Cai Xin soon spotted a woman holding a child whom they believed was Little Spud. Cai Xin seized the opportunity, quickly grabbing the child from a stroller and getting into their car. The woman and her husband, realizing their child was gone, immediately called neighbors for help and pursued Lin Hao’s car. The couple and their neighbors chased Lin Hao, eventually intercepting his car.
Lin Hao got out to confront them, while Cai Xin, seizing the moment, ran off with the child into a high-rise parking lot. Officer Yan Lei, witnessing the chaos, immediately reported the situation to Deng Yan, stating that Lin Hao and Cai Xin had snatched a child and were near Linshan North Station. Deng Yan, without hesitation, rushed to the scene with Chang Rui and Yang Jiajia. On the rooftop parking lot, Cai Xin was cornered by the furious couple.
She became increasingly agitated, threatening to jump with the child if they came any closer. Firefighters had already deployed a safety mat below. Deng Yan arrived and calmly talked Cai Xin down, playing on her conviction that the child was Little Spud and reassuring her that no one would take him away. Cai Xin eventually handed the child over to Deng Yan, who instructed Chang Rui and Yang Jiajia to take the child for a DNA test.
The forensic DNA results confirmed that the child was not Little Spud. Lin Hao and Cai Xin were utterly heartbroken, realizing they had been victims of a sophisticated scam orchestrated by the Wang brothers, who had transferred the money to Zhao Zhilong. The revelation left them completely distraught, clinging to each other and weeping uncontrollably.
Upon hearing the news, Lin's mother was overcome with grief, crying profusely and taking all the blame for their misfortune, including the loss of her house money. Deng Yan felt a deep sense of sadness witnessing their despair. Recognizing the need for better resources, Yang Jiajia proposed creating a comprehensive database to centralize all information on abducted children, believing it would significantly improve the efficiency of future searches. Chang Rui supported her initiative.
Later, Yin Jiansheng collapsed from exhaustion due to his relentless efforts to find clues about Little Spud and was hospitalized. Han Liang informed Deng Yan, advising her to extend support to her colleagues. Deng Yan went to the hospital but found Yin Jiansheng had left, having claimed he had family matters to attend to, but was likely still pursuing leads.
She then visited the retired former Director, who understood Yin Jiansheng's unwavering dedication and encouraged Deng Yan to remain steadfast in her anti-abduction work, emphasizing the importance of perseverance. Yin Jiansheng's wife was visibly frustrated by his preoccupation with cases, even while hospitalized, and he even hid in the bathroom to continue making calls. Chang Rui attempted to visit Yin Jiansheng but was initially denied entry by a strict nurse.
He managed to sneak into the room, where Yin Jiansheng eagerly inquired about the Little Spud case's progress. Chang Rui mentioned Yang Jiajia’s database project. Deng Yan later returned to the hospital to check on Yin Jiansheng, finding Chang Rui hiding, thinking she was the nurse. Yin Jiansheng wanted to discuss the case, but Deng Yan insisted he focus on his recovery, promising to talk after his discharge.
Concerned for Yin Jiansheng’s health, Xiao Wenjin and Han Liang agreed that he needed to rest and decided to entrust the Little Spud case to Deng Yan. Deng Yan appeared on television, publicly announcing Little Spud’s abduction and urging the public to provide any leads. She highlighted the surge in child trafficking cases and emphasized that the Little Spud incident was a critical opportunity to mobilize the public to fight abductions, ensuring every family understood prevention.
Sun Wenhan sought out Professor Yang, Linshan City's top sketch artist, to draw Luo Xiaoyu's appearance as an adult based on Luo Xiaoxing's features. Meanwhile, Yang Jiajia successfully created a trial version of the comprehensive database, compiling all of Little Spud’s case information into a mini-database, which she then showed to Chang Rui.
Episode 6 Recap
Deng Yan meticulously reviewed surveillance footage from the park square, focusing on the moments Little Spud went missing. She observed a woman quickly getting into a van while holding something that, based on its size, she suspected was a child. Although the camera only captured the woman's lower body, Deng Yan noticed a man standing by the vehicle.
Recalling a previous interrogation, she recognized the distinctive fidgeting of Meng Gui's feet and the specific shoes he wore, which matched those of the van driver in the surveillance. This strongly suggested Meng Gui and the woman collaborated in Little Spud's abduction. However, with Meng Gui's persistent denials and no definitive proof that the package was Little Spud, Deng Yan knew they needed more concrete evidence before making an arrest.
Meanwhile, Little Spud's mother, Cai Xin, was consumed by grief, unable to eat or sleep, dedicating all her time to distributing missing person flyers. Her boss, Mr. Liu, urged her to return to work, stating the project couldn't wait and suggesting she "let go." Heartbroken and overwhelmed, Cai Xin defiantly resigned. Overcome by exhaustion and distress, she collapsed. Lin Hao, desperate, called Deng Yan for help.
Deng Yan rushed to the hospital to comfort a distraught Cai Xin, who felt hopeless after losing her son, being swindled, and quitting her job. Deng Yan vowed to bring Little Spud back, no matter the cost, and Cai Xin, holding onto Deng Yan, wept uncontrollably. Deng Yan later advised Lin Hao to seek psychological help for Cai Xin, noting her condition resembled post-traumatic stress disorder.
At the Anti-abduction Office, Luo Xiaoxing, accompanied by Lawyer Sun Wenhan, confronted Ai Xin and Yang Jiajia about her brother, Luo Xiaoyu, who was abducted 24 years ago. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Luo Xiaoxing accused the police of inaction. Sun Wenhan presented a sketch.
Yang Jiajia explained that Director Deng had already commissioned a portrait of Luo Xiaoyu, based on his bone structure, after meeting Luo Xiaoxing at the Public Complaints Administration, and had distributed it to various public security departments for assistance. Luo Xiaoxing, however, expressed dissatisfaction that she hadn't been shown the portrait earlier. Ai Xin clarified that police protocols prevented them from communicating with families unless new leads emerged and urged Luo Xiaoxing to be patient and cooperate with their efforts.
Deng Yan then visited the welfare home where Qiu Luoluo was staying. The director informed her that Qiu Luoluo, who they called Fafa, had been refusing to eat or drink since her relatives were found. Deng Yan brought Qiu Luoluo's sister, Tingting, and Tingting's adoptive parents to the welfare home. Tingting gently explained to Qiu Luoluo that their parents had died in a car accident and that her adoptive parents could only afford to adopt one child.
Qiu Luoluo was heartbroken, crying and begging her sister to take her along. The director assured Deng Yan that social workers specializing in child psychology would be assigned to monitor and provide counseling to Qiu Luoluo, alleviating Deng Yan's concerns about the child's psychological well-being. Later, Chang Rui was seen comforting Qiu Luoluo, who was quietly crying. After being discharged from the hospital, Vice Director Yin Jiansheng immediately returned to the Anti-abduction Office, eager for updates on Little Spud's case.
Meanwhile, Ai Xin and Yang Jiajia continued reviewing surveillance footage but still found no clear images of the woman who abducted Little Spud. A crucial new lead emerged when Sun Wenhan's client, who was at the square during the abduction, recounted seeing a woman carrying a child towards a "beat-up van." Although she couldn't see the woman's face clearly, the description of the van matched the one seen in earlier surveillance.
Deng Yan immediately instructed Yang Jiajia to track the movements of this white van, license plate South C 1798B, which was frequently seen near the Qingluo Town wholesale market. Deng Yan and Chang Rui located the van at the market. Its driver, Wang Laoshi, panicked and fled, mistakenly believing they were debt collectors pursuing him for an unpaid loan.
Once apprehended, Wang Laoshi vehemently denied knowing Meng Gui or ever lending his van, explaining he uses it daily for seafood deliveries. Deng Yan discerned Wang Laoshi's truthfulness, deducing that Meng Gui was operating a cloned vehicle. Yang Jiajia’s subsequent investigation confirmed Meng Gui was indeed driving the cloned van, which had an irregular travel pattern, appearing in multiple cities like Lingnan, Linjiang, Hongxi, and even neighboring provinces within a month, often avoiding highways.
Its last known location was Youyi Mall in Lingnan at 8 PM the previous night. Deng Yan proposed expanding the search radius, suggesting this indicated a larger criminal ring, a theory Yin Jiansheng supported, believing it might connect to existing girl trafficking cases. Simultaneously, Sun Wenhan learned about a family in Xibang Village, Jinglong Town, Shanyang County, who adopted a child resembling Little Spud.
He contacted his former coworker, Fan Dacheng, who confirmed the child's presence and warned Sun Wenhan about the close-knit and wary villagers. Sun Wenhan traveled to the village, using the excuse of visiting Fan Dacheng to approach the adoptive family's house. He secretly took a photo of the child, noting the child’s pale and unwell appearance.
The child’s adoptive father, Zheng Mingguang, returned home and confronted Sun Wenhan, accusing him of being a child trafficker and forcing him to delete the photo. Zheng Mingguang then warned other villagers to be vigilant against strangers. Deng Yan continued to analyze the cloned van's movements, observing that it consistently passed through Linshan regardless of its destination (Lingnan, Jijiang, Changqing, Hongxi, Jiuguan County), leading her to suspect Linshan was their operational base.
Despite the van's cunning attempts to evade most city cameras, four specific intersections consistently captured its presence. Deng Yan, wary of alerting the suspects, decided against involving local police and instead assigned herself, Yin Jiansheng, Chang Rui, and Yang Jiajia to stake out these four critical intersections. Based on the van's consistent three-day return pattern to Linshan, they anticipated its arrival soon, as it had been three days since its last sighting in Jijiang.
Yang Jiajia arranged for assistance from traffic control to aid their surveillance efforts. Sun Wenhan made a second attempt to visit the adoptive family, but the adoptive mother discovered him and alerted her husband, Zheng Mingguang. Believing Sun Wenhan to be a child trafficker, Zheng Mingguang incited the villagers, who trapped Sun Wenhan in his car and smashed its windows. Sun Wenhan attempted to call Yin Jiansheng, but his phone was on silent.
Fortunately, the village security chief, Debang, intervened, stopping the agitated villagers and taking Sun Wenhan to the village committee for questioning. Later, Deng Yan spotted the cloned van (C1798B) and immediately notified her team. She dispatched Chang Rui to the Tianxia Shuiyi Bathing Center, where Meng Gui was apprehended while taking a shower. Deng Yan pursued the target van, which briefly entered and then quickly exited the Hongtoushan Residential Area. She continued to follow it to its final destination, observing multiple children inside. The driver then dropped off one of the children to a waiting man.
Episode 7 Recap
As Deng Yan tracked a trafficker, she arrived at a transaction where a child was being handed to a buyer. Just as the exchange occurred, police officers swiftly moved in. The trafficker immediately fled, while the terrified buyer dropped to the ground. Officers pursued the fleeing trafficker relentlessly. Deng Yan rushed forward to embrace the boy, reassuring him that she would take him home to his mother.
Meanwhile, Yang Jiajia discovered and rescued two more abducted children from the trafficker's vehicle. The trafficker was apprehended shortly after. Later, during an initial interrogation, Chang Rui questioned Meng Gui, who feigned ignorance, claiming he was merely a designated driver. Chang Rui pressed him, reminding him of past incidents involving children and pointing out his recurring presence in such cases. Meng Gui eventually confessed to being a driver who transported abducted children to traffickers.
He revealed that in the case of Little Spud, he was acting under the orders of a woman known as Madam Hong. Chang Rui reported this information to Yin Jiansheng, noting that Meng Gui claimed Madam Hong was a single point of contact and that Yang Jiajia was verifying Meng Gui's call records for more leads. Sun Wenhan had earlier gone to Xibang Village to investigate Little Spud's whereabouts but was mistaken for a trafficker by the villagers and detained.
Yin Jiansheng had to intervene late at night to secure his release. Despite this setback, Sun Wenhan’s information proved valuable; led by Sun Wenhan, Deng Yan met Fan Dacheng, who reported that a child in the village strongly resembled Little Spud, though the villagers believed the boy to be Zheng Mingguang’s own son. Recognizing the need for solid evidence, Deng Yan, Yin Jiansheng, and a small team decided to visit Xibang Village.
Posing as population census takers, they were led to Zheng Mingguang's home by the village chief. Zheng Mingguang's wife, Liu Hongmei, was initially cautious but cooperated, providing her household register. During their visit, Deng Yan observed the child, Zheng Wendong. She also learned from a doctor that Zheng Wendong was a premature baby born at seven months with a fragile immune system.
Though Deng Yan found no immediate discrepancies in the official documents, she subtly obtained a hair sample from Zheng Wendong for DNA testing while distracting Liu Hongmei by doting on the child. During a subsequent interrogation led by Deng Yan, Meng Gui remained evasive, attempting to downplay his involvement.
Chang Rui then confronted him with irrefutable evidence, including eyewitness accounts and surveillance footage showing Meng Gui and his wife at Central Garden Square, where his wife handed him a child who was then concealed in a travel bag. Chang Rui revealed that the child found in Meng Gui's car during his arrest was his own, implying the trafficked child had already been moved to another vehicle.
Faced with conclusive proof, Meng Gui confessed that Madam Hong had previously instructed him to deliver a boy to Han Yougang. Later, Han Yougang called him directly, urgently requesting another boy. Meng Gui admitted that he and his wife then abducted Little Spud from Central Garden Square and sold him to Han Yougang for 50,000 yuan. Separately, Lin Hao accompanied Cai Xin to the location of their first date.
Cai Xin then proposed a divorce, explaining that while she knew Lin Hao’s mother hadn't meant for Little Spud to be taken, she felt an overwhelming burden of guilt and despair since the abduction. She struggled with sleepless nights, couldn't face her mother-in-law, and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and severe depression, requiring long-term medication that precluded having another child.
Despite Lin Hao's pleas and offers to move out, Cai Xin insisted that divorce was the best choice for both their sakes. Lin Hao, heartbroken by Cai Xin's decision and the loss of his son, later returned home intoxicated. He confronted his mother, bitterly blaming her for being distracted by saving someone else at the park, which he believed led to the abduction and the fracturing of his family.
His mother, deeply pained, repeatedly apologized, her despair so profound that she contemplated taking her own life. The next morning, Yang Jiajia delivered the DNA test results: Zheng Wendong, the child from Xibang Village, was confirmed to be Little Spud, and the child was indeed Lin Hao's biological son. Deng Yan was both shocked and delighted and immediately organized a team, including Chang Rui, to rescue Little Spud from Xibang Village.
Upon arrival, the village chief informed them that Zheng Mingguang was out, with only Liu Hongmei and the child at home. Deng Yan assigned Yang Jiajia to secure Liu Hongmei while she and Chang Rui focused on the child. Inside the house, Deng Yan informed Liu Hongmei of her arrest for child trafficking. Despite Liu Hongmei's desperate pleas and insistence that the child was hers, Deng Yan clarified the illegality of buying a trafficked child.
As Deng Yan and her team attempted to leave with Little Spud and Liu Hongmei, Zheng Mingguang arrived with a group of villagers, blocking their path. Liu Hongmei screamed for the villagers' help, claiming the police were stealing her child. The villagers, who had attended Zheng Wendong's full-month banquet and believed him to be Zheng Mingguang's son, sided with Liu Hongmei, accusing the police of making a mistake.
A tense standoff ensued as the villagers refused to move, some even attempting to assault the officers, believing them to be "fake cops." Chang Rui drew his gun to deter the crowd, but they remained defiant. Sun Wenhan arrived, creating a diversion that allowed Deng Yan and Yang Jiajia to lead their team and Little Spud away via an alternate route. Soon after, additional police units arrived and successfully apprehended Zheng Mingguang.
Meanwhile, Lin Hao awoke to find a suicide note from his mother, indicating her intention to end her life. Panicked, he desperately called relatives, but no one had seen her. He then reached out to Cai Xin, informing her of his mother's disappearance. Cai Xin soon received a call from the police, who had located Lin Hao's mother on surveillance at Mangjiang Bridge and dispatched officers. Cai Xin and Lin Hao immediately rushed to the bridge.
At Mangjiang Bridge, Lin Hao and Cai Xin frantically tried to persuade Lin Hao's mother not to jump, promising they would not divorce and expressing their sorrow for her pain. Lin Hao's mother, consumed by despair, felt Little Spud was lost forever and wanted to die. Just as hope seemed to wane, Deng Yan arrived, holding Little Spud. Seeing her grandson alive, Lin Hao's mother's despair transformed into overwhelming joy and tears of relief.
She embraced Little Spud tightly, refusing to let him go. News reports soon confirmed Little Spud's safe return, bringing immense relief to many, including Madam Zhang, who saw the broadcast. Later, Chang Rui and Deng Yan separately interrogated Liu Hongmei and Zheng Mingguang. Liu Hongmei became highly emotional, screaming and insisting that Little Spud was her child, making it difficult to extract information. Zheng Mingguang, however, was more cooperative.
He admitted they had bought the child but claimed Liu Hongmei had handled all the arrangements, including finding the contact, and that he merely followed her lead because she managed the household finances. He expressed genuine affection for the child and even asked if they could pay more money to keep him, though the officers reminded him that he had committed a crime.
Yin Jiansheng noted that while Liu Hongmei was distraught, Zheng Mingguang spoke freely but lacked specific details, indicating Liu Hongmei was the true instigator. Yin also suggested that Liu Hongmei's profound grief and attachment to the child were understandable for a mother who had lost hope. After some time, Liu Hongmei calmed down and confessed. She revealed that she had suffered a miscarriage six months into her pregnancy and was subsequently diagnosed with infertility.
Distraught, she and Zheng Mingguang were advised by Han Yougang to adopt a child to secure Zheng Mingguang's family inheritance, which would otherwise go to his younger brother. Han Yougang immediately contacted Meng Gui, requesting a child approximately six months old. Liu Hongmei paid 100,000 yuan to purchase Little Spud and pleaded with the police to help her recover the money from Han Yougang.
Officers noted that Han Yougang had now sold at least two children, prompting a warrant for his arrest. The police affirmed their focus on finding Han Yougang and continuing investigations into other missing children, including Zheng Weiwei and a girl who had fled to Pengcang Town. At the Linshan City Welfare Home, staff gathered the children in the main hall, but one child, Zheng Luoluo (Fafa), was found to be missing after nap time.
Despite searches, Zheng Luoluo could not be located, implying an escape. The case then shifted focus with a call from Captain Han suggesting a visit to Bai Wentao, who was revealed to be deceased.
Episode 8 Recap
Deng Yan and Chang Rui arrived at the detention center to interrogate Whiteboard, who was suspected of murdering Zhao Dafeng. Whiteboard adamantly denied any involvement, claiming he could never kill anyone. Deng Yan, however, produced evidence: Whiteboard's car was found near Zhao Dafeng's body, and a knife recovered at the scene bore both Whiteboard's and Zhao Dafeng's DNA.
Chang Rui, frustrated by Whiteboard's defiance, sternly reminded him that murder carried the death penalty but offered a chance for a reduced sentence if he cooperated. Faced with overwhelming evidence, Whiteboard finally confessed. Whiteboard explained that Zhao Dafeng had once stolen trafficked individuals ("goods" or "people") from him, which infuriated his handler, Skinner, who threatened Whiteboard. Whiteboard arranged to meet Zhao Dafeng, who defiantly refused to return the individuals. Enraged, Whiteboard pulled out a knife.
Zhao Dafeng, undeterred, challenged him to use it, prompting Whiteboard to stab him. Whiteboard admitted he did not know Skinner's current whereabouts or phone number, as Skinner always initiated contact and frequently changed numbers. He also clarified that he only handed over trafficked individuals to Skinner, then left after receiving payment. Meanwhile, Skinner received a call from his boss, who warned him about a recent crackdown and advised him to tell his subordinates to keep a low profile.
Separately, Luoluo, a young girl from the welfare home who had run away, sought out Chang Rui at the Anti-abduction Office. Chang Rui took her out to eat and gently inquired about her reasons for leaving. Luoluo confessed she found the other children at the welfare home "too childish and silly," unable to comprehend why they laughed despite being abandoned by their parents.
Chang Rui thoughtfully explained that while some things in life are out of one's control, how one faces them determines their future. He then informed her he would return her to the welfare home, but Luoluo expressed a wish to visit an amusement park. Chang Rui agreed, adding a condition that she behave.
That same day, Yan Lei, who was tracking Mo Lin, reported to Deng Yan that Mo Lin had fled into the mountains with a girl, He Xiaoying, after some aggressive men came looking for her at his home. Deng Yan immediately mobilized a team to Pengcang Town for a night search.
Chief Chen, a local officer, briefed them on the treacherous conditions, highlighting the damp, cold, and slippery mountain terrain, the high river levels that made crossing difficult, and the blocked bridges. He stated their search area was narrowed to the stream near the village. Yin Jiansheng suggested that Mr. Mo, Mo Lin's father, might be covering for him.
Deng Yan then assigned Yin Jiansheng to persuade Mr. Mo to cooperate rather than join the mountain search, with Yang Jiajia accompanying him. During the search, Chang Rui discovered numerous cigarette butts, surmising that non-local individuals, likely Skinner's men, had been in the area, as villagers would never risk smoking in the damp woods. Meanwhile, Yin Jiansheng and Yang Jiajia visited Mr. Mo's grocery store.
Initially evasive, Mr. Mo eventually revealed that Mo Lin was indeed hiding a girl because San Laizi, a notorious local troublemaker, and three other men, all armed with knives, were pursuing her. He admitted he had advised Mo Lin to take the girl to his second uncle's place to contact the police from there. Following the trail of cigarette butts, Deng Yan and Chang Rui's team quickly located and apprehended San Laizi and the three other men in the forest.
They continued their search and eventually found Mo Lin and the girl, whom Mo Lin called Lianqiao, hiding in a small wooden cabin. Deng Yan identified the girl as He Xiaoying, stating her full name and her father's name, He Dashan, but He Xiaoying emphatically denied this identity and home. She recounted her harrowing experience: her father, He Dashan, gambled away all their money, constantly drank, and subjected her to physical and emotional abuse. Her mother eventually left.
He Xiaoying worked after school as a waitress to support the household and her father's drinking habits. He Dashan attempted to sell her for 30,000 yuan. When she tore up the contract, he became enraged and raped her. He Xiaoying tearfully pleaded with Deng Yan not to send her back, explaining that she had run away twice before, only to be returned by the police, after which her father's abuse would resume.
Deng Yan solemnly promised He Xiaoying that they would not send her back and would ensure no one, not even her father, would harm her. Mo Lin further explained He Xiaoying's recent ordeal. She had initially run away to find her mother, but couldn't reach her. She then sought work but was ensnared by the traffickers, drugged, and woke up imprisoned in a small wooden cabin. During a transfer of girls, she seized an opportunity to escape.
Skinner had sent his men, including San Laizi, to pursue her. Mo Lin encountered He Xiaoying while she was being chased on the mountain and hid her, initially in the cabin. Mr. Mo, fearing their capture, then instructed Mo Lin to take He Xiaoying to his uncle's house, where they could safely contact the police. Later, Chang Rui interrogated one of the captured traffickers.
The man initially refused to cooperate, but Chang Rui, outlining charges of woman trafficking, kidnapping, and assaulting an officer with a weapon, warned him of a possible life sentence. This threat prompted the trafficker to reveal his handler was Skinner, noting Skinner's peculiar fondness for salted duck eggs. Meanwhile, Deng Yan visited Madam Zhang at the Tuanyuan Restaurant. Madam Zhang warmly greeted her, praising her recent success in solving cases.
As Deng Yan ate the vegetarian rice noodles, Madam Zhang reminisced about how Lin Ran, her lost daughter, also loved the same noodles, though she was much pickier. Overcome with emotion, Deng Yan confessed her deep regret and guilt over Lin Ran's abduction, wishing she had never asked Lin Ran to play outside that day or had held onto the trafficker more tightly. Madam Zhang consoled her, assuring Deng Yan that she was just a child and never to blame.
She then asked if Lin Ran was the reason Deng Yan joined the Anti-abduction Office. Deng Yan tearfully affirmed her determination to find Lin Ran. Madam Zhang then promised Deng Yan free vegetarian rice noodles whenever she visited. Later, Chang Rui took Luoluo to an amusement park, where she was visibly delighted. Luoluo wanted to ride the roller coaster, but Chang Rui told her she was too small.
Chang Rui then needed to use the restroom, instructing Luoluo to wait for him at their spot and explicitly warning her not to wander off. Upon his return, Luoluo was gone.
Episode 9 Recap
Chang Rui took Luoluo to an amusement park, where she joyfully ran around. When Chang Rui went to the restroom, he repeatedly instructed her to wait right where she was. The park was crowded. Luoluo, seeing a man grab a little boy named Dongdong and run, immediately threw down her ice cream and chased after them. When Chang Rui emerged from the restroom, he found Luoluo gone and ice cream splattered on the ground.
As he wondered what happened, he heard Dongdong's mother loudly calling for help. Luoluo ran to the park's entrance and asked a security guard to stop the man carrying Dongdong. Chang Rui and Dongdong's mother soon arrived. Dongdong's mother recognized the man as her ex-husband, Dongdong's father. Chang Rui, identifying himself as a police officer, cautioned the ex-husband not to take Dongdong without permission in the future. The security guard mistakenly assumed Chang Rui and Luoluo were father and daughter.
Chang Rui, not wanting to explain further, simply went along with it. Luoluo was overjoyed and, upon returning to the welfare institute, excitedly boasted to her friends that she now had a father. Deng Yan, reviewing the complex network of human trafficking based on information from Lianqiao, concluded that Skinner was the leader of a girl trafficking gang, while Madam Hong specialized in child trafficking, with Meng Gui transporting the children for her.
Han Yougang's activities appeared to be a separate line, possibly "private jobs" Meng Gui conducted behind Madam Hong's back. However, Deng Yan suspected Han Yougang might be a front for Madam Hong due to her cunning nature. Deng Yan instructed Yang Jiajia to continue investigating Meng Gui's travel history, specifically his van (South C1798B) and SUV (South CC0Y30), looking for extended or repeated stops that might correlate with missing persons reports.
She also told Yan Lei to keep a close watch on Skinner. Deng Yan and Chang Rui then set out to find Han Yougang. They stopped at a roadside restaurant for a meal. While Chang Rui stepped out to take a call, Deng Yan showed a photo of Han Yougang to the restaurant owner. To her surprise, the owner pointed out Han Yougang, who was dining nearby.
Startled, Han Yougang immediately fled, prompting Deng Yan to call Chang Rui to join the chase. Deng Yan and Chang Rui successfully apprehended Han Yougang and brought him in for interrogation. Han Yougang initially denied any wrongdoing, claiming he thought they were debt collectors. However, when he learned that Meng Gui had already been arrested and confessed, he visibly panicked.
He then claimed he had only helped with two "abandoned" children—one for his cousin in Nanyangdian Village and another for a coworker in Xibang Village—and that he regretted it and ran away after the first child was discovered. Deng Yan concluded that Han Yougang was not directly associated with Madam Hong. Meanwhile, Yang Jiajia's analysis of Meng Gui's travel records revealed that his vehicle had been present at the locations of two abduction cases and also in Watai Village.
Curiously, Watai Village had no local reports of missing children. Deng Yan then remembered a cross-provincial assistance notice from a year prior regarding a case where the victim was from Watai Village but the crime occurred in Binliu City, Xinyang Province. Without delay, Deng Yan, Chang Rui, and Yin Jiansheng traveled to Watai Village. The village chief led them to the home of Zhang Xuegui and Cao Guihua, who had reported their eldest son missing a year earlier.
The chief called their neighbor, Wang Baozhu, to provide information. Wang Baozhu immediately recognized Meng Gui as a man who had sold cheap, smuggled cigarettes in the village just days before the child disappeared. He vividly recalled Meng Gui's car parked right there and how Meng Gui had seemed unusually interested in the child, staring at and playing with little Zhang Hao for a long time.
Deng Yan called Yang Jiajia, instructing her to access the DNA database and cross-reference Meng Gui's activity in Watai Village from a year ago with their findings. This revealed that the suspect had followed Zhang Xuegui's family to Binliu City and had been lurking near their hardware store. Further investigation of the van's license plate, South C1798B, led them to a car repair shop.
Surveillance footage from the shop showed that when Meng Gui dropped off his van for repairs, he was picked up by a motorcycle matching the one seen at the crime scene. On the day of the abduction, Zhang Xuegui and Cao Guihua were inside their hardware store when two individuals on a motorcycle rode past and snatched their child. Deng Yan noticed Cao Guihua's disturbed demeanor.
The local police chief confirmed that Cao Guihua had suffered from mental instability since childbirth, and her condition had worsened considerably after her child was stolen. The chief also mentioned that they had recently rescued a trafficked woman named Liu Shumei, originally from Linshan, who was now hospitalized and undergoing treatment after being sold by another trafficking group while fleeing and subsequently beaten severely. Deng Yan immediately recognized Liu Shumei as Meng Gui's wife.
Deng Yan and Chang Rui brought Meng Gui in for another interrogation. They confronted him with the horrific details of Liu Shumei's plight—how she was trafficked, sold, and savagely beaten to the point of being hospitalized and fighting for her life. Initially, Meng Gui tried to deny involvement in the Watai Village case, claiming he had only abducted one child.
However, as Deng Yan pressed him, describing his wife's dire condition and the possibility of a reduced sentence if he cooperated, Meng Gui finally broke down and confessed to all his crimes. Based on his detailed confession, the authorities were able to locate the abducted child, Zhang Hao. Zhang Hao was safely reunited with his parents, bringing immense relief to the family.
For Deng Yan and her team, restoring a family on the brink of collapse was the most rewarding outcome, and Meng Gui's confession also brought them closer to uncovering Madam Hong's whereabouts. Later, Xiao Wenjin and Han Liang arrived at the Anti-abduction Office to see Deng Yan. Xiao Wenjin initially adopted a stern and critical tone, questioning their procedures and past performance. However, he then dropped an official letter from the Binliu City Public Security Bureau.
The letter formally recommended that the Linshan City Anti-abduction Office be awarded a Second-Class Collective Merit for their exceptional work, especially in the recent Zhang Hao case, which involved complex cross-provincial organized crime. The team members were all thrilled upon reading the commendation. Separately, Chang Rui contacted Officer Huang of the anti-vice task force to inquire about Skinner's whereabouts.
Officer Huang revealed that Skinner was a significant target for their unit, the ringleader of a large prostitution syndicate with over a hundred people working across several nightclubs in Linshan. Officer Huang also shared that they had located one of Skinner's key bases in Luojiang County. Chang Rui quickly found Skinner's hideout in Luojiang County and infiltrated it by pretending to be a client. He was led to a room where a young woman named Pingjiao was assigned to him.
Chang Rui immediately revealed his identity as a police officer. Pingjiao, relieved, admitted she had been trafficked and had been held there for three to four months. She confirmed there were about seven or eight other girls like her. When Chang Rui showed her photos, she recognized Zheng Weiwei as one of the girls held with her. Pingjiao explained that they were always blindfolded when moved, so she didn't know the exact location where the other girls were kept.
Chang Rui assured her that they would work quickly to rescue all of them. Inside the compound, a pimp known as Mo attempted to sexually assault Zheng Weiwei, but she fiercely resisted and bit him. Skinner arrived and furiously reprimanded Mo, reminding him that Zheng Weiwei was "new merchandise" meant for a client and needed to be delivered soon.
Deng Yan, having finalized meticulous plans, led a massive overnight raid on Skinner's various hideouts, deploying over 600 officers from seven sub-bureaus. They successfully rescued many trafficked girls. However, Chang Rui noticed Zheng Weiwei was not among them. An apprehended pimp claimed Mo had taken Zheng Weiwei and gave a location for Skinner, but this turned out to be a false lead. Chang Rui then intensely interrogated another pimp, who, under pressure, finally revealed Skinner's actual hiding place.
At Skinner's true location, Mo had severely beaten Zheng Weiwei, leaving her bruised and battered. Skinner arrived, once again berating Mo for damaging his "merchandise" and instructing him to prepare her for the impatient client. Shortly after, Deng Yan and the Anti-abduction Office officers arrived at Skinner's apartment, only to find he had already fled. They searched the premises and discovered a barely conscious Zheng Weiwei hidden inside a freezer. They immediately rushed her to the hospital for emergency treatment. Zheng Weiwei's parents soon arrived, heartbroken and distraught upon learning their daughter was fighting for her life and undergoing resuscitation.
Episode 10 Recap
Zheng Weiwei's parents rushed to the hospital, blaming each other for their daughter's misfortune. Zheng Weiwei's father angrily confronted Officer Chang Rui, accusing him of failing to rescue her sooner. Chang Rui was at a loss for words, while Officer Deng Yan felt a pang of sadness. Thanks to the medical staff's dedicated efforts, Zheng Weiwei's condition stabilized, bringing immense relief to her parents.
Yan Lei and Yang Jiajia interrogated a trafficker who revealed that the girls were transported from a "transfer station" where they were always blindfolded. Deng Yan and Chang Rui sought out Lianqiao, hoping she could provide the exact location of the transfer station. They returned to Mr. Mo's convenience store, where they found Mo Lin distressed. Mo Lin, protective of Lianqiao, threatened them with a knife, suspecting the officers wanted to send her back to a shelter.
Lianqiao emerged, expressing her trust in the police and her willingness to cooperate. She recounted that the place where they were held was in a forest, in an old, dilapidated house near a fast-flowing river whose sound could be heard indoors. Director Xiao congratulated Mr. Yin Jiansheng on being nominated for a provincial model staff award. Yang Jiajia, using Lianqiao's description, narrowed down the potential location of the transfer station to one of three valleys along the Mangjiang River.
Deng Yan contacted Officer Liu from Mangma Town for a precise location. Yin Jiansheng called Liu, who eventually provided an exact spot. As they drove towards the location, Lianqiao suddenly recognized the railway track where she had fallen while being led blindfolded. Lianqiao guided Deng Yan's team deep into the forest to an abandoned forest ranger station, which she recognized as her former captivity site. Chang Rui posed as a hiker to scout the area.
Three men, claiming to be forest rangers, emerged to stop them, staring intently at Deng Yan, Yang Jiajia, and Lianqiao. Sensing danger, Deng Yan made an excuse to leave but deliberately left a camera containing a listening device on a table. The "forest rangers" were traffickers expecting a delivery that night, and let Deng Yan's group leave. One of the traffickers, Nong, discovered the camera and started looking through the photos.
Yang Jiajia monitored their conversations, while Yan Lei observed their movements. The traffickers discussed their "big job" for the night, revealing they had a delivery. They also mentioned that "Madam Hu" had been caught and their city base busted, highlighting the increased risks. Deng Yan instructed Lianqiao to return with Officer Xu for safety while the team continued their stakeout. As night fell, four traffickers arrived at the ranger station, escorting three blindfolded girls inside.
Yang Jiajia suddenly lost the audio feed, alarming Deng Yan, who feared for the girls' safety. Deng Yan urged Yang Jiajia to call Director Ge for backup, but she couldn't get through. Impatient, Deng Yan led her team in, only to find that the traffickers had escaped through a window. Deng Yan finally reached Director Ge, who deployed reinforcements, encircling the traffickers. One of the traffickers, Li Danong, grabbed a girl and held her hostage.
Deng Yan urged him to release her, and Chang Rui quickly subdued Li Danong. Yin Jiansheng, upon receiving Deng Yan's message confirming the successful rescue of the three abducted girls, expressed profound relief. Deng Yan and Chang Rui interrogated Li Danong, who eventually confessed that Ke Liang, Whiteboard, and Zhao were responsible for transporting the girls. Skinner and Old Yellow Dog were the receivers, and their boss was a man named Fei, who was a "cripple".
Deng Yan remembered that the person who abducted Ranran years ago was also a cripple, leaving her deep in thought. Chang Rui noticed her preoccupation, but Deng Yan, unwilling to share, secluded herself in her room. Meanwhile, Sun Wenhan helped Madam Zhang redesign her restaurant, adding a small room for homeless families looking for their missing children. Sun Wenhan suggested converting a storage room into a communal sleeping area.
Deng Yan concluded that "cripple Fei" was the mastermind behind the trafficking of women and children, suspecting a larger, more sinister objective. She requested that her superiors intensify anti-vice operations across the city to flush out their network. Acting on this, the Niupantang Police Station conducted a raid on a bathing center, where a "help" note was discovered on a client. Deng Yan immediately went to the station where the client explained that a sex worker had given him the note about half a month prior, begging him for help.
Episode 11 Recap
The Anti-abduction Office's raid on Skinner's hideout forced him to relocate the girls to an upscale villa. With clients too scared to visit, his men became idle, often gathering to play cards and drink, which greatly displeased Skinner. Chen A'mo suggested contacting some VIP clients to boost business, but Skinner, wary of a police trap, warned him not to act rashly.
Deng Yan devised a plan to use a previously arrested client, Luo Yi, as bait to apprehend Skinner and his associates. Luo Yi called Chen A'mo, who agreed to pick him up at 7 PM that evening at their usual spot. Chen A'mo arrived punctually, blindfolding Luo Yi as was their custom.
To avoid suspicion, Chang Rui and Yan Lei took turns following their vehicle, while Yang Jiajia and Deng Yan kept a close watch on Chen A'mo's movements using a tracking device. A car accident caused a traffic jam, trapping both Chen A'mo's and Yan Lei's vehicles. When the target's car made a sudden right turn, Yan Lei found himself stuck and unable to follow. He immediately called Chang Rui, who took over the pursuit.
Yang Jiajia soon identified the destination as Mangshan Villa, an upscale residential area. Deng Yan then notified the Anti-abduction Office officers to rendezvous there. Chen A'mo led Luo Yi to Villa Number 12, confiscated his phone, and escorted him to one of the girls' rooms. Deng Yan and Chang Rui swiftly arrived with their team and stormed the villa. Deng Yan and Yang Jiajia rescued the confined girls, while other officers apprehended several traffickers.
Amidst the chaos, Skinner escaped, instructing Chen A'mo to impersonate him. Chang Rui captured Chen A'mo and began an interrogation. When Yang Jiajia confirmed he was an imposter by checking fingerprints from a previously found salted duck egg, Chang Rui pressed him to reveal Skinner's whereabouts, but Chen A'mo refused to cooperate. Deng Yan had Yang Jiajia review surveillance footage of vehicles leaving the villa area around the time of the operation.
She quickly identified Skinner's vehicle and, by tracing its route, deduced his destination was the foot of Baiwushan. Deng Yan, Chang Rui, and Yang Jiajia immediately set off, contacting local police to assist. Upon arrival, they found only the abandoned car, which contained Skinner's favorite salted duck eggs, confirming his escape. Chang Rui then had Yang Jiajia issue a cooperation notice to nearby police stations.
Skinner hitched a ride to a village and used a public phone to alert his associate, Brother Fei. Fei immediately reported to his boss, Gang, who instructed Fei to handle Skinner's situation and then go into hiding. Meanwhile, Yang Jiajia uncovered Skinner's true identity: Wang Guangqing. Chang Rui was stunned by the name, recalling that his father, police chief Chang Yongjun, had drowned years ago while saving a young boy named Wang Guangqing.
Overwhelmed by the irony that his father, a dedicated officer, had died saving a future human trafficker, he called his father a "big fool." Following this revelation, an arrest warrant was issued for Wang Guangqing. Facing a dead end, Skinner called Brother Fei for help. Fei picked him up, hid him in the trunk, and headed back to the city. Before reaching a police checkpoint, Fei had Skinner get out of the car and meet him later.
The police searched the car, which was filled with storage boxes, but found nothing and let Fei proceed. Fei later picked Skinner up and took him to a secluded house deep in the woods. Fei provided Skinner with new identification and cash, arranging for him to leave by boat the following Wednesday. Skinner complained the money was insufficient to "buy his life" and demanded 100,000 yuan. When Fei refused, Skinner threatened to expose their entire operation.
Enraged, Fei severely beat Skinner and left, warning him to take the escape route provided and never return. Having arranged Skinner's escape, Fei booked a flight to flee the country himself. At the hospital, Zheng Weiwei regained consciousness but was overwhelmed by despair. She feigned thirst to send her mother away and attempted to commit suicide by cutting her wrist. Deng Yan and Yang Jiajia arrived just in time to stop her.
As Deng Yan comforted her, her mother returned, tearfully apologizing for not protecting her and promising to never pressure her again. Shortly after, Deng Yan and Yang Jiajia received a call from a shelter about a rescued girl, Pingjiao, whose parents had refused to pick her up. At the shelter, Pingjiao tearfully recounted her painful upbringing. Her parents, desperate for a son, had nicknamed her "Zhaodi" ("beckoning a brother"), forbade her from attending school, and beat her frequently.
She had run away from their abuse, only to be captured by traffickers. Deng Yan promised not to send her back and decided to investigate her family. Deng Yan and Chang Rui accompanied Pingjiao to her home, but her parents rejected her, calling her an "embarrassment." Her younger brother called her a "stray." Confronted by the police, the father, Lv Guoping, confessed that Pingjiao was adopted.
Pingjiao then accused them of buying her, and her parents admitted they had purchased her from a man known as "the cripple." The adoptive parents were taken to the station for questioning. A DNA test confirmed Pingjiao was not their biological child. Yang Jiajia cross-referenced her DNA in a database and found a match: a child named Bai Xiujing, reported missing in 1998 from a village on Mangshan's north slope.
Deng Yan escorted Pingjiao, now knowing her real name, to meet her birth family. Her father, Bai Shengquan, was overcome with joy and wept as he embraced her. However, Pingjiao was heartbroken to see that her mother, driven mad with grief since her daughter's abduction, was now mentally unstable and did not recognize her.
Episode 12 Recap
Following the successful rescue, Pingjiao was reunited with her birth mother, Bai Xiujing. She was heartbroken to find her mother in a distraught and confused state, a consequence of her abduction years ago. Though Bai Xiujing's memory was impaired, she recognized Pingjiao, and they shared a tearful, emotional embrace, moving everyone present. Witnessing this, Yang Jiajia expressed her deep hatred for human traffickers and vowed to help more abducted children reunite with their families.
Meanwhile, the fugitive Wang Guangqing, also known as Qingpi, went to a small village shop to buy his favorite salted duck eggs. The shop owner recognized him from a wanted poster and alerted the police. Xiao Wenjin organized a joint operation between the Anti-abduction Office and the Criminal Police Unit to apprehend him, ordering that he must not escape again. Fearing Chang Rui would act impulsively, Xiao Wenjin had told him to rest at home.
However, Chang Rui learned of the operation to track Wang Guangqing in an urban village near Hongxi City and immediately drove there. Deng Yan and Yin Jiansheng's team arrived in the village and set up a perimeter. Deng Yan deduced that Wang Guangqing would attempt to contact his superior, a man known as Cripple, so they decided to stake out the area.
Captain Wang of the Criminal Police Unit reported that a public phone Wang Guangqing had used to make a call was now disconnected. Despite this, Deng Yan remained convinced that Cripple, being ruthless, would not abandon an accomplice who knew so much and ordered the stakeout to continue. When Chang Rui called Yan Lei for their location, Deng Yan, wanting to keep him away, instructed Yan Lei not to disclose the details.
Wang Guangqing gathered his belongings and headed for the river dock, with Deng Yan's team tailing him. They saw a large boat approach, with people on board waving to him. Deng Yan decided to delay the arrest, hoping to capture Cripple and his entire network. However, Chang Rui suddenly appeared and confronted Wang Guangqing. A struggle ensued, and both men fell into the river.
As Deng Yan called for the water police and moved her team in, the people on the boat saw the police and quickly fled. Chang Rui subdued Wang Guangqing, dragged him ashore, and began to beat him relentlessly, fueled by the memory of his father's death while saving a young Wang Guangqing years ago. Yan Lei and Yin Jiansheng struggled to pull the enraged Chang Rui away while Deng Yan ordered Wang Guangqing's arrest.
Later, Xiao Wenjin harshly reprimanded Chang Rui for his reckless actions, which had compromised the operation and cost them their lead on Cripple. Chang Rui, distraught, retorted that his father had died for nothing and that he wanted to kill Wang Guangqing himself. Furious, Xiao Wenjin ordered the Inspection Unit to place Chang Rui in disciplinary detention. Deng Yan and Yin Jiansheng pleaded for Chang Rui, but Xiao Wenjin was resolute.
He revealed that he was a close comrade of Chang Rui's father, Chang Yongjun, and could not allow his son to break the law. Meanwhile, Yang Jiajia and Yan Lei's interrogation of Wang Guangqing proved fruitless as he feigned ignorance. Deng Yan, recognizing him as a hardened criminal, suspended the interrogation. She later suggested using Chang Rui in an emotional appeal, but Xiao Wenjin insisted Chang Rui serve his full three-day detention.
After being discharged from the hospital, Zheng Weiwei secluded herself, refusing to eat or sleep. Her concerned mother called Deng Yan, who came and read Zheng Weiwei's award-winning essay aloud, encouraging her to be brave. Zheng Weiwei finally opened up, recounting her horrific ordeal. She described how Wang Guangqing had forced her to be with a client known as Mr. Li. When she resisted and scratched Mr. Li, he ordered Wang Guangqing and another man to pull out her fingernails.
Haunted by the memory, Zheng Weiwei expressed her deep fear. Deng Yan reassured her, promising protection and sharing the story of Pingjiao's bravery to inspire her. This finally broke through Zheng Weiwei's emotional defenses. After Zheng Weiwei fell asleep, Deng Yan advised her mother to be patient and supportive.
With Wang Guangqing remaining silent, Deng Yan decided to shift the investigation's focus to Mr. Li and the other man involved in the assault, instructing Yang Jiajia to retrieve surveillance footage from the nightclub on the day of the incident. Yan Lei and Yin Jiansheng re-interrogated another accomplice, Chen A'mo, who was also uncooperative. Yin Jiansheng then informed him that his mother had been hospitalized after a serious fall. Anxious, Chen A'mo asked about her condition and medical fees.
Yin Jiansheng assured him that his mother was being cared for. Touched by their concern, Chen A'mo confessed, identifying Mr. Li as a man named Li Lusheng. Li Lusheng owed his business success to his wife's family and was completely subservient to her. Yang Jiajia and Yan Lei apprehended him at his home. During questioning, Li Lusheng denied everything.
Han Liang presented photos of both Zheng Weiwei and Chen A'mo, but Li Lusheng adamantly claimed they were colluding to frame him for money and demanded to see his lawyer. Soon after, his wife, Ms. Cai, arrived at the station with a lawyer, vehemently insisting on her husband's innocence. Deng Yan informed them that the case was still under investigation and no details could be disclosed.
Episode 13 Recap
Lu Sheng was arrested by the Anti-abduction Office after Chen A'mo confessed that Lu Sheng had raped Zheng Weiwei. Lu Sheng had previously opened a small company that went bankrupt, and after marrying Cai Ning, he built his current business using her family's assets. His wife, Cai Ning, accompanied by a lawyer, went to the office to inquire about his arrest, adamantly claiming he was innocent and accusing the police of making a mistake.
The police informed her that Lu Sheng was suspected of rape, assuring her they would investigate thoroughly and would release him if he was innocent, but warned her that she would be notified of further developments. Deng Yan requested a warrant for Lu Sheng's arrest. Han Liang, a superior officer, approved the arrest, citing Chen A'mo's testimony and corroborating objective evidence of Lu Sheng's unlawful confinement and rape of Zheng Weiwei.
He instructed the team, including Deng Yan, to continue investigating to gather more conclusive evidence to ensure a solid case. Three days later, Chang Rui was released. While his colleagues offered support, Chang Rui announced his decision to resign, stating that his time in custody had made him realize he was not cut out to be a good police officer. He wished them success in creating a world free from abductions.
Chang Rui visited his father Chang Yongjun's grave, where a bouquet of carnations, left by Skinner on the Qingming Festival, lay. Deng Yan also came to pay respects. Chang Rui expressed bitterness, recalling his father as a "bad dad" who was always working and rarely came home, showing him little care. He resented that his father had sacrificed his life saving "human filth." He felt compelled to follow in his father's footsteps, constantly living in his shadow.
Deng Yan acknowledged Chang Rui's pain but urged him not to give up, reminding him that Skinner was still uncooperative and many children remained missing. She emphasized the significant time and effort required to train anti-abduction officers and the urgency of their work, where every moment counted for families losing children. Deng Yan then stated that if he no longer cared, she would not stop him, wishing him well in finding a job he enjoyed.
She confessed to Chang Rui that she had never expected to be so disappointed in him or to hear him say such things. Later, Chang Rui reconsidered after a conversation with Luoluo. She assured him he was a good policeman because he had caught many bad guys and had also saved her.
When Chang Rui expressed concern about having 'helped bad people' in the past, Luoluo told him he was too young then to understand what he was doing, adding that when one saves someone, one doesn't always know if they are good or bad. Chang Rui then sought out Deng Yan, expressing his desire to remain with the Anti-abduction Office. Deng Yan was greatly relieved. She took Chang Rui to apologize to Xiao Wenjin.
Chang Rui humbly admitted his mistake, stating that as a police officer, he should obey orders and not act on personal emotions, especially not by yelling at the chief. Xiao Wenjin acknowledged his apology, remarking that he sounded like Chang Yongjun's son, and then tasked them with finding a way to deal with Skinner (Wang Guangqing) and the boss behind him. Xiao Wenjin welcomed Chang Rui back to the team.
During the interrogation, Chang Rui confronted Skinner, revealing that he was Chang Yongjun's son, the man who had saved Skinner's life years ago. Skinner was visibly shocked and wondered if Chang Yongjun would regret saving him if he saw what he had become. Chang Rui asserted that his father would never regret it, even if given ten or twenty more chances, because saving lives was his duty as a police officer.
Chang Rui pointed out that Skinner left flowers at his father's grave every year, indicating a lingering conscience. He pressed Skinner, stating that even without his confession, they had enough evidence for a conviction. Chang Rui admitted to losing control and hitting Skinner during the arrest because he couldn't accept that his father had died saving someone who became a disgrace.
He reiterated that his father was a good police officer, even if not a perfect father, and urged Skinner to cooperate so that his father's sacrifice would hold meaning. Skinner, seemingly affected by Chang Rui's words, confessed his involvement in Zheng Weiwei's kidnapping. He explained that a man named Mr. Li, whose real name was Lu Sheng, developed an interest in Zheng Weiwei, an adult college student. Skinner enlisted Whiteboard to communicate with Zheng Weiwei online, learning her habits.
They then kidnapped her on her way to a tutoring job. When Zheng Weiwei proved defiant, they drugged her, and Lu Sheng then sexually assaulted her. Lu Sheng was pleased with the outcome, as were Cripple and Fei, and Skinner received 100,000 yuan. Deng Yan concluded that this was an organized trafficking and kidnapping operation, and the substantial payment suggested much greater profits were involved.
She instructed Yan Lei to investigate Lu Sheng's company's business transactions during the period of Zheng Weiwei's kidnapping. Zheng Weiwei visited her alma mater, Linshan University. She stopped in the exhibition hall, where her award-winning work was prominently displayed, a sight that brought her considerable distress. Meanwhile, Deng Yan's cousin, Ye Xiuming, who had been stationed in Shencheng for their company Dingshun Group (which his wife, Cai Ning, Lu Sheng's wife, fully managed), returned to Linshan.
They had been married for years without children. Deng Yan's parents attended a family dinner with Ye Xiuming, as Deng Yan was too busy with work. Deng Yan's mother expressed concern about Ye Xiuming and his wife living apart for so long and suggested they consider adopting a child.
Ye Xiuming revealed that Dingshun Group was facing severe financial difficulties in Shencheng; a 5 million yuan prepayment made by Cai Ning to Lu Sheng for Dendrobium candidum from Qinmang Country in Southeast Asia had been lost in a shipwreck, making the funds irrecoverable through legal channels overseas. He was furious, blaming his associate, Deputy General Manager Wu Bin, for connecting them to this deal.
Ye Xiuming's wife, Cai Ning, confronted him, accusing him of being a hands-off boss who only cared about money and always dumped responsibilities on others. Wu Bin offered to provide a feasible solution within a month, but Ye Xiuming demanded the funds be recovered within two weeks, or Wu Bin would resign. Later, Deng Yan consulted Xiao Wenjin about the connection between Lu Sheng's case and her cousin's company, Dingshun Group, and whether she should recuse herself.
Xiao Wenjin advised her to continue investigating and that she could recuse herself if a direct conflict of interest was found. Skinner further confessed that his boss was Cripple, whom he had never met directly. All orders came through Fei, who acted as an intermediary. Skinner explained that after the police raid on Mangshan Villa, Fei picked him up and took him to Hongxi City, after which he lost contact with Fei.
Deng Yan recognized Fei as a crucial link and had Yang Jiajia trace Fei's escape route through surveillance footage. Shortly after, Deng Yan received a frantic call from Zheng Weiwei's mother, who had discovered a positive pregnancy test and a note from Zheng Weiwei stating, "Mom, I'm sorry. I'm leaving. Just pretend I was never your daughter." Zheng Weiwei's mother pleaded for help finding her. Deng Yan located Zheng Weiwei, who was about to take an overdose of sleeping pills.
Deng Yan stopped her, reminding her that her article had brought hope to many and urging her not to give up on her own life. Deng Yan then showed Zheng Weiwei a video call from Pingjiao, who had found her biological parents. Pingjiao shared her happiness, reminded Zheng Weiwei of their past conversation about hyacinths as symbols of rebirth, and urged Zheng Weiwei to live bravely and strong, emphasizing how Zheng Weiwei had saved her life.
Zheng Weiwei broke down crying into Deng Yan's shoulder. Later, Deng Yan and Chang Rui re-interrogated Lu Sheng, who adamantly denied the charges and claimed he was being framed. Deng Yan then presented the results of a non-invasive prenatal paternity test, revealing that Zheng Weiwei's unborn child was his. Lu Sheng was stunned into silence. Yang Jiajia successfully identified Fei as Fei Yan.
She tracked his movements and found that after dropping Skinner in Hongxi City, Fei Yan had flown to Qinmang Country. Although Fei Yan's contact number was only used to communicate with Skinner, Yang Jiajia discovered that his car frequently traveled within Linshan City, with the most frequent destination being the Tianhai Lucky Entertainment Center. Meanwhile, Zheng Weiwei met Pingjiao at a restaurant.
As news of human traffickers being caught played on a nearby television, a male customer made derogatory comments about trafficked women, implying they were to blame for their misfortunes. His girlfriend, enraged, fiercely reprimanded him. Pingjiao, unable to tolerate his behavior, bravely confronted the man, calling him "sick" and splashing water on him. The man threatened them, but Pingjiao and Zheng Weiwei stood their ground, stating they were recording the interaction and would call the police.
Shamed, the man left, and other customers applauded Pingjiao. Separately, Qian, the landlord, informed Madam Zhang that he needed to raise her shop's rent. He stated that a friend offered 50,000 yuan per year and he would offer her 48,000 yuan. Madam Zhang attempted to haggle, explaining that the past year had been difficult for their business and appealing to their long-standing relationship.
Qian insisted on the 48,000 yuan, stating that if she did not agree to the new terms, she would have two weeks to vacate the premises. Yan Lei's investigation into Lu Sheng's company operations revealed that during the period of Zheng Weiwei's kidnapping, Lu Sheng's company had signed a significant contract with Dingshun Group, the company owned by Deng Yan's cousin, Ye Xiuming, and his wife, Cai Ning. Later, Deng Yan met with Cai Ning, who directly inquired about how Lu Sheng's case might impact Dingshun Group.
Episode 14 Recap
Dingshun Group found itself in severe financial strain due to a large contract involving Lu Sheng, with their company's finances extremely tight and a significant deficit they struggled to fill. A Dingshun employee confirmed that their deputy general manager, Wu Bin, was the one who introduced Lu Sheng to the company for this business deal. When questioned by law enforcement, Wu Bin expressed a desire to cooperate for credit.
He revealed that Dingshun Group had fronted five million RMB for Lu Sheng to purchase dendrobium from Qinmang Country. The shipment was subsequently lost in a sea disaster, and Lu Sheng's company never reimbursed Dingshun. Wu Bin also shared an incident where he accidentally walked into a room at Tianhai Lucky Entertainment Center and saw Lu Sheng with a long-haired woman, seemingly harassing her. He quickly apologized and left, recognizing it as an awkward situation.
During his interrogation, Lu Sheng was questioned about She Qinglin's son's kidnapping. Lu Sheng confessed that he had ordered Skinner (Qingpi) to kidnap She Qinglin's child, Congcong, due to She Qinglin's persistent daily harassment, likening him to a "leech." However, Lu Sheng also claimed his original intention was merely to have Skinner "scare him off" to stop the harassment, not to actually abduct the child.
In a flashback, She Qinglin was seen confronting Lu Sheng, desperately demanding a refund or at least half the payment for the lost goods, as he faced bankruptcy. Lu Sheng vehemently refused, citing force majeure clauses in their contract, and had She Qinglin forcibly removed from his property. She Qinglin, in desperation, warned Lu Sheng that if he went down, Lu Sheng would go with him.
She Qinglin subsequently appeared at Lu Sheng's office, pleading for his child's safety and offering to drop his demand for the money. However, Lu Sheng denied any involvement in the child's abduction and threatened to sue She Qinglin for slander, again ordering his security to remove him. Lu Sheng later stated he was only cooperating to receive credit for his confession.
Meanwhile, Yan Lei and Chang Rui visited Liu Gang, the boss of Tianhai Lucky Entertainment Center, to inquire about Fei Yan, whom they believed had connections to Lu Sheng. Liu Gang confirmed Fei Yan was a regular and a big spender but insisted their relationship was purely professional. Liu Gang showed them surveillance footage, claiming they only kept recordings for a month, and identified Fei Yan in one of the clips as the last time he saw him.
Deng Yan's team suspected Liu Gang was hiding information, noting he seemed to anticipate their questions. Liu Gang later confided in Yang Jiajia, telling her that despite Fei Yan fleeing the country and the police finding nothing, he was still uneasy. He admitted to tampering with the surveillance footage related to Fei Yan and instructed Yang Jiajia to stay away from the entertainment center for a few days, harshly telling her to just manage her yoga studio without questioning him.
Skinner, when questioned about his connection to She Qinglin's child, admitted his involvement. He stated that She Qinglin had offended a "Mr. Li," who instructed Skinner to "teach him a lesson." Skinner further explained that before he could personally act on this, he received a desperate call from Huang Chuan, who needed money to flee Linshan. Huang Chuan revealed that the police had raided his territory, and Madam Hong had absconded with all his money.
Skinner refused to lend Huang Chuan money, stating it would "break the rules," but instead offered him a "job that pays fast," which was to kidnap She Qinglin's child, Congcong. Skinner claimed he didn't know what happened after that. He described Huang Chuan as a man in his fifties, of average height, somewhat balding, with a distinct mole on his face. Based on this description, a sketch artist was called in to create a portrait of Huang Chuan.
Yin Jiansheng confirmed Skinner's testimony, which linked Huang Chuan to She Qinglin's child. However, Yang Jiajia's check of the system showed no missing child report from She Qinglin. Yin Jiansheng suggested issuing a warrant for Huang Chuan, but Deng Yan advised against it, believing Huang Chuan to be too "slippery" and that a warrant might alert him. She sent Yan Lei and Yang Jiajia to speak with She Qinglin first.
Upon their visit, She Qinglin was in the process of selling his company, claiming he wanted to return to farming. He dismissed the police's inquiries about his contract dispute with Lu Sheng and his child, insisting it was all a "misunderstanding" and his child was fine. He tried to quickly send them away, but the officers sensed he was hiding something.
Deng Yan and Chang Rui then brought their team to She Qinglin's home, where they found him still packing for his move. They showed him surveillance footage from his residential area, which clearly depicted Huang Chuan taking his son, Congcong. She Qinglin tried to lie, claiming Huang Chuan was a distant relative and the incident was just a joke, with his son returned quickly.
The police pressed him, revealing that Huang Chuan was a known child trafficker, and his relocation wouldn't protect his son if Huang Chuan wasn't apprehended. Under pressure, She Qinglin's wife tearfully recounted the true events of August 9, 2009. She Qinglin had received a cryptic text at work, rushed home to find Congcong missing, and then received a ransom message demanding 30,000 RMB for his son's return, with a threat against Congcong's life if they called the police.
They paid the ransom, but Congcong was not returned. She Qinglin then received another text, urging him to consider who he might have offended. He realized it was Lu Sheng and went to apologize, pleading with Lu Sheng not to harm his son and offering to forgo the money he was owed. She Qinglin's wife noted that Lu Sheng seemed genuinely unaware of the kidnapping. Eventually, the kidnapper sent another message with an address, and they found Congcong.
Terrified, they never reported the incident to the police or pursued the dendrobium payment from Lu Sheng, fearing further repercussions. This fear was also why they were moving, hoping to escape any further trouble. The police were puzzled why Huang Chuan returned Congcong, especially after collecting the ransom. They considered why he wouldn't demand more money or even sell the child, as he had done in previous cases.
They speculated he might have sensed he was close to being exposed and aborted his plan. Yin Jiansheng recalled an earlier case where Huang Chuan evaded capture by disappearing into remote mountainous forests, not using conventional escape routes. Based on this, he deduced Huang Chuan would likely be hiding in mountainous areas bordering Linshan, specifically Mangma Town at the foot of Shangrui Mountain.
Ai Xin was dispatched to contact the Mangma Town Police Station to issue a public notice and mobilize local residents to aid in the search. Huang Chuan was spotted buying sunglasses and quickly hid when he saw police patrols nearby. He then took a tricycle, making his way towards Pengcang Mountain.
Yin Jiansheng received a tip about Huang Chuan's whereabouts, and Deng Yan along with Chang Rui immediately headed to the location, while Yin Jiansheng coordinated with local police to set up a perimeter. As night fell on Pengcang Mountain, Huang Chuan, posing as a lost hiker, approached forest rangers for shelter, but they refused, citing safety concerns and offering to escort him down the mountain instead, which he declined. The police, guided by the rangers, continued their search.
They soon heard screams and found Huang Chuan caught in a wild boar trap, severely injured. He confessed to hearing a wild boar and trying to hide, only to step into the hunters' snare. Recognizing him as the elusive "Old Yellow Dog," the officers apprehended the injured Huang Chuan, finally bringing him to justice. Separately, Madam Zhang struggled to gather enough money for her rent.
Qian, the property manager, brought a group of men to her restaurant, demanding she move out immediately as he had already signed a new lease with another party. Despite Madam Zhang's pleas for more time, Qian's men began forcibly tearing down posters and moving furniture, disrupting her business.
Episode 15 Recap
Tuanyuan Restaurant faced a severe crisis when the landlord, Qian, demanded a steep rent increase that Madam Zhang could not afford. As Qian brought in a new tenant to take over, Wu Bin, the Deputy General Manager of Dingshun Group, arrived just in time. He decisively offered to lease the restaurant for three years at an annual rent of 60,000 yuan, securing Madam Zhang's ability to continue her business and providing a 10,000 yuan deposit to Qian.
The new prospective tenant protested vehemently, but Qian promised to compensate them for the breach of contract, eventually convincing them to leave. Madam Zhang expressed her profound gratitude to Wu Bin. Wu Bin explained that he was acting on behalf of the Dingshun Charity Foundation, which had donated 210,000 yuan to Tuanyuan Restaurant. He revealed that Mr. Ye Xiuming, the head of Dingshun Group, is Deng Yan's cousin and had heard about Madam Zhang's predicament.
Additionally, Wu Bin personally contributed 50,000 yuan, viewing it as a way to contribute to the cause of abducted children. He left his business card, inviting Madam Zhang to contact him anytime, leaving her deeply moved. Later, Fang Zilin, Deng Yan’s sister-in-law, invited Deng Yan’s family to dinner to celebrate Deng Yan's appointment as the Director of the Anti-abduction Office.
Fang Zilin shared news that Dingshun Group was developing a public welfare project called "Bring Lost Children Home" and suggested merging Tuanyuan Restaurant into it. This would solve the venue issues and provide a stable income for the restaurant members. Deng Yan, excited by the prospect, eagerly conveyed the good news to Madam Zhang, Meilian, and Liu.
Meilian and Liu expressed concerns about their age and lack of computer skills, but Deng Yan reassured them that the non-profit organization would assign roles based on their strengths. However, Madam Zhang steadfastly refused to leave Tuanyuan Restaurant. Despite Deng Yan's appeals, Madam Zhang explained her deep emotional attachment to the place. She recounted how her granddaughter, Lin Ranran, disappeared just around the corner from the restaurant over twenty years ago.
Madam Zhang vowed to stay, believing Ranran would return to this familiar spot, where she would be waiting to make her favorite vegetarian rice noodles. Respecting Madam Zhang's profound hope, Deng Yan did not press the matter further. Meanwhile, Yin Jiansheng and Chang Rui interrogated Huang Chuan, presenting him with photographs of children abducted over the years. Huang Chuan, however, adamantly denied any involvement, claiming to be an innocent farmer who had been accidentally caught in a wild boar trap.
He only conceded to the She Qinglin case, dismissing it as a joke and claiming he had returned the child. Yin Jiansheng instructed Yang Jiajia to take a ransom note and a candied haw found at the crime scene in the She Qinglin case to the technical department for handwriting and DNA comparison. He emphasized that confirming these pieces of evidence would be crucial in solidifying the case against Huang Chuan.
In the wake of Huang Chuan’s arrest, his associate Madam Hong became a wanted fugitive. Liu Gang, though he had never met Huang Chuan, felt increasingly paranoid about police surveillance and deleted all monitoring footage from Tianhai Lucky Entertainment City. Consumed by anxiety, he spent his days playing billiards. Madam Hong, observing Liu Gang's distress, proposed a new scheme: recruiting female workers domestically and then trafficking them abroad, where their fates would be left to chance.
Liu Gang found this plan viable, believing it would allow their illicit business to continue under the police's nose. The technical department delivered conclusive evidence: Huang Chuan's handwriting, DNA, and fingerprints matched those found on the ransom note and candied haw from the She Qinglin case. Furthermore, his DNA was found on hair samples collected from Madam Hong's rental residence, confirming their close association.
Chang Rui was eager to resume the interrogation, but Yin Jiansheng advised patience, revealing they still held a "trump card." This trump card was Ruan Meiyu, a past victim of Huang Chuan whom Yin Jiansheng had rescued years prior and encouraged to pursue a career in pet grooming. Ai Xin brought Ruan Meiyu to the Anti-abduction Office to identify Huang Chuan.
Despite her fear, Ruan Meiyu vividly recalled being lured by Huang Chuan under the pretense of a domestic service job, only to endure horrific beatings and torture. She courageously identified Huang Chuan, asserting she would no longer be afraid of him now that he was apprehended. During the subsequent interrogation, Huang Chuan feigned a heart attack in an attempt to evade questioning, but Yin Jiansheng saw through his act.
Yin Jiansheng confronted him with Ruan Meiyu's identification and the undeniable evidence from the She Qinglin case. He revealed that Wang Guangqing had provided crucial details about Huang Chuan's appearance. Yin then pressed him about his connection to Madam Hong. Though Huang Chuan denied knowing her, Yin Jiansheng presented the DNA evidence from his hair found at her residence, proving they were a couple.
He also disclosed that Skinner had revealed Madam Hong had absconded with all of Huang Chuan's money, leaving him to face the consequences alone. Threatened with being charged as the primary offender if he continued to deny, Huang Chuan finally relented. While still claiming ignorance of Madam Hong's whereabouts, he confessed to remembering the locations where he had sold the children he trafficked.
Huang Chuan confessed to selling Yang Caiyun, who was abducted at the age of sixteen, to a buyer in Wushun County. This case held a particular significance for Yin Jiansheng, as it was the very first he handled upon joining the Anti-abduction Office. He sadly recounted that Yang Caiyun's parents had passed away without ever being reunited with their daughter, a fact that had remained a persistent "thorn" in his heart.
Back at Tuanyuan Restaurant, Madam Zhang beamed with joy as she removed more photos of reunited children from the wall. Meilian, observing the shrinking number of missing children's photos, initially felt happy but soon grew tearful as she thought of her own missing son. Madam Zhang comforted her, urging her to maintain hope. Luo Xiaoxing echoed this sentiment, expressing unwavering faith that Director Deng Yan and the Anti-abduction Office would soon find her brother, Luo Xiaoyu.
Following Huang Chuan's confession that he and Madam Hong had trafficked over thirty children, their information was disseminated to various police departments. However, Huang Chuan maintained he did not know Madam Hong's current whereabouts. When asked about Cripple, Huang Chuan claimed he had not been in contact with him for many years and even questioned if the police had apprehended him, which contradicted Skinner's previous statements. Huang Chuan also denied ever hearing of Fei Yan.
Deng Yan and Chang Rui discussed the possibility that Cripple might be dead, with someone else, perhaps Fei Yan, operating under his name. They concluded that locating Fei Yan was crucial to clarifying the situation. Deng Yan decided to first visit "Bring Lost Children Home" to explore additional merger options for Tuanyuan Restaurant before joining Yin Jiansheng in Wushun County.
In Wushun County, local police informed Yin Jiansheng that they had meticulously searched thirteen villages matching Huang Chuan's description of where he sold Yang Caiyun, but had yet to find anyone resembling her. They also began to investigate whether similar child trafficking cases had occurred in those villages two decades prior.
Episode 16 Recap
Twenty years after Yang Caiyun was abducted, Officer Yin Jiansheng, whose first case it was, remained deeply pained by her disappearance. Following a new lead, he personally went to Wushun County to find her. Local police records showed three human trafficking cases had occurred in Zhang Village around the time of her abduction. During his search, police introduced him to Hu Caihua, known as the village's unofficial informant.
Hu Caihua immediately recognized Yang Caiyun from a photograph as the "cousin" of a man called Blockhead Zhang, recalling her distinctive mole between her eyebrows and striking appearance. She mentioned that Yang Caiyun and Blockhead Zhang had disappeared, and though he later returned alone, she assumed the young woman had escaped. Meanwhile, at the Tuanyuan Restaurant, Deng Yan arrived, and Madam Zhang warmly prepared her a bowl of noodles, expressing gratitude for her work in rescuing trafficked children.
Luo Xiaoxing confided in Deng Yan that Madam Zhang's forgetfulness had worsened recently, leading to errors like over-salting food, miscalculating bills, and even leaving the shop unlocked at night. Concerned, Deng Yan advised Luo Xiaoxing to take Madam Zhang to the hospital for a checkup. Chang Rui quickly located Zhang Zhongli, also known as Blockhead Zhang, working at a construction site.
Zhang admitted that twenty years prior, he had purchased Yang Caiyun for one thousand yuan, a sum he had borrowed. However, Yang Caiyun refused to eat or drink, desperate to return home. Frustrated, Zhang eventually locked her up. He then recounted how a peddler named Xu Tenglong, after hearing about the new "wife," came to his house out of curiosity.
Captivated by Yang Caiyun's beauty, Xu Tenglong offered Zhang 800 yuan for her, persuading him by arguing that he was helping him avoid jail time if she died. Fearing his money would be wasted if she starved, Zhang accepted. He later discovered the money was fake, but Xu Tenglong denied any wrongdoing and threatened to report him for trafficking. Following Zhang's lead, Deng Yan, Chang Rui, and Yin Jiansheng confronted Xu Tenglong.
He initially denied knowing Yang Caiyun or Zhang Zhongli, but when faced with Zhang's signed testimony, Xu changed his story. He claimed he had "rescued" Yang Caiyun from Zhang, who was starving her, then admitted to selling her to a business partner named Liang Wei for twenty thousand yuan, justifying it by saying they had "hit it off" and he was merely a "matchmaker." He only remembered Liang Wei's old address in Huang Valley, Hongxi City.
As the investigation continued, Yin Jiansheng, exhausted but resolute, refused to return to Linshan until Yang Caiyun was found. Deng Yan, needing to return for other matters, arranged for Officer Ai Xin to take her place. Yin Jiansheng and Ai Xin immediately went to the Huang Valley police station, where they discovered that Liang Wei's wife was named Wen Sujuan. Her age matched Yang Caiyun's, and their marriage took place within a year of the sale.
Records showed Wen Sujuan was not a local, had no parental information, was pregnant at the time of marriage, and soon after gave birth to a daughter, Liang Xiaoyun. Yin Jiansheng and Ai Xin went to Liang Wei's house. When confronted, the woman adamantly denied being Yang Caiyun, insisting her name was Wen Sujuan and that she and Liang Wei had married for love.
Yin Jiansheng showed her Yang Caiyun's photograph and recounted the history of her trafficking: from a man called "Old Yellow Dog," to Zhang Zhongli, then Xu Tenglong, and finally to Liang Wei. Despite this, she maintained her denial. Sensing her fear, Yin Jiansheng told her that her parents had passed away and their graves were untended because their only daughter was missing. Still, the woman remained silent.
She retreated into her room, tearfully embracing her daughter, while Liang Wei, who had been observing from a distance, only returned home after the police left. From the local community committee director, Yin Jiansheng learned that Liang Wei frequently subjected Wen Sujuan to severe domestic violence. Despite interventions, Wen Sujuan always dismissed the abuse as marital spats. Determined, Yin Jiansheng decided to return. Later, Liang Wei, drunk, questioned his wife about the police visit.
When she downplayed it, he violently attacked her, threatening to kill their daughter. Just as the situation escalated, Ai Xin and Yin Jiansheng arrived and apprehended Liang Wei. Finally, the woman broke down and confessed that she was indeed Yang Caiyun. They comforted her, encouraging her to take Liang Xiaoyun and return to Linshan. Overwhelmed with emotion, Yang Caiyun tearfully accepted, vowing to be strong for herself and her daughter, and finally go home after twenty long years.
Episode 17 Recap
At Tuanyuan Restaurant, Lin Hao and Cai Xin arrived with Little Spud, who was warmly greeted by Madam Zhang, Madam He, Mr. Liu, and Luo Xiaoxing. They commented on how adorable and soft Little Spud was, noting he had gained weight since coming home. Cai Xin encouraged everyone not to lose hope, assuring them that their children would be found, just as Little Spud had been. Pingjiao and Zheng Weiwei also joined the gathering, and Pingjiao shared her heartbreaking story.
She explained she was abducted at the age of seven because her adoptive parents wanted a son. As an adult, she attempted to escape to find her biological parents but was trafficked a second time, nearly losing her life. Thankfully, she had since found her real parents, who were incredibly kind to her. When Madam Zhang mistakenly called Pingjiao "Ranran," Pingjiao gently corrected her, reiterating the importance of never losing hope.
Zheng Weiwei then smoothly transitioned the conversation, inviting everyone to taste the local specialties Pingjiao had brought. Meanwhile, Sun Wenhan returned home and, as was his custom, entered his son Xiaoguang's empty room, which had been left untouched since his abduction. He was overcome by memories of that day. Twenty years prior, Sun Wenhan and his wife had visited a domestic services agency to find a nanny but found no suitable candidates.
Outside, they encountered an older woman who immediately captivated Xiaoguang with her warm demeanor. The woman, an experienced nanny, explained she was looking for new work because her previous employers had moved. Seeing her natural rapport with Xiaoguang, Sun Wenhan's wife offered her the job on a trial basis, asking for her identification for verification. The woman readily agreed, suggesting they bypass the agency's high commission fees.
Unbeknownst to them, this "auntie" was the notorious kidnapper, Madam Hong, who subsequently abducted Xiaoguang. At the police bureau, Chang Rui and Yan Lei questioned Huang Chuan about Madam Hong. Huang Chuan claimed she never revealed her true name, using aliases like Deng Yanping and Liu Yulan, nor did she disclose her hometown, though her accent suggested she was from the southwest. He provided a highly accurate description of her appearance, which Yang Jiajia used to create a detailed sketch.
Acknowledging that a sketch alone was like "finding a needle in a haystack," Deng Yan pressed for more details. Huang Chuan recalled that after every successful abduction, Madam Hong would treat herself to braised pork, aiming to try every version in Linshan. He also revealed her peculiar habit of buying large quantities of gold and silver jewelry, though she never wore it.
Crucially, Huang Chuan remembered Madam Hong saying she was used to living in Linshan, leading Deng Yan to believe she was still in the city. Following this lead, Yang Jiajia reviewed surveillance footage from Linshan's gold shops and identified a woman closely matching the sketch who had purchased a significant amount of gold jewelry a month prior. Chang Rui noticed the woman carrying a plastic bag from "Liandu Mountain Supermarket," suggesting she lived nearby.
After initial door-to-door inquiries failed, Deng Yan deduced that the stylish jewelry indicated a sophisticated taste, and that Madam Hong was an expert in disguise whose public persona differed from her true self. Shifting their search to high-end establishments, they found a VIP client at a beauty salon named Hong Yawen who matched the sketch. The police had the salon schedule an appointment for her, and when she arrived, Deng Yan confronted and arrested her.
During interrogation, Hong Yawen denied being Madam Hong. When shown Huang Chuan's photograph, she admitted to knowing him but portrayed herself as a victim, claiming he was abusive and she lived with him under threat. Questioned about her wealth, she vaguely attributed it to work and "investments." Yan Lei confronted her with Huang Chuan's testimony that she was the mastermind behind the abductions and had absconded with all the funds.
Hong Yawen vehemently denied any involvement, insisting she merely cooked for Huang Chuan and was unaware of his crimes. The police confirmed Madam Hong's true identity as Hong Jinfeng from Linping County. Yin Jiansheng located her younger brother, who claimed his sister had been dead for years, disowning her. At Hong Jinfeng's dilapidated family home, Ai Xin and Yang Jiajia found her old "Model Student" awards and a family portrait from 1970 that notably excluded her.
Ai Xin theorized the photo was left intentionally, suggesting Hong Jinfeng never truly detached from her past. Sun Wenhan was called to identify the suspect and immediately recognized Hong Jinfeng as the nanny who abducted Xiaoguang, stating he would recognize her even if she were ash. He emotionally demanded to know his son's whereabouts. Deng Yan then confronted Hong Jinfeng with the family portrait, suggesting her crimes stemmed from deep-seated resentment over her parents' gender bias.
Though the accusation visibly struck a nerve, Hong Jinfeng refused to confess. Lacking sufficient evidence for a conviction, Deng Yan sent Ai Xin and Yan Lei back to the old house. There, they discovered a hidden collection of gold jewelry and, beneath it, 43 pieces of children's clothing. The clothes were linked to numerous trafficking cases spanning approximately thirty years, confirming Hong Jinfeng's "trophy" collection of victims' clothing and gold.
Despite this overwhelming evidence of at least 43 victims, Hong Jinfeng would only admit to three cases, unaware of the full extent of the police's discovery. With Madam Hong arrested, her associate Liu Gang grew fearful. He discussed with a partner his plan to establish a labor export company to traffic girls abroad, noting the urgent need for a legitimate overseas labor contract to proceed. The evidence from the old house began to yield results.
Deng Yan and Yin Jiansheng matched a red top and black pants to Pingjiao's case file. The breakthrough also led to the reunion of another victim, Bai Xiujing. In a poignant scene, she shares a meal with her parents. Her father emotionally says her name, and her mother, overwhelmed to see her daughter as a grown woman, marvels at how big she has become. " Mom, I'm Jingjing," the young woman tearfully replies, marking the end of their long and painful separation.
Episode 18 Recap
Officer Ai and Officer Yan meet with Jing's father, presenting several children's clothes recovered from Hong Jinfeng's possession. Jing's father recognizes a small shirt they had bought in town. Jing's mother, though initially struggling with her memory, eventually recalls sewing a small kitten onto the shirt. She vividly remembers purchasing it with her family during a bustling market day in 1997, the year of Hong Kong's return, a period of national celebration.
This recovered memory suggests an improvement in her condition, and Officer Ai promptly decides to report this significant progress to Director Deng. Meanwhile, Sun Wenhan remains at the police station, resolute in his decision to wait for news of his son Xiaoguang, feeling an unprecedented closeness after an 11-year search. Director Deng Yan and Chang Rui initiate another interrogation with Hong Jinfeng, presenting the children's clothes found in her old residence.
Hong Jinfeng adamantly denies any abductions, claiming she either bought or found the garments. She attempts to portray herself as a savior, asserting that she rescued neglected children whose parents abandoned them, leading them to wealthier homes with better lives. However, her composure shatters when Director Deng presents a collection of gold and silver jewelry also discovered in her home. Hong Jinfeng frantically insists these are her hard-earned life savings.
Director Deng refutes her claims, declaring the items as illicit gains from her crimes. Under pressure, Hong Jinfeng finally confesses, admitting to abducting children, including a lawyer's son whom she buried due to his incessant crying. Police discuss how Sun Wenhan might have obtained the confidential information about his son, noting he had been persistently watching their vehicles. They ponder the heartbreaking possibility that the buried child Hong Jinfeng described is indeed Sun Xiaoguang, as the details seem to match.
Overwhelmed by despair and believing Xiaoguang is dead, Sun Wenhan is found by Luo Xiaoxing and Madam Zhang. He hands Luo Xiaoxing documents related to her brother, Luo Xiaoyu, explaining he has entrusted the search to a child-finding charity, and tearfully bids Madam Zhang farewell. Luo Xiaoxing, fearing Luo Xiaoyu may have met a similar fate, breaks down, but Madam Zhang attempts to console her, urging them to hold onto hope.
Deng Yan continues to work late into the night, meticulously organizing the leads provided by Hong Jinfeng. Chang Rui brings her supper, urging her to rest. Deng Yan confides in Chang Rui, revealing a painful personal history: she was the witness to the abduction of her best friend, Lin Ran, near Linshan's Wenchang Street in 1986. Deng Yan recounts how, at eight years old, she fabricated her birthday to convince Lin Ran to play longer.
Lin Ran went to get money for a music box as a "birthday gift." Within mere seconds of Lin Ran leaving her sight, a crippled man abducted her in a narrow alley, vanishing without a trace. Overwhelmed by guilt, feeling responsible for Lin Ran's disappearance, Deng Yan resolved to become a police officer, repeatedly applying to join the Anti-abduction Office.
She explains that Madam Zhang, the owner of their childhood noodle shop, still hoping Lin Ran will find her way home, continues to use Lin Ran's eight-year-old photo for missing person posters despite adult simulations being available. Deng Yan reaffirms her unwavering commitment to finding all missing children, finding strength in the smiles of reunited families.
Forensic results reveal that the child's remains are not Sun Xiaoguang's but Qiao Zhe's, the son of Qiao Suhan, a local magazine editor-in-chief whose lawyer husband committed suicide after their child went missing. Chang Rui, struggling with the difficult task, contacts Qiao Suhan to inform her that her son has been found but is deceased. Qiao Suhan arrives to claim his ashes, expressing profound gratitude to Deng Yan and Chang Rui for ending her years of searching.
She finds a measure of solace in the thought that he likely did not suffer for long. Deng Yan, deeply affected by Qiao Suhan’s sorrow, reaffirms her commitment to their mission. Later that night, Deng Yan personally informs Sun Wenhan that the identified child is not Xiaoguang, rekindling his hope. A public service announcement airs on television, highlighting the success of China's anti-trafficking efforts, particularly the national DNA database, and urging citizens to report any leads.
The announcement specifies five categories of individuals eligible for free DNA testing at Linshan City People's Hospital. Meanwhile, Qi Defu, a junk collector from Qingluo Town, takes a long-distance bus to the hospital. He seeks help for Yuan, a child he found abandoned in a trash bin over a decade ago. At the hospital, a passerby advises Qi Defu to bring Yuan for testing and directs him to the Anti-abduction Office at the police station.
Upon arriving at the Anti-abduction Office, Qi Defu is greeted by Officer Ai Xin. Reviewing Qi Defu's account, Officer Yang Jiajia notes that Yuan was found in Qingluo Town, the same location where Sun Xiaoguang was reportedly abandoned. This significant lead prompts Director Deng Yan to dispatch Yan Lei and Chang Rui to Qi Defu’s home to bring Yuan in for DNA testing, while Ai Xin and Yang Jiajia are sent to the local police station for further investigation.
Later that evening, Qi Defu returns home and finds Yuan helping him sort junk. Overwhelmed by a mix of concern for Yuan's future and the impending separation, Qi Defu scolds Yuan for not focusing on his studies. Hurt, Yuan insists he is Qi Defu's biological child and pleads not to be abandoned. Chang Rui and Yan Lei arrive at Qi Defu’s modest home, where they learn more about Yuan.
The local police had informed them that Yuan was born in another province, where his mother later abandoned him, prompting Qi Defu to bring him to Qingluo Town. At his home, Qi Defu recounts finding Yuan in a trash bin about eleven years ago. Despite their humble living conditions, Qi Defu proudly points out Yuan’s numerous award certificates and excellent school grades, expressing his desire for Yuan to find his biological parents to receive a better education.
He voices a fear that Yuan's biological parents might be ashamed of him being raised by a junk collector. The officers reassure Qi Defu that no one would be ashamed of him, given the care and love with which he raised the boy.
Episode 19 Recap
Qi Defu, a junk collector in Qingluo Town, struggled financially. His son, Yuan, was intelligent, filial, diligent, and consistently topped his class. Desiring a better education for Yuan in the city but lacking funds, Qi Defu learned that the Anti-abduction Office was searching for missing children. He traveled a long distance to the office and claimed Yuan was a child he found abandoned in a trash pile, earnestly seeking the Anti-abduction Office's help to locate Yuan's biological parents.
Yan Lei and Chang Rui were dispatched to Qi Defu's home to investigate. They found the family lived in destitution, with bare walls and few possessions. Yuan dutifully helped Qi Defu sort discarded cardboard boxes. When Yuan understood the officers' purpose, he vehemently protested, stating he would not leave his home or Qi Defu's side. Qi Defu, wanting Yuan to attend school in the city, insisted he go, but Yuan adamantly refused, demanding the officers leave.
Angered, Qi Defu pushed Yuan to the ground. Yuan retorted, questioning why Qi Defu had picked him up in the first place and declaring he would rather die than abandon him. With that, Yuan stormed out, slamming the door. Later that morning, Luo Xiaoxing and Madam Zhang went to Tuanyuan Restaurant together. On their way, the hospital called Luo Xiaoxing to collect Madam Zhang's medical report.
Luo Xiaoxing went to the hospital and discovered Madam Zhang had been diagnosed with Mid-Stage Alzheimer's disease. Expecting Madam Zhang to continue to the restaurant, Luo Xiaoxing was called by Ms. Meilian, who reported that Madam Zhang had not arrived. Everyone at the restaurant became frantic. With Madam Zhang unreachable by phone and nowhere to be found, Luo Xiaoxing called Deng Yan for assistance. Deng Yan, Luo Xiaoxing, and others quickly split up to search for her.
Meanwhile, Yan Lei caught up with Yuan, who was still upset. Yuan expressed his belief that his biological parents had abandoned him and stated he would never return to the city. Yan Lei clarified that Yuan's parents had never abandoned him; he had been abducted by human traffickers. Yan Lei urged Yuan not to disappoint Qi Defu's hopes, to study hard, find a good job after university, and then repay Qi Defu's kindness.
Yuan, despite his anger, understood Qi Defu's sacrifices, noting his father's advanced age and how his back ached after collecting junk, expressing deep concern for him. Qi Defu, though reluctant to part with Yuan, explained to Yan Lei that Yuan was about to start middle school, and he didn't want him to end up collecting junk like himself.
He had raised Yuan as his own son and wanted the best for him, believing that an education in the city would be far superior to staying with him. Chang Rui understood Qi Defu's profound sacrifice. Elsewhere, Deng Yan diligently searched and eventually found Madam Zhang outside Linshan Primary School. Madam Zhang was confused, thinking she was there to pick up a child named Ranran. Deng Yan gently persuaded her to return to the restaurant, promising to take her home.
Yan Lei successfully convinced Yuan to return home. Qi Defu and Yuan embraced, shedding tears, a sight that deeply moved both Chang Rui and Yan Lei. After Madam Zhang was settled and asleep, Deng Yan spoke with Luo Xiaoxing about Madam Zhang's condition. The doctor had advised against immediately informing Madam Zhang of her Alzheimer's diagnosis, fearing it might cause distress.
Deng Yan promised to visit Tuanyuan Restaurant frequently to spend time with Madam Zhang and asked Luo Xiaoxing and Ms. Meilian to ensure she received ample care and companionship. Separately, Jenny was tasked by Gang to process overseas labor contracts, which were intended to facilitate the trafficking of abducted girls abroad for profit. Jenny found the task exceedingly difficult, as various companies she contacted proved unreliable.
Gang grew furious, issuing an ultimatum: if she failed to complete the task, she would be fired. Jenny was left anxious and desperate, even massaging Gang's back to appease him. The technical department confirmed that Qi Yuan's DNA matched Sun Wenhan's with 99. 99% accuracy, proving they were biological father and son. Ai Xin promptly called Sun Wenhan with the good news. Sun Wenhan, heavily intoxicated and incoherent, initially struggled to grasp the reality of the situation.
Meanwhile, back at home, Qi Defu began taking down all of Yuan's award certificates and meticulously packed his belongings, preparing for the inevitable departure. Still heavily intoxicated, Sun Wenhan lamented to himself, asking if his wife would blame him, as their son had still not been found. The Anti-abduction Office recognized Qi Defu's voluntary surrender as a significant testament to their anti-trafficking efforts, acknowledging the complexity but also the loving aspect of his illegal adoption, promising a fair resolution.
The next morning, Sun Wenhan awoke with a hazy memory of Ai Xin's call and immediately called Deng Yan, who confirmed that Yuan was indeed his son, Xiaoguang. Overwhelmed with emotion, Sun Wenhan rushed to the Anti-abduction Office, where Qi Defu and Yuan had already arrived. Upon seeing Xiaoguang, Sun Wenhan knelt, profusely thanking Qi Defu for raising his son, and offered him all his savings as a token of gratitude.
Qi Defu steadfastly refused the money, reiterating his sole desire for Yuan to receive a good education. Sun Wenhan promised to swiftly arrange Xiaoguang's transfer to a good school in the city. When Qi Defu tried to hand Yuan over to Sun Wenhan, Yuan clung to Qi Defu, crying inconsolably and begging not to leave. Qi Defu, tearfully, struggled to comfort him, urging him to be a good boy and listen to the adults in the city.
Yan Lei escorted Qi Defu to the long-distance bus station, presenting him with some nutritional supplements bought by the Anti-abduction Office officers. Qi Defu, with tears in his eyes, expressed his gratitude before departing Linshan. Sun Wenhan brought Xiaoguang home. Xiaoguang was timid, standing still in the hallway. Sun Wenhan gently told him to put on a new pair of slippers.
Xiaoguang then noticed the walls adorned with his childhood photos and Sun Wenhan's detailed maps of his decade-long search efforts, which deeply moved him. Sun Wenhan then lovingly gave Xiaoguang a tour of their home, concluding with the room he had specially prepared for him. Deng Yan observed Sun Wenhan's reunion with his son, Xiaoguang, and felt a deep sense of contentment.
She silently wished that Lin Ran would similarly encounter a kind soul, like Qi Defu, and be spared excessive hardship, believing that darkness was only temporary and persistence would ultimately be rewarded. Separately, Yan Lei invited Chang Rui to dinner and revealed that he too was adopted. Chang Rui was surprised, having never known.
Yan Lei shared his gratitude for his adoptive parents, who had treated him like their own son, providing for his education and helping him get into the police academy. He further revealed that his adoptive parents had later helped him locate his biological parents, who had since had another child and were living happily. His birth parents now wished for him to return and reunite with them as a family of four.
Yan Lei found himself in a difficult predicament, as his adoptive parents had chosen not to have biological children of their own for his sake, yet he was reluctant to cause pain to his birth parents. Chang Rui advised Yan Lei not to rush his decision, suggesting he allow both families time to adjust. Following leads from Madam Hong's arrest, the Anti-abduction Office located Liu Weiguo's grandson, Xiaoxiao. Liu Weiguo was overjoyed, celebrating his family's reunion.
Honglian and Madam Zhang expressed their happiness for him, encouraging him to spend time with his grandson. Liu Weiguo then removed Xiaoxiao's missing person poster from the wall, expressing hope that all remaining missing children would eventually return home. He envisioned a future reunion at Tuanyuan Restaurant, where Madam Zhang would prepare her famous dumplings and Ms. Meilian her special cold dishes for all the reunited children.
The arrests of several senior traffickers, including Skinner, Huang Chuan, and Madam Hong, led to the reopening of several cold cases. Through extensive efforts, the Anti-abduction Office successfully found Bai Xiujing, abducted in 1994, and Sun Xiaoguang, abducted in 1998. They also rescued recently abducted individuals like Zheng Weiwei and Little Spud, among others, marking a significant victory in Linshan's anti-trafficking campaign.
The next primary focus of their investigation was an elusive trafficker known as Cripple, who had been highly active in the early 1990s and was believed to be involved in numerous cases, having once been the largest trafficker in Linshan City and its surrounding areas before suddenly disappearing for over a decade. Despite the lack of current leads, the Anti-abduction Office remained committed to his capture.
Episode 20 Recap
Deng Yan had developed a new theory regarding Cripple, the elusive leader of a trafficking ring. She believed their previous assumptions about him were incorrect and that his limp was merely a disguise. She shared her idea with Chang Rui, suggesting that Cripple might not be lame at all, and even the "lame man" she saw as a child could have been a ruse.
Deng Yan asked Chang Rui to meet her at the detention center to re-interrogate Huang Chuan, one of the arrested traffickers. During the re-interrogation, Huang Chuan admitted he had no direct contact with Cripple; their communications were always through an intermediary named Fei Yan. He revealed that he had once heard from a dog dealer that Cripple's "leg was with someone else," implying the limp was not genuine.
Following this lead, police identified the dog dealer as Zhou Hongcai, alias Wai, who had a criminal record for trafficking in 1986 and theft in 2006. After his recent release from prison, a penniless Wai contacted an old acquaintance, Liu Gang, proposing they resume their old business. Wai also brought up the abduction of a seven or eight-year-old girl in Linshan City over two decades ago, but an annoyed Liu Gang abruptly ended the call.
Meanwhile, Jenny, who owned a beauty salon, was approached by her regular client, Man. Man shared that her husband operated hotels in Qinmang Country and that while she had three sons, she deeply wished for a daughter. Seeing an opportunity, Jenny leveraged her connections to learn that Zhou Hongcai was in need of money. She called Wai, offering him 30,000 yuan to procure a two- or three-year-old girl and bring her to Linshan.
Despite the risks of a police crackdown in Linshan, Wai eagerly accepted the offer and immediately set off for Jiushan City. At Tuanyuan Restaurant, a young woman named Jiang Feifei ordered a bowl of vegetarian rice noodles, specifically requesting no scallions or cilantro and extra sesame oil. Madam Zhang, the restaurant owner, was stunned, as these were the exact eating habits of her daughter, Lin Ranran, who was abducted years ago.
Convinced that Jiang Feifei was her long-lost daughter, Madam Zhang promptly called Deng Yan. As Deng Yan rushed to the restaurant, Madam Zhang showed Jiang Feifei a childhood photo of Lin Ranran, insisting she was Ranran, which left the young woman bewildered. Upon Deng Yan’s arrival, she was also struck by the resemblance. As an overwhelmed Jiang Feifei tried to leave, Deng Yan revealed her police ID and gently explained the situation regarding Lin Ranran's abduction.
Jiang Feifei firmly stated her name and explained that she was from another province, visiting her grandmother in Linshan, and had never been separated from her parents. Despite Madam Zhang's emotional pleas, Jiang Feifei’s identity was confirmed, and she was allowed to leave. Madam Zhang was left heartbroken, and Deng Yan vowed to find the real Lin Ranran.
Later, Han Liang provided Deng Yan and Yin Jiansheng with Jiang Feifei's verified information, confirming she was indeed from Qingyan City, Xinyang Province, and was in Linshan to visit family. He advised Deng Yan to regularly check on Madam Zhang to prevent similar distressing incidents. Separately, in Jiushan, a mother was frantically searching for her three-year-old daughter, Fan Xinran, nicknamed Smiley, who had wandered off after being drawn to a small dog outside a supermarket.
Simultaneously, Zhou Hongcai boarded a long-distance bus from Jiushan to Linshan, carrying a large bag. In Linshan, Sun Wenhan, busy with work, gave his son, Xiaoguang, money for breakfast. Xiaoguang, however, had been saving the money, intending to buy a lumbar support device for his father's back pain. Noticing this, Sun Wenhan gave him extra cash, encouraging him to eat properly for his growth and upcoming school transfer.
An urgent notice arrived from the Jiushan City Police Bureau, confirming that Zhou Hongcai was transporting Fan Xinran on a long-distance bus to Linshan. Ai Xin immediately reported to Deng Yan that Fan Xinran had a congenital heart condition and only eight hours remained until her scheduled surgery. Deng Yan promptly organized teams to intercept the bus, but Zhou Hongcai evaded them by disembarking one stop early at Xingtan Road.
Chang Rui and Yan Lei, at the main bus terminal, confirmed that a passenger matching the description had gotten off the bus before its final stop. Under a bridge in Xingtan, Zhou Hongcai took a waking Fan Xinran out of his large bag and gave her some water. He then received a call from Jenny, assuring her he would deliver the girl soon.
Chang Rui deduced that because Zhou Hongcai had a ticket to Linshan, the buyer was likely in the city, and he had disembarked early only to avoid surveillance. He and Yan Lei positioned themselves on the main road into Linshan. Soon, Zhou Hongcai flagged down an unlicensed van heading towards the city. At headquarters, Han Liang suggested publicizing information about the case to leverage public assistance.
However, Deng Yan argued that doing so prematurely might alert Zhou Hongcai, causing him to abandon the child. Yin Jiansheng voiced worries about Fan Xinran's critical health and offered to take responsibility for any delay, but Deng Yan, as Director of the Anti-abduction Office, insisted that the responsibility was hers alone. Officers searching black market taxi spots in Xingtan learned that a man matching Zhou Hongcai’s description had taken a silver van towards Linshan. The information was relayed to Deng Yan, who immediately updated Chang Rui, directing him to the approaching vehicle.
Episode 21 Recap
After abducting a three-year-old girl named Smiley and hiding her in a large woven bag, Zhou Hongcai was traveling toward Linshan when he spotted a police checkpoint. To evade capture, he feigned a wrong address, had his driver turn back, and got off the vehicle. Meanwhile, Linshan police, aware that Smiley had a congenital heart condition requiring surgery within eight hours, set up checkpoints.
Officers Chang Rui and Yan Lei were on duty when a silver van sped past their post. They gave chase and forced the van to stop, only to discover the driver was merely transporting pirated discs and had panicked out of fear. After Zhou Hongcai was spotted on surveillance at the Qingyang Street bus stop, Deng Yan, director of the Anti-abduction Office, immediately contacted Chang Rui with the suspect's location.
With Zhou Hongcai confirmed to have entered the city, Deng Yan sought approval from Director Xiao Wenjin for a citywide manhunt. At the Anti-abduction Office, Yan Lei and Luo Xiaoxing joined Lawyer Sun Wenhan to review numerous tips from netizens, meticulously checking for any suspicious older men with children, though some early leads were dismissed as the children appeared happy and not coerced. Zhou Hongcai continued his journey into the city via public bus.
When the bus's on-board news broadcast a wanted notice for Smiley's abduction that identified him as the suspect, he received a call from Zhen Ni. She told him she no longer wanted the child, claiming he had brought her a "sick kid." Enraged, Zhou Hongcai abandoned the woven bag containing Smiley on the bus and swiftly boarded another one.
With only an hour remaining before Smiley's critical surgery window closed, the bus driver discovered the bag and the little girl inside upon reaching the terminal and immediately reported it to the Anti-abduction Office. Deng Yan received the report and dispatched Chang Rui to rush Smiley to Linshan Hospital within thirty minutes. Concurrently, a woman known as Man Jie, having seen the news, suspected the child was the one Zhen Ni had arranged for.
She called Zhen Ni and told her to abandon the plan, explaining that she and her husband were already overwhelmed with their three children. Chang Rui raced to the hospital, arriving just ten minutes before the scheduled surgery. Doctors, including the lead surgeon and anesthesiologist from Jiushan, had traveled to Linshan People's Hospital to perform the operation. Chang Rui watched with relief as Smiley was wheeled into the operating room.
The surgery was a success, and Smiley was expected to be moved to a regular room the next day. Meanwhile, Sun Xiaoguang diligently collected discarded bottles and saved his breakfast money to help raise funds for Qi Defu's back treatment. His father, Sun Wenhan, admonished him for handling dirty items, urging him to focus on his studies and maintain good hygiene. The police continued their search for Zhou Hongcai.
Yang Jiajia tracked the bus routes, noting that Zhou Hongcai had gotten off his second bus at Shengxi Street before his trail was lost in a greenbelt. Deng Yan dispatched Yan Lei to search the surrounding area. Zhou Hongcai, heavily disguised, went to a snack street. Spotting police conducting inspections, he ducked into the Tuanyuan Restaurant, where he saw the walls covered in missing person notices. The owner, Madam Zhang, assumed he was also searching for a lost child.
Zhou Hongcai fabricated a story about his son being abducted twenty years ago. When Madam Zhang offered to make a poster for him, he claimed to have left the photo at his guesthouse. She then showed him a poster of her own missing daughter, Lin Ran, who disappeared at eight years old, and Zhou Hongcai instantly recognized her.
Madam Zhang mentioned that Lin Ran's childhood friend, Deng Yan, was now the director at the Anti-abduction Office and was helping her search. Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Hongcai offered to help look for Lin Ran and asked for a copy of her photo. Grateful, Madam Zhang gave him the photo and a free bowl of noodles. After eating, Zhou Hongcai called Liu Gang for help.
Liu Gang, who had just seen the wanted notice, tried to hang up, but Zhou Hongcai threatened to turn himself in and expose Liu Gang's involvement, revealing his new leverage: Deng Yan's personal connection to Lin Ran. Infuriated, Liu Gang called Zhen Ni, ordering her never to contact Zhou Hongcai again and to ensure the kidnapper never learned of their connection. Captain Han brought Feng Junjie, a top graduate from the Police Academy, to join the Anti-abduction Office.
As Ai Xin was showing the newcomer around, a tip came in about a possible sighting of Zhou Hongcai. Deng Yan dispatched Chang Rui to investigate, sending Ai Xin and Feng Junjie along to familiarize the rookie with fieldwork. Meanwhile, Zhou Hongcai arrived at the Tianhai Lucky entertainment center and demanded to see the owner, Liu Gang. In his office, Liu Gang threatened Zhou Hongcai, who defiantly insisted they were "on the same boat" and refused to leave.
As Liu Gang threatened to kill him, Yan Lei's investigation determined that Zhou Hongcai's last known location was very close to Tianhai Lucky. Deng Yan instructed Yang Jiajia to retrieve the establishment's surveillance footage. At Tuanyuan Restaurant, Madam Zhang saw Zhou Hongcai's wanted notice on television and recognized him. Spotting him walking past her restaurant, she rushed out to confront him.
At a busy intersection, she became disoriented, thought she saw Zhou Hongcai get into a taxi, and impulsively ran into the street against a red light, nearly being struck by a truck. Luo Xiaoxing arrived just in time to pull her to safety. Confused and unsure why she had run out, Madam Zhang was gently guided back to her restaurant.
Fearing exposure, Liu Gang suspected an associate, Cripple, had given Zhou Hongcai his number and considered killing Zhou Hongcai to silence him. He received a call from a police insider confirming that a doctored surveillance video had been provided to the investigators. To create a diversion, Liu Gang decided to frame Deng Yan, instructing a subordinate to hide bribe money in her home. Shortly after, Yang Jiajia reviewed the footage from Tianhai Lucky but found no trace of Zhou Hongcai.
Liu Gang tried to get rid of Zhou Hongcai with money and liquor, but he stubbornly refused to leave. Simultaneously, the Discipline Inspection Commission received an anonymous letter accusing Deng Yan of accepting bribes and she was immediately suspended from her duties, leaving Director Xiao Wenjin stunned.
Episode 22 Recap
Deng Yan was suspended from her position at the Anti-abduction Office following an investigation by the Discipline Committee. This came after investigators found a leather bag containing 80,000 yuan in cash in her closet, money for which neither she nor her family could account. Liu Gang had secretly hidden the money in Deng Yan's closet and sent an anonymous tip-off, fearing that Deng Yan, as Lin Ranran's good friend, would investigate his involvement in Lin Ranran's abduction.
Although Chief Xiao Wenjin and Captain Han Liang found it hard to believe Deng Yan would take bribes, especially given her successful track record in catching numerous criminals at the Anti-abduction Office, Chief Xiao stressed that the significant amount of unexplained cash meant they had to follow protocol. Han Liang expressed suspicion that someone might be intentionally framing Deng Yan, but lacked concrete evidence.
Despite this, the Discipline Committee, led by Secretary Wei, was leading the investigation, and the Criminal Police Unit was instructed to cooperate. Yin Jiansheng was appointed to temporarily oversee Deng Yan’s duties at the Anti-abduction Office. Meilian and Xiaoxing were deeply concerned about Madam Zhang's safety after a truck nearly hit her the previous day, emphasizing that she shouldn't go out alone. Madam Zhang felt she was forgetting something important but couldn't recall what it was.
Soon after, Xiaoxing noticed that Lin Ran's missing person notice was gone, which triggered a sudden vivid memory for Madam Zhang. She exclaimed that she remembered everything, prompting Xiaoxing to immediately call Director Deng, informing her that Madam Zhang had something important to say. Sun Xiaoguang, also known as Yuan, sold his collected bottles and earned 35 yuan.
When he called his neighbor to speak with Mr. Qi Defu, he learned that Mr. Qi’s old back condition had relapsed, leaving him bedridden for a week. Concerned, Sun Xiaoguang immediately set off for Qingluo Town. Meanwhile, Deng Yan arrived at Tuanyuan Restaurant where Madam Zhang confirmed that the wanted criminal, Zhou Hongcai, had indeed visited the restaurant two nights prior.
Zhou Hongcai had shown significant interest in Lin Ran, looking at her photo as if he knew her, leading Madam Zhang to believe he was Lin Ran’s trafficker. Deng Yan, convinced of Zhou Hongcai's connection to Lin Ran's abduction, rushed to Captain Han Liang to report her findings. Despite her urgent pleas to assist in the investigation, even in a supportive role, Captain Han explained that her current suspension prevented him from officially involving her, as it would violate regulations.
He advised her to return home and await further instructions from the Discipline Committee, urging her to temper her emotional involvement for the sake of the investigation. Visibly upset, Deng Yan left. Yin Jiansheng, having heard about Deng Yan's unsuccessful visit to Captain Han, sought her out, acknowledging her frustration about being unable to participate in the case.
He offered words of encouragement, reminding her to trust the system and assuring her that she remained the "backbone" of the Anti-abduction Office. Liu Gang was alarmed that Zhou Hongcai had managed to track him down, leading him to suspect a leak within his own circle. He confronted Zhen Ni, questioning if she had revealed his information to Zhou Hongcai.
Zhen Ni vehemently denied any involvement, swearing her loyalty to Liu Gang and emphasizing that her current standing was entirely due to him. Dismissing her, Liu Gang concluded that Cripple must have been the one who betrayed him. Zhen Ni, echoing Liu Gang's own thoughts, then suggested eliminating Zhou Hongcai, referring to him as a "ticking time bomb" who could jeopardize them both. Liu Gang tacitly agreed with the suggestion to deal with Zhou Hongcai permanently.
Officer Yan Lei and Sun Wenhan visited Mr. Qi Defu, finding him bedridden due to a severe relapse of his lumbar disc herniation. Sun Xiaoguang, also known as Yuan, had not yet returned, so Yan Lei went to search for him. Sun Wenhan conversed with Mr. Qi, learning that the elderly man had used his entire 20,000 yuan savings, originally intended for his own marriage, to cover Sun Xiaoguang’s medical expenses when the boy was sickly as a child.
Mr. Qi explained that he had sent Sun Xiaoguang away to ensure he received a proper education, as the village school, with its single teacher, could not provide the opportunities a bright student like him deserved, especially as he was about to enter middle school. Yan Lei soon found Sun Xiaoguang on the road, walking home.
Sun Xiaoguang revealed he had saved his breakfast money and earnings from selling recyclables to buy a back massager for Mr. Qi, choosing to walk to save bus fare. Sun Wenhan, touched by Xiaoguang's thoughtfulness, apologized for misunderstanding his intentions and expressed profound gratitude to Mr. Qi for giving Sun Xiaoguang "a second chance at life."
Sun Wenhan initially suggested bringing Mr. Qi to the city for better medical care, but Mr. Qi politely refused, preferring the familiar comforts of his village. Sun Xiaoguang then asked if he could stay in the village to care for Mr. Qi without disrupting his studies. After some thought, Sun Wenhan made the decision to stay himself.
He announced his intention to apply for the Youth League Central Committee’s poverty alleviation program to teach in the village, ensuring Sun Xiaoguang could remain there for his schooling while they both cared for Mr. Qi. Overjoyed, Sun Xiaoguang embraced Sun Wenhan, affectionately calling him "Dad." Liu Gang had ordered Xiaowu to capture and silence Zhou Hongcai.
Xiaowu brought Zhou Hongcai to a rental apartment and was preparing to inflict further pain on him when Liu Gang called, demanding a quick resolution. While Xiaowu stepped out to take the call, Zhou Hongcai desperately threw wine bottles out the window to attract attention. Upon Xiaowu's return, he was about to continue his torture when angry neighbors, alerted by the commotion and thrown bottles, began pounding on the door, threatening to call the police.
Forced to open the door, Xiaowu allowed the neighbors to voice their complaints about the disturbance. Seizing this distraction, Zhou Hongcai, who had managed to cut his restraints, made a desperate escape through the window. Xiaowu quickly appeased the neighbors by giving them money, but by the time he returned to the apartment, Zhou Hongcai was gone.
Residents of Fuhua Residential Area immediately called the police after witnessing an older man, matching Zhou Hongcai's description—gray-haired, with a facial wound, wearing a hat and backpack, and appearing panicked—escape by climbing out a window. Local police, along with Chang Rui, Vice Director Yin Jiansheng, and Ai Xin, arrived at the scene.
Investigations revealed the apartment was a temporary rental under a fake name, with no lease signed, and evidence suggested at least two people were involved, along with signs of someone being held captive. Yan Lei and Yang Jiajia canvassed the neighborhood, gathering descriptions of both the older man and a younger, aggressive-looking man in black.
Suddenly, Yin Jiansheng spotted Zhou Hongcai and gave chase, but Zhou Hongcai managed to escape in a small truck with license plate C89392, disappearing into a narrow alley. While Yan Lei and Feng went to locate the truck driver, a citywide alert was issued for Zhou Hongcai. Meanwhile, Liu Gang, unable to reach Xiaowu, reported Zhou Hongcai's escape to his boss, who demanded that Zhou Hongcai be silenced before the police could apprehend him.
Believing Zhou Hongcai, unfamiliar with Linshan, would likely seek illegal transport from the spot where he first arrived, Yin Jiansheng and Chang Rui immediately headed to the bus terminal to intercept him. Madam Zhang spent the entire night at Tuanyuan Restaurant, refusing to eat or drink, anxiously awaiting a call from Director Deng with news about the trafficker and Lin Ran.
She explained to Xiaoxing, who arrived in the morning, that she couldn't find her phone and wanted to be at the restaurant in case the call came there. Xiaoxing gently urged her to go home and rest, reminding her that Lin Ran would be distressed to see her so exhausted, but Madam Zhang insisted she wasn't tired, energized by the hope of news. As Xiaoxing went to prepare some food, Madam Zhang received an unexpected call.
It was Zhou Hongcai, who, without identifying himself, asked if her daughter was Lin Ran. He then claimed to know Lin Ran’s whereabouts and demanded 10,000 yuan, instructing Madam Zhang to bring the money to the Qingcheng Road bus stop where he would be waiting.
Episode 23 Recap
Zhou Hongcai, cornered and desperate, contacted Madam Zhang, falsely claiming to have information about Ranran’s whereabouts. He initially demanded one hundred thousand yuan, but settled for ten thousand yuan when Madam Zhang stated she didn’t have that much, instructing her to come alone to the Qingcheng Road bus stop. Believing him, Madam Zhang took the money from her Tuanyuan Restaurant and left in a hurry.
Xiaoxing, noticing Madam Zhang’s frantic departure, quickly followed her and called Director Deng, providing the taxi’s license plate number. Director Deng immediately relayed the information to Jiajia, instructing her to track the vehicle. Meanwhile, Zhou Hongcai, also at the bus stop, tried to arrange a ride to Xingtan, but the black cab driver demanded five hundred yuan. Jiajia swiftly located Madam Zhang’s taxi on Yingbin Road, heading east.
Director Deng immediately rushed to the scene, instructing her colleagues to notify Mr. Yin and Chang Rui to follow. At the Qingcheng Road bus stop, Madam Zhang urgently pressed Zhou Hongcai for Ranran’s location as he demanded the money for his escape. Just then, Director Deng, Chang Rui, and Mr. Yin arrived and apprehended Zhou Hongcai. Director Deng then escorted Madam Zhang back home.
Chang Rui and Mr. Yin were transporting Zhou Hongcai to the Anti-abduction Office for interrogation when their car’s tire was punctured by road spikes. Chang Rui had to stop the car to check. With no phone signal, Chang Rui left Mr. Yin to guard Zhou Hongcai in the car while he went to find a signal nearby. Suddenly, a large truck sped toward them, deliberately ramming their vehicle off a cliff. Chang Rui, hearing the devastating crash, rushed back.
Zhou Hongcai was dead at the scene, the truck driver had vanished, and Mr. Yin was gravely injured. Chang Rui frantically called Captain Han to report the tragedy. Despite the medical team’s best efforts, Mr. Yin succumbed to his injuries. His wife collapsed from grief, while Jiajia and Yan Lei tried to console her. Unable to reach Chang Rui, Captain Han informed Chief Xiao of Mr. Yin’s passing.
Director Deng arrived at the hospital, stunned by the news of Mr. Yin’s death. A somber memorial was held for Mr. Yin, where his colleagues paid their respects to the fallen hero. Subsequent investigations revealed that the offending truck had been stolen a month prior, leading authorities to classify the incident as premeditated murder. The provincial authorities, taking the case very seriously, formed a task force, appointing Captain Han as its leader.
After Mr. Yin’s death, the Anti-abduction Office was gripped by sorrow. Ai Xin, Jiajia, and Yan Lei helped pack Mr. Yin’s belongings, while Chang Rui was consumed by guilt. Director Deng, despite Captain Han’s advice to rest, returned to work, understanding the immense challenges of dealing with victims’ families. Madam Zhang visited Director Deng at Tuanyuan Restaurant, offering her a comforting bowl of soup and words of encouragement, reminding her that loved ones, even unseen, wish her well.
Meanwhile, Xiaowu, who was the truck driver, reported to Gang that he had "handled" everything, including killing the police officer. Gang berated Xiaowu for killing a police officer, then instructed him to go into hiding until further notice. Chang Rui, determined to investigate Mr. Yin’s case, requested a transfer to the task force.
Captain Han refused his request, emphasizing that Mr. Yin’s case was a high-profile one reserved for designated task force members and that Chang Rui's priority should be his ongoing anti-abduction duties. Unyielding, Chang Rui independently visited the crash site, enlisting Yan Lei’s help to gather information about the truck. Yan Lei discovered that the offending truck had refueled three times near the crash site and multiple brake marks indicated the driver had rehearsed the collision.
Chang Rui was convinced that Zhou Hongcai had been the actual target. He again sought to join the task force, but Captain Han again dismissed his request, admonishing him for acting unprofessionally and reiterating the critical need for Chang Rui to remain focused on the Anti-abduction Office, especially with Mr. Yin gone and Director Deng suspended.
Captain Han later informed Chief Xiao that their investigation into Director Deng had found anomalies on her door lock, suggesting someone had deliberately planted the eighty thousand yuan to frame her. Chief Xiao urged Captain Han to quickly secure solid evidence and reinstate Director Deng. Director Deng visited Mr. Yin’s grave, where she found Chang Rui already there. Chang Rui spoke of Mr. Yin’s final heroic act, shielding Zhou Hongcai with his body, which led to his own death.
He reassured Director Deng of her innocence, asserting that the traffickers' desperate actions—killing Zhou Hongcai and framing her—proved their own vulnerability. He believed her conviction, like Mr. Yin's, would ensure her reinstatement. Elsewhere, Ye Xiuming, facing a financial crisis at his Shencheng branch, summoned Wu to his office, demanding an immediate resolution to their funding issues and the stalled contract with Fu Haochen.
Wu proposed a risky solution: Fu Haochen’s daughter, Wenwen, had died from congenital kidney disease, leaving his wife mentally unstable. Wu suggested leveraging their connections with "Bring Lost Children Home" to find a child similar to Wenwen for adoption, believing that resolving Fu Haochen's family issues would secure their business deal. Separately, Cripple confronted Gang about the recent commotion, particularly Xiaowu's fatal encounter with the police officer and Wai's death.
Gang explained that Wai was about to expose their past activities and that Xiaowu had acted on his own initiative in dealing with the officer. Cripple calmly stated that he had already arranged for Xiaowu to hide. Cripple then ordered Gang to "get a child." Gang, citing the current high risks, also used the opportunity to ask Cripple for help with his complex overseas labor company paperwork.
Cripple agreed to arrange for Fei Yan in Qinmang Guo to assist with the company. Gang, now increasingly fearful that Cripple might eliminate him next, resolved to uncover Cripple’s true identity. Cripple then revealed he had already found the child and would send the details, instructing Gang to deliver the child to Shencheng, reminding him of the effort put into grooming him.
On Guang'an Road in Linshan City, a frantic woman called 110, initially misstating her location as Renmin Road, to report that her child had been snatched. When officers from the Linshan Anti-abduction Office arrived at what was initially reported as a sideswipe accident, the woman, involved in the collision, explained the situation. She stated that she and a friend were driving her child to a early education center when they got into a collision.
While her friend was outside arguing about the accident, she was in the car comforting her crying child. When the child insisted on being held by her mother, she took the child out of the car. Suddenly, a blue van pulled up and abducted her child. With no surveillance cameras at the intersection, the police assured her they would spare no effort to locate her child.
Episode 24 Recap
While driving her daughter Tang Zhikui to an early education center, Hu Xiaolu, accompanied by her best friend Fang Minmin, was involved in a minor car accident. Hu Xiaolu exited the car to assess the damage, and Fang Minmin, holding Tang Zhikui, also stepped out. Concerned about the busy street, Hu Xiaolu asked Fang Minmin to put her daughter back in the car. Suddenly, a blue van passed by, and someone from inside snatched Tang Zhikui.
Hu Xiaolu immediately called the Anti-abduction Office, and Ai Xin promptly arrived at the scene. Hu Xiaolu and her husband, Tang Dongquan, were separated, and she adamantly believed Tang Dongquan had taken their daughter. With Deng Yan suspended and Yin Jiansheng having died in the line of duty, the office was short-staffed.
A determined Chang Rui returned to work, assigning Yan Lei and Feng Junjie to locate Tang Dongquan, while Ai Xin and Yang Jiajia were to gather more details from Hu Xiaolu. Yang Jiajia discovered that the blue van vanished after passing through an area without surveillance, leading Chang Rui to personally check traffic police cameras. Meanwhile, Captain Han Liang’s team, investigating Deng Yan’s case, discovered the surveillance camera near her apartment had been deliberately damaged.
Fingerprints on the bag of bribe money were not Deng Yan's. Footage from a nearby supermarket revealed a suspicious man entering her building with the bag, but leaving empty-handed. Evidence of forced entry on Deng Yan's wardrobe further supported that she was framed. Captain Han assured Deng Yan of her innocence but explained that additional verification was needed before her suspension could be lifted.
Hu Xiaolu recounted that Tang Dongquan rarely came home, and she suspected him of having an affair, though she had no proof. Yan Lei and Feng Junjie learned from Fang Minmin that Tang Dongquan was overseeing a remote construction project in Qinghai. The investigation then uncovered that Fang Minmin harbored a long-standing crush on Tang Dongquan, leading to the suspicion that she might have arranged the abduction to ingratiate herself with him and disrupt his marriage.
Deng Yan's name was cleared, and she was reinstated. Observing her colleagues' low morale and Chang Rui's preoccupation with his grief, Deng Yan rallied them, reminding them of their duty. She felt a pang of sadness seeing Yin Jiansheng’s empty desk. Elsewhere, a man named Fu Haochen had taken Tang Zhikui into his home. His mentally unstable wife began treating the child as her own deceased daughter, Wenwen.
In a moment of triumph for the office, their persistent efforts paid off, and they located He Meilian's abducted son. He Meilian received a joyous call informing her of the news, and she, Madam Zhang, Liu Weiguo, and Xiaoxing celebrated the upcoming reunion. Consumed by worry, Hu Xiaolu couldn't eat or sleep. She expressed her fear that the kidnappers might feed Tang Zhikui eggs, to which she has a severe allergy.
Fang Minmin tried to reassure her, offering to take leave to help with the search. Despite Fang Minmin's comfort, Hu Xiaolu remained convinced Tang Dongquan was behind the abduction. Remembering that Tuanyuan Restaurant was a known gathering place for parents of abducted children, Fang Minmin suggested they go there for information. At the restaurant, Xiaoxing was saddened to see other families reuniting while her own brother remained missing after fifteen years.
Madam Zhang comforted her, reinforcing the hope that the restaurant represented. Meanwhile, unable to reach Tang Dongquan, Deng Yan dispatched Yan Lei and Yang Jiajia to his company, where they intercepted him and brought him in for questioning. Hu Xiaolu and Fang Minmin arrived at Tuanyuan Restaurant, where Hu Xiaolu learned of Xiaoxing's long search.
Still clinging to the belief that her daughter was not truly "lost" but taken by her husband, Hu Xiaolu frantically tried to call Tang Dongquan and left abruptly. During his questioning, Tang Dongquan denied abducting Tang Zhikui. Pressed by Chang Rui, he confessed that Fang Minmin had been trying to persuade him to divorce Hu Xiaolu and had offered to help him gain custody of their daughter. Ai Xin and Yan Lei subsequently questioned Fang Minmin.
She admitted her romantic involvement with Tang Dongquan but vehemently denied any part in the abduction, insisting she would never harm a child she cared for so deeply. She claimed her only goal was to convince Hu Xiaolu to leave a broken marriage. Fang Minmin then pleaded with the officers not to reveal the affair to Hu Xiaolu. When Tang Dongquan was released, Hu Xiaolu confronted him, demanding to know where their daughter was.
He repeatedly denied taking Tang Zhikui and urged her to join him in the search. Hu Xiaolu refused to believe him, accusing him and an "outside woman" of the crime. As he embraced her, a heartbroken Fang Minmin watched from a distance. At Fu Haochen's home, his wife's mental state improved as she cared for Tang Zhikui.
In disguise, a woman named Zhen Ni observed them before secretly reporting to her superior, Liu Gang, that the child was secure and an overseas labor contract had been signed, much to his satisfaction. Chang Rui, continuing his investigation into Yin Jiansheng's fatal car accident, discovered distinct tire marks in a nearby wooded area, suspecting the truck driver had used a getaway vehicle. He presented his findings to Captain Han and requested to pursue the lead.
Chang Rui soon located the vehicle; its owner recognized it as his own but confirmed the license plate was fake and that he had rented the car out two days prior.
Episode 25 Recap
Still troubled by Yin Jiansheng's death, Chang Rui continues the investigation and discovers tire tracks from an old car at the scene, suspecting it was the getaway vehicle. The investigation traces the car to its owner, who explains that he rented it out two days prior to someone from a local car rental group chat. Because he was busy, he mailed the key and therefore never saw the renter. The police record the transaction details.
Meanwhile, surveillance footage near Hu Xiaolu's car crash reveals a Santana had been following her. The police suspect a premeditated abduction, planned in advance and executed in an area without cameras. Deng Yan instructs Yan Lei to check with Tang Dongquan for any ransom demands, while tasking Yang Jiajia with identifying the Santana's owner. Yan Lei and Yang Jiajia locate a truck driver who was at the scene.
He initially claims he only saw the scrape and left quickly because he had a delivery. Sensing evasion, Yan Lei presses him, and the driver confesses that he was driving fatigued and his truck was overloaded that day. Fearing fines, he drove off immediately after witnessing the incident. Chang Rui and Feng Junjie question the Santana's owner, Ding Shuncheng.
He claims he was simply trying to overtake a slow truck from the right lane, which led to the accidental collision with Hu Xiaolu's car. He insists it was a minor accident for which he paid a 200 yuan fine and took full responsibility. However, Chang Rui reveals that surveillance shows Ding Shuncheng had been following Hu Xiaolu's car from a distance, which Ding dismisses as a "coincidence."
Yang Jiajia finds that Ding Shuncheng has no traffic violations in recent years, a fact Chang Rui finds suspicious given his calm demeanor. Lacking concrete evidence, they release him but have Yan Lei monitor him closely. Separately, Fu Haochen expresses his satisfaction with a child delivered to him and agrees to sign a contract with Ye Xiuming. At home, Ye Xiuming presents adoption papers to his wife, Fang Zilin.
Ye Xiuming initially voices his desire for a biological child, but Fang Zilin, after years of unsuccessful treatments, tearfully reveals that doctors have confirmed she can no longer conceive. A remorseful Ye Xiuming comforts her and agrees to the adoption. Ruan Meiyu's pet shop closes due to poor business and overdue rent. Seeing that Tuanyuan Restaurant is short-staffed, Madam Zhang offers Ruan Meiyu a job, which she gratefully accepts.
Later, Fang Zilin and Ye Xiuming bring home their newly adopted daughter, Qianqian. Fang Zilin dotes on the child and plans a trip to the amusement park, but Ye Xiuming announces an urgent business trip to Shencheng. It is revealed that Ding Shuncheng deliberately caused the traffic accident to facilitate Tang Zhikui's abduction.
After delivering the child to Fu Haochen, Ding Shuncheng tries to contact his handler, known as "Big Brother," on QQ, only to find the account has been deleted. Believing he has been set up, Ding Shuncheng goes to Fu Haochen's home to demand payment. A heated argument erupts, and the police, likely alerted, arrive swiftly to apprehend Ding Shuncheng and safely rescue Tang Zhikui.
Hu Xiaolu brings Tang Zhikui to Tuanyuan Restaurant, where Madam Zhang, Ruan Meiyu, and Liu Weiguo celebrate her safe return. Madam Zhang has also invited Tang Dongquan, encouraging him to reconcile with Hu Xiaolu. Tang Dongquan apologizes for his past wrongdoings, but Hu Xiaolu is initially dismissive. Madam Zhang intervenes, emphasizing the importance of their family reunion, which gradually softens Hu Xiaolu's stance. Meanwhile, Yang Jiajia and Chang Rui question Fu Haochen's wife, Yan Yuyan, about the child's origins.
Yan Yuyan appears disoriented, repeatedly demanding to know where her own daughter, Wenwen, has been hidden. In another development, Cripple calls Liu Gang, ordering him to halt his overseas labor company's operations. Liu Gang refuses and instructs his associate Zhen Ni to investigate Fu Haochen's recent business partners, hoping to uncover Cripple's true identity.
During their interrogation of Fu Haochen, Yan Lei and Yang Jiajia learn he sought to adopt a child because his wife suffers from severe postpartum depression following the death of their infant daughter. He claims his business partner, Ye Xiuming of Dingshun Group, arranged the adoption, telling him the child was from a welfare institution and providing what appeared to be official paperwork.
The police inform him the child was kidnapped and the documents are fake, a fact Fu Haochen claims to be unaware of. Ding Shuncheng gives a full confession. He explains that for two years, he has been taking jobs from a man he met online with the username "Ding Fengbo." This "Big Brother" hired him for car rentals and deliveries, paying him well. "
Ding Fengbo" instructed him to deliberately cause the car accident but did not reveal the kidnapping plot. After the incident, Ding Shuncheng realized a child was missing. " Ding Fengbo" eventually contacted him, instructing him to retrieve a child from a van and deliver her to Fu Haochen in Shencheng. Ding claims he was hesitant, but "Ding Fengbo" threatened to report him to the police, making him feel complicit.
After the delivery, he discovered "Ding Fengbo" had deleted his account, which led him to confront Fu Haochen for money. He recalls the kidnapper wore a mask and glasses, but he could only see a jade bracelet on the man's wrist. Finally, Ai Xin and Yan Lei interrogate Ye Xiuming, with Deng Yan observing. Ye Xiuming denies any knowledge of the abduction.
He claims that to help Fu Haochen, he simply instructed his secretary, Zhang Quanzhi, to handle the adoption through what he believed were proper channels, by applying on a welfare institution's website. Ye Xiuming denies knowing "Ding Fengbo" or Ding Shuncheng. He also claims he is not close with Liu Gang, having only met him a few times for business entertainment.
The police also review Dingshun Group's records, noting they had signed significant contracts with Lu Sheng's company around the time of the previous Zheng Weiwei abduction case. Ye Xiuming's secretary later confirms to police that he processed the adoption application on the welfare home's website and that it appeared to be officially approved, a result he reported to Ye Xiuming.
Episode 26 Recap
Following the interrogation of Ye Xiuming, Fu Haochen remained suspicious that the adoption of a daughter had gone too smoothly. He believed Ye Xiuming had used personal connections to solve the issue, leading him to offer a substantial business deal as a gesture of gratitude. However, Ye Xiuming and his secretary, Zhang Quanzhi, maintained that the adoption had been handled through entirely legal channels. This claim was contradicted by the welfare home, which had no record of any application.
Yang Jiajia, suspecting foul play, sent Zhang Quanzhi's computer to the tech department, theorizing that the website they used was a fraudulent one created to make them believe they were following legitimate procedures. Despite this analysis seemingly clearing Ye Xiuming, Deng Yan remained suspicious and instructed her team to continue the investigation. At the Tuanyuan Restaurant, a hearing-impaired man arrived, seeking help to find his missing wife, Zhang Xiaochu, who is also hearing-impaired.
Madam Zhang patiently listened as he explained through lip-reading that he and his wife, who loved dancing and traveling, were on their travel wedding in Linshan when she was abducted. He recounted that while he was changing his camera lens to photograph her, she was suddenly taken. He reported the kidnapping to the police, but the vehicle's license plate turned out to be fake. Having exhausted all other avenues, he came to the restaurant after hearing it helped reunite families.
Madam Zhang assured him of their help and prominently displayed Zhang Xiaochu's missing person notice on the wall. Meanwhile, Zhen Ni informed Liu Gang that Fu Haochen had signed a massive deal with Dingshun Group, headed by Ye Xiuming, immediately after the child was delivered. This led Liu Gang, who operated as the notorious Cripple, to suspect that Ye Xiuming was the true, hidden mastermind behind the criminal enterprise.
Later, Ye Xiuming and Wu Bin arrived at Liu Gang’s Tianhai Lucky Entertainment Center for a meeting. Liu Gang welcomed them and subtly probed Ye Xiuming about Dingshun's recent major deal, hinting at rumors linking the company to child trafficking. Wu Bin quickly intervened, warning Liu Gang against spreading unfounded rumors.
Liu Gang's internal monologue confirmed his suspicions; he believed Ye Xiuming had installed him as a figurehead, intending to use him as a scapegoat for past crimes, and resolved to find a way out for himself. In a separate development, Yang Jiajia reported that a recently apprehended trafficker confessed to handling a child believed to be Luo Xiaoyu. The trafficker also revealed his superior had arranged for him to find a child for a wealthy businessman named Mu from Gangcheng.
Yang Jiajia identified Mu Zhenliang as a match: his son, Mu Haobo, was the same age as Luo Xiaoyu, and Mu Zhenliang had visited Linshan in 1995, the year Luo Xiaoyu went missing. Deng Yan informed Luo Xiaoxing of the lead, but her hopes were tempered when Mu Zhenliang denied having adopted a child. Deng Yan reassured Luo Xiaoxing that having a lead was still a reason for hope and that the investigation would continue.
In a rural village, Yang Caiyun's daughter, Xiaoyun, told her about a "crazy lady" locked up in the nearby Tu family's house who was heard crying. Meanwhile, the police investigation revealed that a man with the alias "Ding Fengbo" had contacted Ye Xiuming's secretary, Zhang Quanzhi, through a fake welfare website he created. He claimed a suitable abandoned girl was available and orchestrated the abduction of Tang Zhikui, who was then delivered to Fu Haochen.
After the transaction, Ding Fengbo deleted his account and vanished, seemingly clearing Ye Xiuming of direct complicity. Despite these findings, Deng Yan remained unconvinced, pointing out that Dingshun Group benefited significantly from the deal. She theorized that the perpetrator had a deep understanding of the company's finances, suggesting the motive might not be exclusive to Ye Xiuming. Concurrently, in the Zhou Hongcai murder investigation, a scrapped taxi, confirmed to be the getaway vehicle, was recovered from a reservoir.
The killer had meticulously cleaned the car and obscured tracks, indicating a professional with strong counter-surveillance skills. Deng Yan speculated that Cripple had killed Zhou Hongcai, a fellow trafficker, for self-preservation. Furthermore, the autopsy on Zhou Hongcai revealed two items in waterproof bags in his stomach, and the technical department was working to identify the damaged contents. Driven by her daughter's story, Yang Caiyun went to the Tu family's house, pretending to deliver vegetables to the matriarch, Madam Gu.
She was forcibly turned away by Madam Gu's son, whose hand she noticed was scratched. Undeterred, Yang Caiyun peered through a back window and saw a frail, unkempt girl huddled in a corner, crying. Later, before leaving the Tuanyuan Restaurant to continue his search, the hearing-impaired man photographed the missing person notices and recorded a video of Madam Zhang appealing to her own missing daughter, Lin Ranran, to come home.
Yang Caiyun revisited Madam Gu's house, and upon hearing sounds like a woman crying, was told by Madam Gu that it was her daughter-in-law, who had become mentally unstable after a miscarriage and was kept locked up. Yang Caiyun's offer to help was refused. She then returned to the back of the house, where the trapped girl saw her and desperately etched the Chinese character for "beg" on her hand. Yang Caiyun immediately reported the situation to the Anti-abduction Office.
Police arrived at the Tu house to find the son abusing the girl and successfully rescued her. A news report later confirmed the rescue, noting that the informant was a previously rescued trafficking victim herself. Finally, Chang Rui reported that Zhang Xiaochu's trafficker, a subordinate of a criminal named Skinner, had been apprehended. He also updated the team on the evidence from Zhou Hongcai’s stomach: though damaged, it appeared to be a newspaper photograph of several people.
Chang Rui theorized that the photo was so important that Zhou Hongcai swallowed it either for self-preservation or to leave it as a clue, strongly suspecting that Cripple was among the individuals in the picture.
Episode 27 Recap
Yang Caiyun discovered a deaf and mute young woman, who was locked in a house and cried constantly, had been bought by the Tu family. She quietly approached the Tu family's home from the back and found the girl, who silently pleaded for help. Yang Caiyun immediately reported the situation to the Anti-abduction Office. With the assistance of local police, the office rescued the girl, confirming her identity as Zhang Xiaochu, Wen Xu's newlywed wife.
Zhang Xiaochu was severely beaten by the Tu family men and left traumatized. Although Ai Xin from the Anti-abduction Office wanted to contact Wen Xu, Zhang Xiaochu refused, expressing her reluctance to let him see her in such a state. She explained that some things change irrevocably, and she simply wished for Wen Xu to remember their happiest times and her at her best.
Ai Xin respected her decision but suggested she visit Tuanyuan Restaurant, as Wen Xu might have left some photos there. Later, Zhang Xiaochu arrived at Tuanyuan Restaurant and began to take down her own missing person notice. Ruan Meiyu recognized her and exclaimed her name, causing Zhang Xiaochu to flee in fear. Ruan Meiyu quickly called Wen Xu to inform him of Zhang Xiaochu's presence. Wen Xu, without hesitation, rushed to Linshan City.
He finally reunited with Zhang Xiaochu, who was deeply moved to see him looking haggard from his search, a testament to his tireless search efforts mentioned earlier by Ai Xin. Both were too overwhelmed to speak. Meanwhile, Wu Bin arrived with gifts, including a toy for Qian and candied chestnuts from a specific South Street shop, which Ms. Fang (Fang Zilin) was delighted by, remarking that even Ye Xiuming didn't know her preference for that particular shop.
Qian, upon seeing Wu Bin, immediately called him "Daddy," surprising Ms. Fang. Despite Ms. Fang's attempts to correct her, explaining Wu Bin was her "uncle," Qian continued to call him "Daddy." Wu Bin, charmed by the child's affection, playfully suggested becoming Qian's godfather, to which Qian readily agreed, accepting a doll and immediately calling him "Goddad."
Ms. Fang jokingly accused Wu Bin of taking advantage, but Wu Bin dismissed it, stating he already had a goddaughter and didn't need a girlfriend. A distressing incident occurred at Tuanyuan Restaurant when a child fell ill with severe vomiting and diarrhea after eating rice noodles. His father came to the restaurant, demanding an explanation and three thousand yuan for medical and lost wages, accusing them of food poisoning.
Ruan Meiyu tried to explain their long-standing reputation, but Madam Zhang confessed that she had made the noodles and mistakenly added cleaning powder, which she had used for cleaning the kitchen and forgotten to put away, instead of sugar. Madam Zhang blamed herself for the error, and Ruan Meiyu also took responsibility for not tasting the ingredients. Madam Zhang insisted that Xiaoxing immediately find the affected family to apologize.
Industrial and Commercial Bureau officials subsequently arrived and, noting Madam Zhang's condition as a non-fully capable person, deemed her unfit to run the establishment. They ordered the restaurant to be temporarily closed for rectification. Madam Zhang became increasingly convinced she was suffering from Alzheimer's. She recalled the doctor asking many strange questions when Xiaoxing took her to the hospital, and she was often confused lately.
Xiaoxing and Ruan Meiyu tried to reassure her, attributing her forgetfulness to exhaustion, explaining that even young people sometimes forget things. However, Madam Zhang remained unconvinced, clearly remembering the doctor speaking at length with Xiaoxing after her check-up. She expressed that her true fear was not of being sick, but of eventually not recognizing her daughter, Lin Ran. Tong Xiaoling's parents reported their daughter missing to the Anti-abduction Office.
They explained that a month prior, Tong Xiaoling, then 19, told them she was going overseas to earn a large sum of money after working as a waitress in Linshan City, but she had since lost all contact. Days before, her mother received a distressing text message from an unknown number simply stating, "Mom, help me." Deng Yan's investigation revealed that Tong Xiaoling had been sent to Qinmang for work through the Mixin International Labor Company.
Nine other girls went with her in the same group, and all of them were also unreachable. This led Deng Yan to suspect a cross-border scam operation. Xiao Wenjin reported the situation to the department, highlighting the widespread nature of such overseas labor scams. The department decided to establish a task force, appointing Xiao Wenjin as the team leader and Han Liang as the deputy.
Xiao Wenjin emphasized the need for the Anti-abduction Office to fully cooperate and noted the challenges of an overseas investigation. He revealed that the Ministry of Public Security's liaison officer in Qinmang, Zou Yuhuai, would assist in their efforts. Xiao Wenjin also stressed the urgency of finding more victims quickly, as the single report in Linshan likely represented a larger issue. Simultaneously, Zhen Ni, the owner of Mixin International Labor Company, was in contact with Liu Gang.
She was scolded by Liu Gang for her greed regarding agency fees, as he controlled the main profits. Liu Gang urged her to quickly recruit another batch of girls for Qinmang, praising the previous ten for their quality, and promised her a significant sum in an offshore account, and to take her abroad once enough money was made.
Yan Lei and Feng Junjie arranged for Tong Xiaoling's parents to stay at the police guesthouse, assuring them it was a standard procedure and free of charge, and that finding their daughter was their duty. They promised to keep them updated before returning to their investigation. Meanwhile, Madam Zhang remained at the closed Tuanyuan Restaurant, refusing to eat all day, insisting on waiting for Lin Ran.
Ruan Meiyu tried to persuade her to go home, explaining that Madam Zhang's condition was worsening, sometimes even leading to her not recognizing Ruan Meiyu or Xiaoxing. Ruan Meiyu confided in Deng Yan that her own pet shop had closed, she was in debt, and with the restaurant shut, she had no income. She had secured a job interview for the next day but promised to return to care for Madam Zhang whenever she had time.
Deng Yan arrived and gently coaxed Madam Zhang, who was clearly fond of her, into eating a bowl of noodles prepared by Ruan Meiyu. Ruan Meiyu went to Mixin International Labor Company for her interview. Zhen Ni suggested she work at the Pangka Hotel, a luxurious five-star establishment in Qinmang, which urgently needed Chinese-speaking staff due to increasing Chinese tourists. The original agency fee was 100,000 yuan.
Seeing Ruan Meiyu's surprise, Zhen Ni offered a 90% discount, bringing the fee down to 10,000 yuan, which could be deducted from Ruan Meiyu's first three months' salary. Ruan Meiyu, satisfied with the terms, accepted. Concurrently, Xiao Wenjin received an update from Zou Yuhuai. Zou Yuhuai had discovered that Tong Xiaoling and the other nine girls were never taken to the Pameng Hotel as promised.
He learned that the hotel's website had been hacked to post fake job advertisements, and the hotel itself had ties to organized crime and a domestic prostitution ring. Zou Yuhuai confirmed that Tong Xiaoling had likely used a client's phone to send the rescue message while forced into prostitution. He noted that the prostitution ring's hideouts were constantly moving, and Xiao Wenjin requested him to continue tracking their locations.
Deng Yan reported to Chief Xiao Wenjin that their investigation into Mixin International Labor Company showed all paperwork was in order, with no apparent irregularities. However, Chief Xiao stressed that the company's head, Zhen Ni, was likely the key to solving the case and urged continued investigation. Yang Jiajia then reported a new job listing from Mixin International Labor Company for ten female servers at the Pangka Hotel in Qinmang.
Deng Yan immediately had a strong premonition, connecting this new recruitment to Ruan Meiyu's recent interview. It was quickly confirmed that ten girls for this new listing had already left the country three days prior. Later, Yan Lei and Ai Xin visited Mixin International Labor Company to question Zhen Ni about Tong Xiaoling.
Zhen Ni acknowledged that Tong Xiaoling had gone through her company to Qinmang for work at a large hotel, claiming she had even waived half of the agency fee due to Tong Xiaoling's family's financial struggles. She stated all ten girls had obtained visas through her company and departed via Bailianquan Port, but she professed ignorance regarding what happened after their arrival.
Ai Xin, during the conversation, noticed a jade bracelet on Zhen Ni's wrist, recalling that a "woman dressed as a man," the trafficker who had abducted Tang Zhikui (referred to as Kui), also wore a similar bracelet. Though many women wear bracelets, Ai Xin felt Zhen Ni was now the primary suspect. Deng Yan ordered surveillance on Zhen Ni. The team also discussed a photo recovered from Zhou Hongcai, which, after restoration, suggested Cripple was his killer.
This led to Ye Xiuming being identified as a potential suspect due to his presence in the photo and his past involvement in the Tang Zhikui case, despite his public charity work. Ai Xin, feeling uneasy about her personal connection to Ye Xiuming, requested to recuse herself from this part of the investigation. Feeling the pressure, Zhen Ni called Liu Gang late that night, informing him of the police visit.
Liu Gang angrily chastised her for her greed and recklessness, warning her of the severe consequences if they were caught. He instructed her to quickly "get rid of the goods" she currently had on hand and await his further instructions, emphasizing no more trouble should be stirred up. Meanwhile, Madam Zhang, increasingly worried about her deteriorating memory, diligently recorded every detail she could recall in a notebook, including the day Lin Ran went missing and Lin Ran's favorite things.
She showed Deng Yan some of Lin Ran's childhood mementos, including a handmade detail on a dress for a talent show. Madam Zhang confessed to Deng Yan that she knew she was ill and expressed her wish to move into a nursing home to receive proper care and treatment, hoping to slow down her memory loss so she would still be lucid when Lin Ran returned. Despite Deng Yan's heartfelt assurances that she was not a burden and that she enjoyed visiting, Madam Zhang remained resolute in her desire to find a nursing home.
Episode 28 Recap
Madam Zhang confided in Deng Yan, explaining her wish to move into a nursing home. She expressed a desire to remain clear-headed for when Ranran, her daughter, returns. Despite Deng Yan's earnest efforts to persuade her otherwise, Madam Zhang insisted it was for her own good, emphasizing her fear of becoming a burden. Meanwhile, Yan Lei reported to Deng Yan that Tong Xiaoling's parents had left the guesthouse early that morning. Deng Yan immediately instructed him to find them.
Yan Lei and Feng Junjie diligently searched, eventually locating Mr. Tong and Ms. Shao seeking shelter under a bridge as night fell. The couple explained they did not wish to trouble the government and believed they could earn their own living. Seeing their dire situation, Yan Lei proposed arranging for them to stay at Tuanyuan Restaurant, where they could have food and lodging in exchange for helping to care for Madam Zhang.
Deng Yan readily approved this plan, and Yan Lei escorted the grateful couple to the restaurant. In a separate investigation, Yang Jiajia and Ai Xin were closely monitoring Zhen Ni. They discovered she was a 32-year-old who operated a yoga studio and served as the legal representative and general manager for Mixin International Labor Company. Zhen Ni enjoyed a significant income, owned a fully paid apartment in Tianhai Haoting, and habitually used luxury brands.
However, their investigation revealed Zhen Ni's identity was fake; the real Zhen Ni had emigrated overseas with her family in 1995. Chang Rui, noting Zhen Ni's strong resemblance to the household registry photo, speculated she might have undergone plastic surgery to intentionally assume the identity and start a new life. Han Liang agreed with this theory and instructed the task force to investigate major cosmetic surgery clinics for any records.
Yang Jiajia also reported that Tianhai Lucky, owned by Liu Gang, was linked to several recent cases, and Liu Gang's presence in a group photo that Zhou Hongcai had swallowed suggested his involvement in the trafficking network. Deng Yan recommended putting Liu Gang under surveillance, a task Han Liang assigned to the Anti-abduction Office. Shortly after, Yang Jiajia discovered Zhen Ni's pre-surgery photos from 1996 bore a striking resemblance to a photo of Wan Guizhi, who was abducted in 1995.
Ai Xin recalled that Deputy Director Yin had specifically flagged Wan Guizhi's case, and that Wan Guizhi's mother had recently insisted she saw her daughter near Yimei Shopping Mall. Ai Xin hypothesized that Zhen Ni could indeed be Wan Guizhi, transformed from a victim into a criminal suspect. To confirm this, Feng Junjie volunteered to obtain a DNA sample from Zhen Ni, later discreetly retrieving a used milk tea cup from a trash bin outside her office.
Simultaneously, crucial progress was made in the cross-border trafficking case. Zou Yu Huai, with crucial assistance from Ruan Meiyu, successfully rescued twenty abducted women in Qinmang with the help of local police. An informant provided a photo of the trafficking ring's leader, Tai, whom Yang Jiajia identified as Fei Yan, a fugitive who had fled to Qinmang.
Xiao Wenjin and Han Liang recognized that Cripple had altered his trafficking methods, now using Zhen Ni to recruit girls legally in China, then smuggling them to Fei Yan abroad for forced prostitution. Anticipating Zhen Ni's attempt to flee upon news of the Qinmang rescue, Xiao Wenjin ordered her immediate apprehension. Zhen Ni was caught by Ai Xin and Yan Lei while frantically packing her belongings.
Tong Xiaoling and Ruan Meiyu, successfully rescued, were brought to Tuanyuan Restaurant by Yan Lei and Feng Junjie. Tong Xiaoling's parents were overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing their daughter safe, expressing profound gratitude to the police. Madam Zhang was equally delighted to see Ruan Meiyu. Meanwhile, Liu Gang received an urgent call from Cripple, who, aware of the Qinmang incident, berated Liu Gang for his past mistakes and ordered him to flee before the police apprehended him.
Liu Gang expressed concern about accessing his savings, which Cripple held, but Cripple dismissed his pleas, promising only to arrange an escort at the border and telling him to find his own way out of the country. At the police station, forensic results confirmed Zhen Ni was Wan Guizhi.
During interrogation, Ai Xin and Chang Rui pressed Wan Guizhi, who admitted to her involvement in cases, including the abduction of Tang Zhikui and the hiring of Zhou Hongcai for the girl with a heart condition, but she adamantly denied knowing Cripple or any connection to Liu Gang.
Deng Yan and Chang Rui found her denial perplexing, suspecting Liu Gang had psychologically manipulated her over the fourteen years since her abduction, leading her to believe her parents had abandoned her and making her dependent on him. They realized the key was to expose Liu Gang's lies. Later, Wu Bin, revealed to be the true mastermind Cripple, was seen visiting Qian Qian, bringing her toys.
Fang Zilin, Qian Qian's mother, affectionately chided him for spoiling the child and playfully urged him to consider settling down. Qian Qian innocently called Wu Bin "Daddy," a moment observed by Ye Xiuming, adding another layer to Wu Bin's hidden identity. Back in interrogation, Ai Xin and Chang Rui showed Wan Guizhi a video of her parents, revealing their poverty and her bedridden father's enduring concern for her.
This starkly contrasted with Liu Gang's narrative that her parents had sold her. Realizing Liu Gang's deceit, Wan Guizhi's emotional defenses shattered. Prompted by Chang Rui, she broke down and confessed that the "Cripple" who had abducted her was indeed Liu Gang. Unable to reach Zhen Ni, Liu Gang concluded she had been apprehended. He contacted his subordinates to arrange his escape to the border, meticulously destroying all his documents beforehand.
Based on Wan Guizhi's confession that Fei Yan would be their contact, Deng Yan deduced Liu Gang was heading to the border. Han Liang immediately deployed police to secure four possible border exits leading to Qinmang. To buy time for the police, Ai Xin instructed Wan Guizhi to call Liu Gang, using a pre-arranged signal to indicate she was safe and then to try and prolong the conversation, allowing their technical team to pinpoint his exact location. When Wan Guizhi made the call, Liu Gang was furious she was still in Linshan and demanded to know her location.
Episode 29 Recap
Ai Xin instructed Zhen Ni to call Liu Gang, asking him to pick her up in Ake Valley, which he referred to as "the usual place." The tech department quickly located Liu Gang's phone, confirming he was indeed heading in that direction. Police officers set up an ambush in Ake Valley, but they only managed to apprehend his subordinates. Liu Gang, suspecting Zhen Ni was being used by the police, had switched cars with one of his men.
He deliberately left his phone in his subordinate's car, sending the decoy to Ake Valley while he escaped. Chief Xiao Wenjin, using surveillance, quickly pinpointed Liu Gang's actual whereabouts. Deng Yan immediately notified Chang Rui, Yang Jiajia, and Feng Junjie to pursue him. Simultaneously, the police discovered Fei Yan's whereabouts. Chief Xiao Wenjin dispatched officers to apprehend him, and Fei Yan was swiftly taken into custody.
Chang Rui, Yang Jiajia, and Feng Junjie tracked Liu Gang to a deserted house at the foot of a mountain. They managed to subdue the individual they found there, only to discover it was an imposter. Chang Rui realized they had been tricked and promptly returned to search the abandoned house. They found a ladder behind the house, indicating Liu Gang had escaped into the mountains. Xiao Wenjin dispatched officers to reinforce Chang Rui's team.
Deng Yan personally led the operation, and by using Fei Yan as bait, they successfully captured Liu Gang. Meanwhile, Ye Xiuming was actively seeking investors to alleviate the financial strain on Dingshun Group's Shencheng tech branch. Wu Bin recommended a reliable investment company from Gangcheng. However, this company was only interested in collaborating with Dingshun's headquarters, expressing no confidence in the future of the Shencheng tech branch, which they viewed as a "money pit."
Fang Zilin shrewdly observed that their intention was to force Ye Xiuming to spin off the tech company from the main group. Reluctant to burden the headquarters, Ye Xiuming, after careful consideration, decided to separate the Shencheng branch. He then fully entrusted the Dingshun Group headquarters to Fang Zilin and Wu Bin, allowing Wu Bin and Fang Zilin to temporarily hold his shares. Fang Zilin disagreed with this hasty decision, but Ye Xiuming remained firm.
Wu Bin’s chosen investor was Mu Zhenliang, who arrived in Linshan with his son, Mu Haobo. Mu Zhenliang reiterated his lack of faith in tech companies. Wu Bin assured him that Ye Xiuming had already stepped down as chairman, solidifying Wu Bin's position as the new chairman of Dingshun Group. Satisfied, Mu Zhenliang agreed to finalize the contract promptly. Deng Yan requested to personally interrogate Liu Gang, wanting to confirm if he was Cripple, the abductor of Lin Ran.
Han Liang, concerned about her emotional involvement, advised her to wait for the official interrogation results. Ai Xin and Yan Lei proceeded to interrogate Liu Gang. When Liu Gang learned that Zhen Ni had implicated him as Cripple, he became enraged, but defiantly admitted to being Cripple. Yan Lei then presented photographs of other abducted children. Liu Gang feigned ignorance, claiming he knew nothing about them.
Yan Lei then explained the gravity of his situation, emphasizing that his involvement in multiple heinous trafficking cases, coupled with assaulting a police officer which led to his death, could result in the death penalty. Under pressure, Liu Gang retracted his confession, admitting he was not the true Cripple. He claimed that Xiaowu was Cripple's operative, tasked with monitoring him, and that he had never actually met Cripple in person, communicating only by phone.
Liu Gang recounted his involvement in the trafficking network, stating that over two decades ago, he met Old Wai, an illegal dog dealer who worked with Cripple. Cripple, a notorious figure in the underworld, was responsible for sales, while Liu Gang found "goods" (children and young women), and Old Wai handled transportation. Liu Gang admitted he was just a "runner" for Cripple, who paid well.
He revealed that Old Wai was later arrested for another case, and Cripple gradually stopped appearing, instead tasking Liu Gang with handling all operations under his name. Eventually, others began to assume Liu Gang was Cripple, and he simply went along with it, even faking a limp. He detailed numerous cases he had carried out under Cripple's instructions, including the abduction of a child named Kui. Liu Gang insisted he was a victim himself, hoping for leniency.
Ai Xin and Yan Lei concluded that Liu Gang was indeed working for someone else, the true Cripple, whose identity remained unknown. Separately, Fei Yan also confessed he had never met Cripple in person, communicating only through a single line, and the phone number provided was not registered. The police then turned their attention to investigating overseas financial transfers from Tianhai Group, which Liu Gang had mentioned in his testimony.
Deng Yan had previously learned that Mu Zhenliang’s adopted son, Mu Haobo, was born in 1992, making him 17 years old, which matched the age of Luo Xiaoyu, an abducted child, though Mu Zhenliang had previously denied the connection. Hearing that Mu Zhenliang and Mu Haobo were in Linshan for the signing ceremony with Dingshun, Deng Yan instructed Ai Xin and Chang Rui to investigate.
At the signing ceremony, Mu Zhenliang publicly stated that his investment in Dingshun was primarily an investment in Wu Bin. Ai Xin and Chang Rui went to the hotel to question Mu Zhenliang. They directly inquired whether Mu Haobo was his biological son, noting that his reported birth year of 1992 (making him 17) contradicted Mu Zhenliang's previous childless status before 1995.
Mu Zhenliang vehemently denied their suspicions and quickly dismissed them, claiming he had an urgent flight back to Gangcheng the next morning. After they left, Chang Rui instructed a cleaner to clean Mu Zhenliang and Mu Haobo’s room and hand over the trash for DNA analysis. Meanwhile, Xiaoxing saw Mu Haobo on the TV news and was struck by his resemblance to her abducted brother, Luo Xiaoyu.
Wu Bin was observed treating Qianqian, Fang Zilin's daughter, with great affection, showering her with gifts and referring to himself as her godfather. Ye Xiuming observed their comfortable interactions. Later, Xiaoxing directly approached Deng Yan, insisting that Mu Haobo was definitively Luo Xiaoyu. Ai Xin advised her to calm down and await the official investigation results, and Yan Lei escorted Xiaoxing out.
Unbeknownst to Fang Zilin, Ye Xiuming’s Shencheng tech company project suffered a severe setback when its core data was leaked, allowing a rival company to seize the project. All the money Dingshun had invested in the tech company was lost. Ye Xiuming, wanting to shield Fang Zilin from worry, pleaded with Wu Bin to keep the bad news secret. Wu Bin advised Ye Xiuming to return to Linshan.
Fang Zilin sensed Ye Xiuming’s unusual behavior and decided to visit him in Shencheng, asking Wu Bin to attend a business dinner on her behalf. Reluctantly, Wu Bin revealed the true extent of Ye Xiuming's predicament, leaving Fang Zilin feeling helpless. The police investigation continued; Deng Yan instructed Yan Lei to arrange for Xiaoxing to undergo DNA testing. The tech department compared Xiaoxing's DNA with samples obtained from Mu Haobo, confirming that they were indeed siblings.
As Mu Zhenliang prepared to take Mu Haobo back to Gangcheng, Deng Yan, Yan Lei, and Xiaoxing arrived at the hotel to confront him. They presented the DNA test results, proving that Xiaoxing and Mu Haobo were siblings. Faced with irrefutable evidence, Mu Zhenliang finally confessed the truth. He revealed that years ago, a fortune teller advised him to adopt a boy with two moles on his foot to ensure his business prosperity.
Episode 30 Recap
Mu Zhenliang truthfully recounted the process of adopting Mu Haobo back then. A master had calculated that he would get rich relying on a child with two moles on the soles of their feet, but his wife had already passed away, so he wanted to adopt such a child. Mu Zhenliang found Mu Haobo in an orphanage through Jiji Trading Company and adopted him. Mu Zhenliang had always kept it from Mu Haobo, not telling him the truth.
Xiaoxing came to the room to reunite with Mu Haobo, but Mu Haobo shut her out. Mu Zhenliang arrived in time to explain the matter, and Mu Haobo was stunned. Mu Zhenliang told him to reunite with Xiaoxing. Mu Haobo hesitated. Mu Zhenliang promised to give Xiaoxing a sum of money as compensation. Xiaoxing was content when she saw her younger brother Luo Xiaoyu living well.
She handed Mu Haobo a photo of Luo Xiaoyu from his childhood, hoping he would not forget his hometown. Chang Rui found out that Jiji Trading and the overseas company Liu Gang mentioned were the same, and this company had been cooperating with Dingshun since 1995. Deng Yan sent Yang Jiajia and Yan Lei to Dingshun Company to investigate the matter. Wu Bin handed over the materials to them, using a meeting as an excuse to get away.
Yang Jiajia and Yan Lei found that Dingshun Company and Jiji Trading had been cooperating since 1995. All contracts were signed by Ye Xiuming, including the one for Mu Zhenliang. All evidence pointed to Ye Xiuming, causing Deng Yan to become suspicious of Ye Xiuming. Ye Xiuming returned to Linshan from Shencheng. He met Wu Bin on the rooftop and casually spoke about how he and Fang Zilin first started their business in Linshan. Later, Wu Bin joined the company.
Ye Xiuming regretted going to Shencheng to establish a technology company and wanted to return and continue managing Dingshun with Fang Zilin, but Wu Bin surprisingly did not allow him to return to the head office. Ye Xiuming sought out the financial personnel who had been fired by Wu Bin to understand the situation.
He learned that Wu Bin was using his authority for personal gain and corruption, eliminating dissenters, with the aim of kicking Ye Xiuming out of the company. The more Ye Xiuming thought about it, the angrier he became. He drowned his sorrows in alcohol at home. Fang Zilin advised him to cheer up. Ye Xiuming had long heard that Fang Zilin and Wu Bin had an improper relationship and suspected they had colluded to drive him out of the company.
Fang Zilin vehemently denied it, and she had a big argument with Ye Xiuming. Xiaoxing tearfully took down Luo Xiaoyu's missing person notice. She had desperately searched for her younger brother Luo Xiaoyu for more than ten years, but Luo Xiaoyu did not acknowledge her. Unexpectedly, Mu Haobo came to Tuanyuan Restaurant to find her and voluntarily reunited with her. Xiaoxing was so emotional that she choked up.
Liu Gang wanted to speak with Deng Yan alone and asked her to turn off her law enforcement recorder. Deng Yan turned on her recording device. Liu Gang wanted to make a deal with Deng Yan: if Deng Yan rescued him, he would reveal Cripple's true identity, calling it his lifeline. Deng Yan flatly refused. Liu Gang then confessed that Ye Xiuming was Cripple, repeatedly claiming that Linshan's biggest Kidnapper was Deng Yan's cousin.
Deng Yan presented Liu Gang's testimony to Xiao Wenjin and Han Liang. Xiao Wenjin asked Deng Yan to recuse herself and handed the case over to Chang Rui for full responsibility. Yan Lei and Yang Jiajia arrived at Ye Xiuming's home. Fang Zilin immediately called Ye Xiuming, but his phone went unanswered. Ye Xiuming called Wu Bin to arrange a meeting. Wu Bin guessed that Ye Xiuming already knew about his actions, and he developed murderous intent towards Ye Xiuming.
Fang Zilin called Wu Bin to inquire about Ye Xiuming's whereabouts, but Wu Bin lied, claiming he did not know. Fang Zilin called Ye Xiuming's old friends, but none of them had seen Ye Xiuming. Yang Jiajia asked Fang Zilin about Ye Xiuming's situation at the technology company in Shencheng. Fang Zilin admitted that the technology company had already gone bankrupt and that she had been home taking care of the children recently.
Wu Bin invited three of his subordinates out, gave them a bottle of wine laced with sleeping pills, and had them drink it. They quickly fainted, and Wu Bin seized the opportunity to sneak away. Deng Yan did not believe that Ye Xiuming was Cripple, but both human and material evidence pointed to him. Deng Yan suspected someone was playing tricks behind the scenes but lacked conclusive evidence.
Wu Bin drugged his three subordinates, told the boss to go home first, and after arranging everything, went to the rooftop to meet Ye Xiuming. Ye Xiuming brought a share transfer agreement and asked Wu Bin to return Dingshun's shares to him. Wu Bin firmly refused. Ye Xiuming cursed him for being ungrateful, but Wu Bin showed no appreciation, repeatedly claiming that the company was jointly run by him and Fang Zilin.
Ye Xiuming exposed Wu Bin's crimes one by one and called the police on the spot. In a fit of rage, Wu Bin pushed Ye Xiuming off the rooftop. Wu Bin returned to the private dining room again and saw his three subordinates still sound asleep.
He went back to his original seat, picked up a glass of wine, drank it in one gulp, and then pretended to be drunk by lying on the table, feigning that he had never left.
Episode 31 Recap
Ye Xiuming found out that Wu Bin deliberately set him up to kick him out of the company. He called Wu Bin to confront him. Wu Bin knew his scheme was exposed and wanted to kill Ye Xiuming to silence him. He invited three friends for drinks, drugged them in the wine to knock them out, and then rushed to meet Ye Xiuming. Wu Bin pushed Ye Xiuming off the roof, then quietly returned to the restaurant.
His three friends had not yet woken up, so he lay on the table pretending to be drunk, fabricating an alibi. Fang Zilin couldn't reach Ye Xiuming, so she called Wu Bin. Wu Bin pretended to be drunk and deliberately didn't answer. His friends were woken up and called Wu Bin to answer the phone. Fang Zilin asked Wu Bin about Ye Xiuming's whereabouts, and he feigned complete ignorance.
Someone who woke up early saw Ye Xiuming fall to his death and called the police. Police officers arrived and sent Ye Xiuming to the hospital. Yan Lei and Yang Jiajia rushed over after hearing the news and confirmed the person who fell was Ye Xiuming. Fang Zilin waited until dawn, but Ye Xiuming didn't come home. She had to go to the company to find Wu Bin. Wu Bin also didn't know Ye Xiuming's whereabouts.
Fang Zilin decided to find Deng Yan, only then learning that Ye Xiuming was being resuscitated at the hospital. Deng Yan couldn't return to the Anti-abduction Office temporarily due to suspicion, so Wu Bin accompanied Fang Zilin to the hospital. Doctors were resuscitating Ye Xiuming, and Yan Lei and Yang Jiajia were also present. After the medical staff's full efforts, Ye Xiuming was out of critical danger, but he remained unconscious.
Yan Lei and Yang Jiajia asked Fang Zilin about Ye Xiuming's recent situation and learned that Ye Xiuming had been sulking because he suspected an improper relationship between Fang Zilin and Wu Bin. Fang Zilin stayed by Ye Xiuming's side every step of the way. Wu Bin offered to stay and look after Ye Xiuming, telling her to go back and take care of Qianqian.
Fang Zilin was worried about Qianqian, so she rushed home, asking Wu Bin to talk more to Ye Xiuming. Seeing that Ye Xiuming was not dead, Wu Bin was furious. He deliberately provoked Ye Xiuming, repeatedly claiming that he had taken full control of the Southeast Asian connections. He not only wanted to seize Ye Xiuming's company but also to possess Fang Zilin. Han Liang brought back the police investigation report.
Chang Rui and Yan Lei carefully examined the police's scene investigation report and confirmed that Ye Xiuming did not fall but was pushed down. This proved that Ye Xiuming was not Cripple, so Deng Yan no longer needed to recuse herself. Han Liang decided to submit an application to Xiao Wenjin. Fang Zilin meticulously cared for Ye Xiuming, massaging him while recalling the ups and downs of their early days of starting a business together.
Han Liang applied to Xiao Wenjin for Deng Yan to return to the Anti-abduction Office. Deng Yan immediately came to the hospital to see Ye Xiuming, briefly asked Fang Zilin about Ye Xiuming's condition, and casually asked if Wu Bin was with Ye Xiuming last night. Wu Bin had an alibi. Deng Yan returned to the Anti-abduction Office. Ai Xin, Yan Lei, Yang Jiajia, and Chang Rui reported their investigation results to her.
Ye Xiuming had distributed Dingshun shares to Fang Zilin and Wu Bin, and he had long stopped interfering with the general company's business. Recent orders were all facilitated by Wu Bin. They all suspected that Wu Bin was Cripple, and that Ye Xiuming must have possessed criminal evidence against Wu Bin, which was why Wu Bin silenced him. Lacking conclusive evidence, they could only wait for Ye Xiuming to wake up. Deng Yan told them to collect evidence separately.
Deng Yan came to Fang Zilin's home to inquire about Wu Bin. Originally, Fang Zilin introduced Wu Bin to the company. At first, he was just a driver. Ye Xiuming saw his diligence and exceptionally promoted him. Wu Bin also helped Dingshun overcome a major crisis. Ye Xiuming went to Dali Technology Company in Shencheng, handing over all the general company's business to Wu Bin to manage. Deng Yan was curious how Fang Zilin and Wu Bin met.
That year, Fang Zilin was surrounded by a group of hooligans. Wu Bin stepped forward to protect Fang Zilin and injured the hooligans, thus serving several years in prison. After Wu Bin was released from prison, Fang Zilin introduced him to the company. Zou Yuhuai, a liaison officer from Qinmang, found that the company transferring money to Cripple was Jiji Trading, which was the same company that helped Mu Zhenliang adopt Mu Haobo years ago.
Jiji Trading Company was very mysterious, with little verifiable information. Ai Xin suggested finding Mu Zhenliang to understand the situation, but Mu Zhenliang had already returned to Hong Kong. Chang Rui remembered that Mu Haobo was still in Linshan, so he took Yan Lei to find Mu Haobo. Mu Haobo clearly remembered that Jiji Trading invested 23 million in Dingshun, only under Mu Zhenliang's name, and gave Mu Zhenliang ten percent of the shares after the deal was done.
Chang Rui and Feng Junjie went to find the finance staff member who was fired by Wu Bin. She discovered that Wu Bin had been secretly manipulating things in the company behind Ye Xiuming's back. When Dingshun was cooperating with Lusheng, there was a problem with the insurance, and Wu Bin took the opportunity to fire her. She also told Ye Xiuming about this matter. Madam Zhang's condition worsened. Xiaoxing, Meilian, Li Weiguo, and Ruan Meiyu discussed closing the restaurant.
Madam Zhang firmly refused and had a big argument with them. Deng Yan rushed over after hearing the news. Madam Zhang mistook her for Lin Ranran. Deng Yan went along with the mistake and called Madam Zhang "Mom." Madam Zhang was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes, and she pulled Deng Yan, asking her all sorts of questions.
Fang Zilin went to the company's finance department to check the accounts and found that Wu Bin had recently taken on many large orders. Not only were all prepayments made, but every contract bore Ye Xiuming's signature. Fang Zilin asked the finance manager about the situation, but she claimed to know nothing. Wu Bin discovered that Fang Zilin had taken the contracts and financial statements, so he calmly suggested going with her to the hospital to visit Ye Xiuming.
Fang Zilin confirmed that Wu Bin had forged Ye Xiuming's signature and immediately took photos as evidence. Wu pretended to be a doctor and came to Ye Xiuming's hospital room, intending to silence Ye Xiuming. Just then, a doctor came for rounds, and he fled in terror. Ai Xin and Yan Lei pursued him relentlessly, forcing him to hide in a hospital room. He sent a message to Wu Bin asking for help. Yan Lei and Ai Xin rushed in and apprehended Wu on the spot.
Episode 32 (Ending) Recap
Wu Bin received a message from Wu, knowing that he had nowhere to escape, so he booked two flight tickets to Qinmang, wanting to take Fang Zilin with him first. The Anti-abduction Office reported the investigation results to Xiao Wenjin. Liu Gang had confessed that Wu was Cripple Wu Bin's confidant, and he only obeyed Cripple. It was also found that Wu Bin was the actual controller of Jiji Trading.
Furthermore, the on-site investigation showed that Wu Bin pushed Ye Xiuming downstairs. Xiao Wenjin ordered Wu Bin to be summoned. Early in the morning, Wu Bin sent someone to pick up Qianqian. She came to the doorstep to wait for Fang Zilin, using the excuse that she wanted to take her to Qinmang to sign a project. Fang Zilin saw through Wu Bin's true colors. She secretly called Deng Yan to report.
Deng Yan had Yang Jiajia track Fang Zilin's phone location and also told Chang Rui and Yan Lei to go to the airport to apprehend Wu Bin. Fang Zilin followed Wu Bin to the airport, eager to know Qianqian's whereabouts. Wu Bin guaranteed that he would not harm Qianqian, nor would he harm Fang Zilin. Fang Zilin questioned why Wu Bin wanted to harm Ye Xiuming. He did not explain, but drove Fang Zilin towards the border.
Fang Zilin guessed that Wu Bin pushed Ye Xiuming downstairs and wanted to call the police. Wu Bin snatched her phone, repeatedly claiming that he had already returned the money to an overseas account, and persuaded Fang Zilin to go to Qinmang with him. Yang Jiajia discovered that Wu Bin did not go to the airport but drove to the border. Deng Yan sent Chang Rui and Yan Lei to follow Wu Bin.
Ai Xin and Feng Junjie searched everywhere and finally found Qianqian. The nanny was playing with Qianqian at the mall; they were waiting for Wu Bin. Ai Xin immediately called Deng Yan to report. Chang Rui and Yan Lei chased them all the way to the border. From a distance, they saw Wu Bin and Fang Zilin struggling in the woods. Han Liang and Deng Yan arrived shortly with reinforcements. Wu Bin held Fang Zilin hostage.
Deng Yan exposed Wu Bin as the kidnapper Cripple face to face. Wu Bin forced Deng Yan to release him and Fang Zilin, promising to reveal Lin Ran's whereabouts. Fang Zilin was heartbroken, never expecting Wu Bin to be the biggest kidnapper. Deng Yan noticed that Wu Bin had feelings for Fang Zilin, so she used Fang Zilin to play on his emotions. A sniper shot Wu Bin, injuring him while he was off guard. Wu Bin was apprehended.
Ye Xiuming finally regained consciousness. Fang Zilin was overjoyed. The two apologized to each other and vowed never to abandon each other. Fang Zilin couldn't help but kiss Ye Xiuming. Wu Bin confessed his crimes, stating that Lin Ran was the first case he took when he entered the business. He kidnapped Lin Ran and handed her over to Zhou Hongcai. He also did not know Lin Ran's whereabouts. Wu Bin confessed that Cripple was just a codename.
Based on Wu Bin's testimony, Yan Lei found a note among Zhou Hongcai's belongings. It had several characters and '8610' written on it. Yan Lei immediately handed it to Deng Yan. October 1986 was when Lin Ran was abducted. Madam Zhang decided to go to a nursing home. She called Sun Wenhan and Ruan Meiyu, entrusting them to continue running Tuanyuan Restaurant.
Madam Zhang sold the old house, used a portion of the money to pay for the nursing home fees, and gave the rest to Ruan Meiyu. Her older sister came to the orphanage to pick up Qiu Luoluo and take her home. Her adoptive parents agreed to adopt Qiu Luoluo. Chang Rui came to the orphanage and felt deeply relieved to learn that Qiu Luoluo had found a good home. Chang Rui visited his father Chang Yongjun's grave.
He understood his father's choice back then and swore to inherit his father's will and be a good police officer. Deng Yan pondered for a long time and finally discovered that the characters written on the note were simplified Chinese characters, which, when combined, formed 'Tingchang Village'. There were a total of twenty-three Tingchang Villages nationwide. Deng Yan instructed Ai Xin to issue collaborative investigation notices to each.
After unremitting efforts by police from various regions, they finally located the Tingchang Village where Lin Ran was sold. Deng Yan and Ai Xin arrived at Tingchang Village. From a distance, Deng Yan recognized the girl working in the field as Lin Ran, and she was both surprised and delighted. Linshan City Public Security Bureau held an commendation ceremony. Xiao Wenjin affirmed the achievements of the Anti-abduction Office and awarded them a collective second-class merit.
Deng Yan went on stage to accept the award on behalf of everyone. She paid tribute to Yin Jiansheng, who sacrificed his life in the line of duty. Deng Yan believed that one day there would be "no abductions under heaven."
Under the strong leadership of the Ministry of Public Security and the Provincial Public Security Department, and with the support and cooperation of relevant public security organs, Linshan City Public Security Bureau adhered to a people-centered approach, relentlessly combated and rectified prominent local crime issues. After more than twenty years of effort, they successfully solved a series of human trafficking cases represented by Wu Bin and Liu Gang, rescuing a large number of abducted women and children. End of series.
