The Murder in Kairoutei Episode 1 Recap
> The Murder in Kairoutei Recap
A fire engulfed the Kairoutei Hotel on a secluded island. Flames and smoke billowed, prompting guests to flee. Amidst the chaos, Gao Zijian frantically called for his parents to escape. Hotel Manager Lin Zhenhui and others realized that Jiang Yuanxing was still inside.
As they tried to re-enter, they were pulled back as the room was already a sea of fire, while a mysterious man was seen leaping out of a window from the burning room where Jiang Yuanxing was believed to be. Ten months prior, Jiang Yuanxing had just been promoted to Finance Director of Hongye Group, a position that wielded significant power and control over the company's core secrets, making it a highly contested role.
Having spent a decade navigating the corporate world with caution, she had inevitably made adversaries, yet maintained a clear conscience and earned the trust of Chairman Gao Guangyi. During a crucial meeting with Gao Guangyi and Deputy General Manager Ji Dongmei to address Dayun's financial struggles, Ji Dongmei advocated for layoffs, citing the inefficiency of older employees and estimating a 12 million yuan severance cost.
Jiang Yuanxing countered with a proposal to transfer Dayun's veteran staff to Weisu Factory, emphasizing that preserving employee morale and the company's reputation through reassignments would be a win-win, especially with local government support in Liuping Town, where many employees resided. Gao Guangyi ultimately endorsed Jiang Yuanxing's strategy, launching the Swan Charity Project. Meanwhile, Gao Zijian, who headed the Swan Charity Project, saw Dayun's financial woes as an opportunity.
He proposed to his mother, Ji Dongmei, to scrap the Swan Charity Project and redirect its funds to Dayun, a move he believed would solidify Ji Dongmei's position as General Manager. Despite knowing the years Jiang Yuanxing's team had invested in the project, Gao Zijian, driven by a desire for Hongye to revert to the Gao family's full control, submitted a request to Gao Guangyi to close the charity project.
This aggressive stance was partly fueled by Gao Guangyi's history as an in-marrying son-in-law (originally named Zhao), whose late wife left no heirs, creating a tense dynamic with the Gao family and giving Gao Zijian's actions a coercive undertone. Gao Zijian further presented a vision for a "new Hongye" focused on "asset-light strategies" in emerging sectors like AI and finance, seeking a 30 to 50 million yuan investment. Gao Guangyi, while acknowledging his ambition, was wary and resentful.
When an assistant informed Jiang Yuanxing that Gao Zijian had deleted all the Swan Charity Project files, she confronted him directly. Gao Zijian, refusing to cooperate, insulted her, calling her a "dog of the Gao family." Jiang Yuanxing retaliated with a sharp retort, asserting her value was based on her professional skills, not subservience, and warned him against interfering with her work, hinting at involving Ji Dongmei if he persisted.
Gao Zijian defiantly claimed the project had already overspent its budget, leaving no funds. Jiang Yuanxing remained resolute, believing confrontation was necessary with someone like Gao Zijian, and that her expertise was her strongest asset, requiring no additional "kowtowing service." Later, seeking solace, Chairman Gao Guangyi returned to the Kairoutei Hotel, his usual refuge from daily pressures.
A week earlier, he had received a devastating diagnosis of advanced pancreatic cancer, a secret he intended to keep hidden until he could finalize his estate and power transition plans. Hotel Manager Lin Zhenhui delivered an unsigned parcel addressed to him. She personally unwrapped it, revealing a wooden box, which contained a smaller tin box. The contents of the tin box delivered shocking news: Gao Guangyi had an illegitimate son.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he excused himself, while Lin Zhenhui, having noticed his profound distress, discreetly opened the tin box to read its contents. Following this revelation, Gao Guangyi summoned Jiang Yuanxing. He presented her with technical department documents alleging Ji Dongmei and a Mr. Liu were involved in malpractice, conspiracy to defraud, and corruption, asking Jiang Yuanxing to verify the claims.
Unwilling to "add an insult to an injury," Jiang Yuanxing truthfully reported finding no evidence of Ji Dongmei's self-dealing and refused to speculate without concrete proof, even when her loyalty and decade-long career at Hongye were challenged. Impressed by her unwavering integrity and ability to keep secrets, Gao Guangyi entrusted her with a highly confidential personal mission: to find his 25-year-old illegitimate son, providing her with information left by the child's mother.
Jiang Yuanxing understood the immense personal and professional risks of delving into the Gao family's internal affairs, knowing that failure or exposure would make her an adversary to the entire family. Despite this, she accepted, determined to prevent the Hongye Group from falling into Gao Zijian's hands. Jiang Yuanxing began her search at the now-closed Aimin Orphanage. With assistance from "Dafeng Investigation," she painstakingly traced the dispersed children, eventually narrowing her focus to Cheng Cheng.
She contacted him by phone, identifying herself and explaining her mission to find a lost child, believing he fit the description. Cheng Cheng, however, dismissed her as a scammer, sarcastically painting a picture of a terminally ill, wealthy tycoon seeking an heir and accusing her of trying to extort money. He hung up, despite her offer to send her ID for verification. Undeterred, Jiang Yuanxing went to the auto care shop where Cheng Cheng worked.
He denied his identity and refused to discuss a DNA test, pointing out discrepancies in the birth records she presented, such as conflicting birth seasons. He continued to tease her about being attracted to him, even after work when he found her waiting outside the shop. She playfully returned his flirtations, asserting he was "her type" and that she "would not let him go tonight." As they walked, he ducked into a convenience store, and Jiang Yuanxing waited outside.
Cheng Cheng noticed a suspicious man approaching Jiang Yuanxing and rushed out to intervene, only to be astonished to find Jiang Yuanxing had already skillfully taken care of the assailant. He warned her to stop following him, but she persisted, tailing him all the way to his apartment building. He managed to get inside, sarcastically inviting her up for tea, which she declined. That evening, Jiang Yuanxing, still persistent, called Cheng Cheng, impersonating a property management officer.
She falsely claimed a water leak from his apartment to the unit below, cunningly extracting his precise address: apartment 519, Block 3. The next morning, having rented a car, Jiang Yuanxing returned to the auto care shop and insisted that Cheng Cheng personally wash her vehicle. Despite his initial protests, her offer of 500 yuan convinced his boss to let him do the job. As he worked, Jiang Yuanxing continued to press him about his biological father.
He vehemently refused a DNA test, saying he already had a father and suggesting even a hair sample. After he finished washing the car, Jiang Yuanxing deliberately dirtied it again, declaring she would continue doing so until he agreed to a proper conversation. Cornered, Cheng Cheng agreed to talk, on the condition that she treated him to a meal. They went to a bar, where Jiang Yuanxing subtly gathered information on DNA sampling methods from a friend via phone.
Sensing her persistent intent, Cheng Cheng, through a clever diversion involving two other men at the bar, managed to slip away through a hidden back exit in the men's restroom, leaving a few books on the table, including "The Prime Minister Is A Dainty Lady" and "The Wisdom of Wolves." However, Jiang Yuanxing, anticipating his escape, was waiting for him outside the exit, ready to continue her pursuit.
