The Knockout Episode 17 Recap
> The Knockout Recap
Ms. Cheng feigned unfamiliarity with the Mang Village project, repeatedly stating she needed to learn from Gao Qiqiang. Gao Qiqiang observed Uncle Tai lying on the sofa with his eyes closed, understanding that they were enacting a charade. He found an excuse and departed. Concerned that Chen Jinmo might act impulsively, Gao Qiqiang dispatched Tang Xiaohu to the fish stall to keep an eye on him.
Chen Jinmo, recognizing Tang Xiaohu's true purpose, promptly handed over his earnings for the month, instructing him to give them to Gao Qiqiang. Chen Jinmo was aware of Gao Qiqiang's difficulties with the Mang Village project and offered his assistance, but Tang Xiaohu assured him that Gao Qiqiang could manage. Chen Jinmo then insisted that Tang Xiaohu remain at the fish stall and monitor his every move, leaving Tang Xiaohu at a loss for words.
Later, Chen Jinmo spoke briefly with his daughter, Yao Yao, on the phone, telling her to use money from a drawer to buy food. When Tang Xiaohu attempted to leave for the restroom, Chen Jinmo physically prevented him, asserting that since Gao Qiqiang had sent him to watch, he should fulfill that duty. Tang Xiaohu repeatedly tried to call Gao Qiqiang, but his phone battery died, and Gao Qiqiang was unreachable because he had deliberately removed his phone's battery.
Gao Qiqiang switched off his mobile phone and spent time at home with his son, Bai Xiaochen, praising his piano skills. Chen Shuting, however, was critical, finding fault with Bai Xiaochen's playing, which Gao Qiqiang defended passionately. Gao Qiqiang then immersed himself in English lessons with a foreign tutor. Chen Shuting, observing his constrained demeanor, gesticulated at him, expressing her disapproval of his subservience. Gao Qisheng, overhearing this, teased Gao Qiqiang about being "hen-pecked."
Gao Qiqiang, however, expressed contentment with his life. When Gao Qisheng further disparaged Chen Shuting, calling her "half-old" and referring to Bai Xiaochen as "stepchild," and criticizing her bossy attitude, Gao Qiqiang promptly silenced him, reminding him that she was his sister-in-law. The following morning, Gao Qiqiang and Gao Qisheng arrived at Chen Jinmo’s fish stall.
Chen Jinmo, who had stayed up all night, expressed a strong desire to avenge the troubles caused by the Mang Village incident, especially since "they almost killed your son." Gao Qiqiang, however, urged him to be patient. He explained that he wanted to keep Gao Qisheng away from the complexities of Jian Gong Group projects, stating the group was "too complicated."
He assigned Chen Jinmo to accompany Gao Qisheng on a trip to a potentially unsafe area to acquire a batch of PHS phones, instructing Chen Jinmo to watch over his brother. Gao Qiqiang also left the fish stall's monthly earnings with Chen Jinmo, calling it "rent." Chen Jinmo agreed to the mission. Meng Yu's article had caused significant public outcry against An Xin, leading to his temporary removal from his position as the special investigation team leader.
The police chief explained this was a measure to "avoid the limelight" and for his "protection," appointing Zhang Biao as his replacement since Li Xiang was from Mang Village and had to recuse himself. The chief then assigned An Xin the task of meeting Meng Yu to persuade her to clarify the facts to the online commenters, thereby mitigating the negative social impact and restoring public trust, which was essential for him to be reinstated as team leader.
While Zhang Biao and Li Xiang discussed the case, noting the Mang Village villagers' coordinated statements blaming Li Qing alone and the missing camera hard drive, An Xin tried to listen in but was quickly dismissed by Zhang Biao and Li Xiang, who told him to focus on his new assignment with Meng Yu and accused him of immoral eavesdropping. An Xin, pretending not to have heard their conversation, reluctantly agreed to the task.
An Xin then called Meng Yu to arrange a face-to-face meeting, but she repeatedly made excuses, citing her busy schedule. An Xin attempted to discuss the truth behind Li Qing's death and the article's negative repercussions, particularly the comments labeling him a "gang protector." Meng Yu, however, insisted that her personal opinion was irrelevant and only what she had "seen" mattered.
When An Xin questioned if observation always equated to truth, Meng Yu became defensive, stating she was very busy, and ended the call abruptly. Later, Meng Dehai, seeing Meng Yu was still in Jinghai, urged her to join him for a hike over the weekend, hinting that she rarely visited home. She initially resisted but ultimately agreed.
The next day, Meng Dehai drove Meng Yu to the hiking trail but claimed urgent work business, leaving her at the base of the mountain and asking her to send a photo from the mid-mountain pavilion as proof of her progress. When Meng Yu reached the pavilion, she discovered An Xin already waiting for her. She expressed deep resentment for his six years of silence, during which he hadn't contacted her.
An Xin explained he had sent many messages, but she had never replied. She countered that she had changed her number without informing him. An Xin retorted, asking why she hadn't informed him, and this explanation somewhat appeased her. An Xin then informed her of the investigation's focus on the online commenter, whose online alias was "Mystery," traced to Mang Village.
Meng Yu revealed that she knew the person, Li Hongwei, from her own investigation into Mang Village and had his QQ contact. She admitted to having had video calls with him, which ruled out An Xin's plan of having a female officer impersonate her. Li Hongwei had also confided in her about his drug use and invited her to meet him, stating anything was possible if they met, including drug use.
An Xin subsequently sought assistance from Yang Jian, the captain of the Narcotics Control Team, outlining Li Hongwei's interest in Meng Yu and his offer to use drugs with her at Mengyuan Bar. Yang Jian provided Meng Yu with multienzyme tablets designed to closely resemble colorful Magu, advising her to use them if she was forced to take drugs.
Despite Yang Jian's initial reluctance after realizing Meng Yu was Meng Dehai's daughter, and expressing concern about her safety, he proceeded with the plan, accepting An Xin's argument that Meng Yu was confident and eager to participate. Meng Yu, feigning confidence and eagerness, entered Mengyuan Bar to meet Li Hongwei and his associates. Li Hongwei flirted with her and eventually offered her a "red" drug. Meng Yu discreetly swapped it with the fake pill provided by Yang Jian.
Outside the bar, An Xin and Yang Jian waited anxiously, expressing their concerns about Meng Yu's safety and how they would explain it to Meng Dehai if anything went wrong. Soon, an officer reported that Meng Yu had secured the evidence. Yang Jian's team then stormed the bar, arresting Li Hongwei and everyone else present, including Meng Yu, who feigned being roughly handled.
An Xin immediately checked on her well-being, explaining that the rough handling was for her safety to avoid exposure. Meanwhile, Zhao Lidong telephoned the police chief to inquire about the arrest, noting that Li Hongwei was caught by the narcotics control team, not the criminal investigation team. The chief deflected, stating that Yang Jian was still interrogating Li Hongwei and would provide an update later, even claiming Yang Jian was too busy to attend to him.
During the interrogation, Li Hongwei taunted An Xin about being a "protector." Yang Jian accused Li Hongwei of drug trafficking, citing his friends' confessions and the bartender's testimony, and threatened him with a severe sentence, including a potential death sentence with reprieve due to the large quantity of drugs found on the bartender, arguing that as the boss, Li Hongwei was responsible for the bartender's stash.
Li Hongwei frantically insisted he only shared drugs and didn't sell them for money, claiming that the 300 yuan collected was a standard "bar rule" for men's drinks. An Xin, who had stayed in the interrogation room despite being a criminal detective, interjected, emphasizing that police prioritize evidence, not just confessions, and stated, "the evidence is here." Yang Jian confirmed the serious implications, leading Li Hongwei to become terrified.
An Xin then subtly guided him towards providing information about other criminal acts to secure a lighter sentence. Li Hongwei started offering to "tell the truth," initially implicating "Big Chu, Little Chu, and that woman" (Meng Yu) in drug use. An Xin then pointedly asked him if he was involved in Li Qing's kidnapping of Bai Xiaochen.
As An Xin prepared to leave, Li Hongwei, in a panic, cried out that he had "something to say," agreeing to confess all the criminal facts related to Li Qing's kidnapping. Simultaneously, Li Xiang, armed with a search warrant, arrived at Li Hongwei's home. Li Youtian was present and tried to obstruct the search, protesting that Li Hongwei wasn't home, but he was shocked to learn from Li Xiang that Li Hongwei had been apprehended by the Narcotics Control Team. The officers proceeded with the search and successfully discovered drugs hidden in a wall cavity in the house. Li Youtian watched, protesting the damage to his home.
