The Silence of the Monster Episode 28 Recap
> The Silence of the Monster Recap
Zheng Xiuyuan, realizing the surveillance cameras in his bookstore didn't record audio, lamented that he hadn't thought to record Jiang Lu's recent confession. Jiang Lu had said many infuriating things, even attempting to bribe Zheng and insult Bai Tianhuan's work with money, and had explicitly admitted that the novel was indeed Bai Tianhuan's creation. Meanwhile, Sui Yi received a new case.
After being asked by a colleague to draft a statement based on information sent by a publishing house, she was surprised to find Zheng Xiuyuan's name among the case materials. Upon learning about the situation, Luo Bin immediately returned home to find Sui Yi, hoping she could assist Zheng Xiuyuan. However, Sui Yi, a lawyer, was unable to help.
She explained that her director was the legal advisor for Blue Sky White Clouds Press, the publisher of Jiang Lu, who was a signed author with them. This created a conflict of interest, preventing her from taking Zheng Xiuyuan's case. She then established a "barrier" to avoid discussing any work-related matters, including Zheng Xiuyuan's case, with Luo Bin. She even refused Luo Bin access to An's room.
He Chufeng, finding Luo Bin upset by this, rationalized Sui Yi's stance, stating that her leader's work was her work and it deserved respect. Luo Bin then recounted the full story to He Chufeng: Jiang Lu had published Bai Tianhuan's novel under his own name, but the book had a noticeable shift in style, leading Zheng Xiuyuan to accuse Jiang Lu of plagiarism and reveal that Bai Tianhuan had written the first part, while Jiang Lu had written the ending.
Luo Bin, still frustrated, continued to argue with Sui Yi at the dinner table. He tried to bring up details about Zheng Xiuyuan's bookstore, but Sui Yi quickly reminded him of their agreement not to discuss work. Luo Bin then shifted to hypotheticals, asking what was most important to Sui Yi as a lawyer, to which she replied, "the sense of glory and justice of winning the case."
He Chufeng intervened, siding with Sui Yi by stating that talking while eating was unhealthy and that they should change this "bad habit." After dinner, He Chufeng assigned Luo Bin the task of cleaning up. While doing dishes, Luo Bin and Fang Qi discussed the concept of competitiveness. Luo Bin teased Fang Qi about her strong "desire to win," referencing an incident where she asserted their relationship to another girl.
Fang Qi corrected him, identifying it as "possessiveness," a term Luo Bin found quite appealing. Fang Qi then apologized for previously concealing her identity. Luo Bin acknowledged his initial anger but assured her that he understood and that it was in the past. Fang Qi clarified that the man referred to as her fiancé was not her fiancé in her current memories, which were entirely those of An.
She expressed her sole desire to fulfill An's wishes, which were to be with Luo Bin. She questioned if Luo Bin truly didn't mind her amnesia, the potential problems if her memory returned, or the risk of her forgetting everything again and becoming a different person. Luo Bin admitted his fears, primarily of her transforming back into her old self and returning to her fiancé, or disappearing entirely.
However, he emphasized the unpredictability of the future, advocating for enjoying the present moment as long as they were together and happy. Gu Nan visited He Chufeng, presenting him with the schedule for a secret lockpicking competition. He Chufeng initially declined, stating he was content and picked locks to help others, not for personal triumph. Gu Nan, however, probed He Chufeng's motivations, questioning if he still found joy in lockpicking now that it had become effortless for him.
Gu Nan urged He Chufeng not to suppress his exceptional talent, reminding him that he deserved to stand at the pinnacle of his craft and that, despite his self-deception, he inherently desired to win. Challenged by Gu Nan's assertion of his own ambition to win, He Chufeng ultimately agreed to a competition between them. Zheng Xiuyuan publicly released a video, explicitly accusing Jiang Lu of plagiarizing Bai Tianhuan's novel.
He detailed how Jiang Lu had published Bai Tianhuan's manuscript as his own, with chapters from 15 onwards being Jiang Lu's own inferior continuation. Zheng Xiuyuan presented Bai Tianhuan's original notes as proof and a judicial forensic report confirming the manuscript in his possession was indeed Bai Tianhuan's handwriting. He also defiantly declared that Jiang Lu was unworthy of ever seeing Bai Tianhuan's original ending.
In response, the publisher issued a statement, observing that public opinion largely favored them and that if Zheng Xiuyuan took no further action, the controversy might subside without impacting their promotional plans. However, Jiang Lu was not content with this passive approach, questioning why they couldn't retaliate. Zhou lawyer advised against proactive measures unless Zheng Xiuyuan initiated a lawsuit, promising to monitor the situation.
Later, Jiang Lu sought Sui Yi's counsel privately, inquiring what precautions he should take if Zheng Xiuyuan were to approach him again. Sui Yi advised him to be cautious about what he said, avoid physical altercations, and, most importantly, prevent any encounters from being audio or video recorded, as such recordings could serve as evidence. She suggested avoiding face-to-face or even phone conversations with Zheng Xiuyuan. Both Sui Yi and Zhou lawyer suspected Jiang Lu was not being entirely truthful.
Sui Yi felt compelled to investigate further, but Zhou lawyer dismissed the idea, reminding her that her role was to defend her client, regardless of potential wrongdoing, a principle she had learned in law school. Unconvinced, Sui Yi then consulted a colleague, Xiao Yu, who shared a similar experience where a client had concealed crucial information.
Xiao Yu advised Sui Yi on "luring out the truth" by building trust and explaining the full spectrum of consequences that lies could incur, emphasizing that the way questions are posed can significantly alter the outcome. Zheng Xiuyuan, having installed new cameras capable of recording audio, discovered his bookstore had been vandalized and his safe broken into, with his manuscript stolen.
However, it was later revealed by Jiang Lu that the stolen manuscript was Zheng Xiuyuan's own writings, not Bai Tianhuan's, a discovery that greatly frustrated Jiang Lu. Meanwhile, Sui Yi revisited the publisher to inquire about the book. The publisher explained that they had enthusiastically signed Jiang Lu for his compelling first half of the novel, even without a complete ending, a common practice in their industry.
Addressing concerns about the altered writing style in the latter half, the publisher attributed it to the unpredictable nature of an author's inspiration, asserting that it didn't diminish the work's overall quality. Sui Yi then obtained the proofreading script from the publisher. Back at home, Luo Bin worried intensely about He Chufeng, who had secluded himself in his room all day, fearing he might be preparing for the dangerous "secret game."
He Chufeng clarified that he was merely preparing for a competition with Gu Nan, and requested not to be disturbed. Sui Yi arranged a meeting with Jiang Lu at a cafe, where He Chufeng and Luo Bin also happened to arrive. Sui Yi, seeing them, quickly refocused on her client.
She earnestly pressed Jiang Lu to reveal the complete truth, explaining that his continued secrecy could lead to severe consequences, including criminal charges and imprisonment, if Zheng Xiuyuan produced more evidence. Faced with this stark reality, Jiang Lu finally disclosed the full story to Sui Yi, leaving her visibly overwhelmed.
Luo Bin, curious about Jiang Lu's confession, repeatedly tried to coax information from Sui Yi, even offering to keep it secret, but she steadfastly refused to reveal any details, stating she was too flustered. Later that night, after Zheng Xiuyuan had left his house, Jiang Lu retrieved a hidden key from under the doormat and entered. Zheng Xiuyuan's son, Curly, awoke and, seeing Jiang Lu, curiously asked who he was.
Jiang Lu falsely claimed to be Zheng Xiuyuan's friend, sent to retrieve a manuscript. Curly, however, mentioned that his father had been carrying the manuscript with him every day recently. Jiang Lu then inquired about the book, and Curly, who had read it three times, surprising Jiang Lu by stating he found the latter part more interesting, citing the adage that "there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes." Simultaneously, Zheng Xiuyuan went to a vintage store and shared the original, true ending of the story with others.
