The Silence of the Monster Episode 29 Recap
> The Silence of the Monster Recap
Bai Ye, who was reading a book, confidently told Jiang Lu that the latter part of the story was more interesting. When Jiang Lu expressed that many thought the opposite, Bai Ye invoked the wisdom, "There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes," asserting that even a child like him understood such a concept. Later, Jiang Lu approached Bai Ye, still curious about what was written in Zheng's manuscript.
When He Chufeng arrived and called him "Curly," Bai Ye corrected him, stating his name was Bai Ye. This surprised Jiang Lu, who then learned that Bai Ye's father was Bai Tianhuan. Bai Ye told Jiang Lu that his father, Bai Tianhuan, had greatly admired ""Jiang Lu's writing"", believing ""it"" would one day "shake the world" and make a name for himself. He also mentioned that the name "Bai Ye" was given by his father's best friend.
Meanwhile, Zheng Xiuyuan came to Luo Bin and He Chufeng for advice, feeling overwhelmed by the publisher's statement and legal action. He admitted he hadn't thought of hiring a lawyer. Luo Bin suggested he seek legal representation and asked Sui Yi to recommend a trustworthy lawyer. However, Sui Yi, bound by professional ethics, initially refused, explaining that recommending a strong lawyer to Zheng could potentially harm her current client, Jiang Lu, whose interests were her top priority.
Luo Bin appealed to her sense of justice, pointing out that Jiang Lu had plagiarized Bai Tianhuan's work and Zheng was on the side of righteousness. Sui Yi, torn, agreed to consider it. After some thought, Zheng Xiuyuan decided he no longer needed Sui Yi's help, understanding their conflicting positions. Sui Yi was deeply conflicted, understanding that Jiang Lu was the wrongdoer, yet bound by professional ethics, she did not want to see Zheng bullied.
Grappling with this dilemma, she found herself unable to sleep and called He Chufeng, expressing her frustration without revealing the specifics. He Chufeng offered unwavering emotional support, assuring her he would help in any way he could. Later, Sui Yi called Luo Bin, asking him to check Zheng Xiuyuan's handwriting identification records for her, specifically how many samples he had submitted. Luo Bin confirmed there were 70 pages. This information prompted Luo Bin to confront Zheng Xiuyuan.
He pointed out the discrepancy between the 70 pages submitted for authentication and the 300-plus pages Zheng showed in his video. Zheng confessed that he only possessed the last 70 pages of Bai Tianhuan's original manuscript and had copied the remaining 200-plus pages himself. He explained he was desperate to seek justice for Bai Tianhuan and thought this deception would force Jiang Lu to admit his wrongdoing.
Luo Bin criticized Zheng's naive plan, emphasizing that a published book undergoes extensive revision and proofreading, making it easy to expose copied pages. Despite Zheng's plea that he had no other option and didn't want to burden anyone, Luo Bin expressed his disappointment at Zheng's deceit. Deeply affected by his conversation with Bai Ye and the child's father's past admiration for his writing, Jiang Lu went to Zheng Xiuyuan's bookstore. There, he tearfully admitted to plagiarizing Bai Tianhuan's work.
He confessed to feeling creatively uninspired and repeatedly rejected after numerous submissions. Upon seeing Bai Tianhuan's manuscript, he was in awe of the talent he lacked and, in a moment of weakness, submitted it as his own. He acknowledged that one lie led to countless others. He apologized to Bai Tianhuan and Zheng Xiuyuan for his actions. Subsequently, Jiang Lu publicly apologized online, admitting his plagiarism and returning the manuscripts he had taken from Zheng's safe.
With the permission of Bai Ye's mother, the publisher decided to re-release the novel under Bai Tianhuan's name. With the plagiarism case resolved, the "barrier" upstairs was lifted, allowing Luo Bin to visit An. Sui Yi thanked He Chufeng for finding a lawyer for Zheng, which had relieved her moral conflict. He Chufeng explained he intervened because he saw her struggle, noting that their role was merely to provide a "push," and individuals ultimately resolve their own issues.
Sui Yi reflected on her internal struggle between her personal sense of justice and her professional duty to her clients. She asked He Chufeng for advice on how to handle similar situations in the future. He Chufeng advised her to choose her clients, declining cases she genuinely couldn't accept, but cautioned against judgment, reminding her that "there are no absolute good people, nor absolute bad people," and appearances can be deceiving.
He encouraged her, believing she had the potential to be a powerful lawyer because her eyes "sparkled" when she discussed legal matters. Sui Yi expressed her joy and comfort in being able to lean on him. Later, while getting food from Song's instant boiled spicy hot pot shop, Luo Bin overheard Jia Xiaoguo reveal that He Chufeng was the one who reported Gu Nan years ago.
Jia Xiaoguo described Gu Nan as a legendary "lock king" who could open any lock but strayed into theft, a serious taboo for locksmiths, ruining his life. Luo Bin, having been unaware of this, was shocked by the revelation about He Chufeng's master. Luo Bin then searched online for information about Gu Nan, finding old news articles about his theft.
He later met with Gu Nan, treating him to drinks and cautiously questioning his motives for challenging He Chufeng to a competition after years of inactivity. Gu Nan admitted to wanting to win against He Chufeng, stating it was a form of respect. He further explained his desire to ignite He Chufeng's competitive spirit to encourage him to participate in the "secret game," claiming He Chufeng also wanted to win, and that the competition was He Chufeng's idea.
In the restroom, Luo Bin overheard Gu Nan on the phone, reassuring someone that he had a plan and would proceed with the competition against He Chufeng as previously agreed. Back home, Luo Bin saw Fang Qi reading a novel. He inquired about it, learning it was written by Bai Ye, a second-grader. Fang Qi said Bai Ye had specifically instructed her not to show it to Luo Bin because Bai Ye "didn't like him."
Luo Bin later spoke with Gu Nan. When Gu Nan asked Luo Bin what kind of person He Chufeng was, Luo Bin described him as "extremely righteous" yet "inflexible" and "sometimes too righteous." Gu Nan responded by questioning if being "too righteous" was always good, musing that people are quick to label someone "bad" for a single misstep, and that maintaining righteousness for a lifetime is an impossible feat.
Luo Bin then directly asked Gu Nan why He Chufeng had reported him. Gu Nan dodged the question, advising Luo Bin to ask He Chufeng directly, emphasizing that as best friends, they should be able to openly discuss anything. Luo Bin then had an internal monologue, reflecting on his long friendship with He Chufeng since they were sixteen, knowing all his secrets, his family's struggles, and his experiences.
Yet, He Chufeng still kept more secrets from both Sui Yi and him. Luo Bin wondered what He Chufeng was hiding and, in turn, what he himself was concealing, questioning why he, who once valued truth above all, was now telling "terrible lies" to his best friend.
