Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

When Matchstick was fished out from the sea,

his face was beyond recognition.

Would you believe

that he drowned?

His social relationship was complicated.

Maybe someone sought revenge against him.

I'll send someone to investigate it.

Investigate what?

His body was thrown into the sea!

Isn't it obvious that it was the Zhao family?

Enough already. Don't be so agitated.

I'll ask around for now.

That's enough of you!

This is already the second time.

You haven't even given me

the first result yet.

How can I look for new informants in the future?

Doesn't it look like I'm trying to harm them here?

What do you plan to do then?

I'm going to investigate them.

I will investigate

the Zhao family thoroughly.

Squad leader,

let's forget the fact that I'm the leader of the detachment.

We're buddies, right?

Let me be honest with you.

I'm serious here.

You should forget it.

Don't attract the Zhao family's attention.

An informant might have died today,

but what about tomorrow?

Have you ever thought about that?

What do you mean?

You want me to stop?

I'm just purely concerned

about your personal safety.

You think I'm scared of them?

I wasn't even afraid of death

when I was on the battlefield as a soldier!

You think I'm scared of them?

Even Zhang Qiufeng is afraid of you now.

You'll get in trouble

if you rush forward prematurely.

Zhang Qiufeng?

I have no time for him.

He's just a coward!

Of course,

he has to take care of his family.

He can do whatever he likes.

I couldn't care less.

However,

it's better for me to do this alone.

After all, the Zhao family has too much influence.

We have no idea

who's on their side now.

It's safer

when I do this alone.

Fine then.

I can't stop you anyway.

Just tell me

if you need any help.

By the way,

we have to send someone

to ensure the safety of Matchstick's family for some time.

You're reliable.

You're most reliable indeed.

Squad leader,

since you believe me,

you have to follow

my arrangements.

Of course I believe you.

We wore the same pants

and slept on the same bed when we were soldiers.

We became cops together too.

Who else can I trust besides you?

[Chasing The Undercurrent]

[Punish those who commit crimes and make mistakes so as to discipline them,]

[and execute those who violate the prohibitions so as to terrify would-be violators. -Guanzi, Ban Fa]

[Episode 23]

He was indeed

the cause of the incident.

Are you sure

you don't want to notify his father?

I don't.

I hope he never knows about it.

Are you saying

that Zheng is Zhao Xiaosheng's son?

Didn't you tell me

that after the class reunion, you...

Bai,

I lied to you.

Back then,

after I got divorced from Zhao Xiaosheng,

I realized that I was already pregnant for a few months.

I was especially afraid back then.

I was afraid that Zhao Xiaosheng might find out.

If he did find out,

he would surely steal Zheng from me.

That's why

I couldn't tell anyone

about Zheng's true identity,

including you.

I've kept this secret

for several decades

I originally thought that no one would know

if I just kept it a secret.

However, I never expected

things

to become like this.

Han Ya,

we have to think of something.

We mustn't let Zhang continue his investigation.

He's investigating

his own father here.

Don't tell me you want

to wait until the day

when Zheng points a gun at his father's head?

Doesn't that make him an unfilial son?

And you.

You should never tell another soul about this

besides me.

If news of this gets out,

people will gossip about it.

It'll affect your job.

Bai,

don't you hate me?

How could I hate you?

If I have to hate someone, I'll hate that Zhao Xiaosheng.

It's all because of him.

He landed us in this plight.

I've owed you

too much.

Our current priority

is to come up with a solution

and help Zheng to resolve his issue.

I cannot approach Zhao Xiaosheng.

It all depends on you now.

Don't worry.

Sorry.

The number you have dialed is unavailable.

Please try again later.

Sorry.

The number you have dialed is unavailable.

Please try again later.

[Maqun Base, Secret Task Force, Yuehaifu Business Hotel]

It's me.

What are you doing here?

You didn't answer my calls.

Come inside.

Zhang,

tell everyone to move before nightfall.

We're moving again?

Did something happen?

It's nothing major.

But we cannot afford

to be careless right now.

Yes, sir.

I'll tell them immediately.

Political Commissar Yan,

I'm sorry.

Chang Zheng was brought away by the People's Procuratorate for an investigation.

Your task force

is the center of focus right now.

You came to me

at the wrong time,

and you didn't contact me in the first place.

Do you know how reckless you are?

Our task force

might be exposed

all because of your careless mistake, you know?

Political Commissar Yan, it's my fault.

I was just anxious.

I won't do it again.

You better don't do it again.

I've inquired about

what happened to Chang Zheng.

From Cao Dalong's death

to his arrest,

to

the spreading of his gossip online,

everything is interconnected.

It's obvious that this is a set-up.

That's why I suspect

that the mastermind is the Zhao family.

Look,

it's obvious that the Zhao family

was the biggest beneficiary

when Cao Dalong was killed and Chang Zheng was arrested.

I'm afraid it's not that simple.

The situation Chang Zheng is in right now

is more complicated than last time.

It's more dangerous too.

Political Commissar Yan,

We can't just do nothing

while Chang Zheng is being framed here.

I will come up with a solution.

You should head back

to avoid arousing suspicion.

Yes, sir.

Jin Yan,

I'll give you one last reminder.

Excessive concern will cause discomposure.

In the future,

no matter what situation you encounter,

you have

to stay calm.

Understood.

Yang,

I need

to tell you

something important.

It's about Chang Zheng.

Come in.

Vice-Mayor Han, were you looking for me?

Qing, have a seat.

I wish to ask you

if there's any new progress

from the People's Procuratorate's investigation

on Chang Zheng?

There's no progress for now.

Now, people of every rank

are paying great attention to this case.

That's why the People's Procuratorate

is processing the case

cautiously.

I'm quite surprised.

Initially,

I thought everything would be over

after Cao Dalong was released.

I didn't expect

so many things to happen.

Qing,

I wish to hear your opinion

regarding Chang Zheng's case.

Do you think

a cop like Chang Zheng

will go against the law consciously?

Vice-Mayor Han,

in my opinion,

we cannot tell whether Chang Zheng had gone against the law

as we aren't

professionals.

However, the pressure from the public

is something the municipal government

has to face directly.

We have

to give the people an explanation,

right?

Therefore, it's imperative

for them to investigate Chang Zheng.

You didn't express anything

with your opinion.

Since I'm not investigating it,

I don't have the right to say anything about it.

I don't dare to jump to conclusions.

Qing,

I like what you said just now.

Since we're not investigating it, we don't have the right to say anything.

You're right.

Therefore,

regarding Chang Zheng's case,

in my opinion,

we have to do an in-depth investigation.

We cannot cover up for criminals

or

let a hardworking cop who's fighting on the frontline

be framed,

am I right?

Vice-Mayor Han,

what do you plan to do?

I suggest

holding a municipal committee meeting

to discuss

if we can

invite the municipal procuratorate and Public Security Department

to form

a joint investigation unit.

They will do an in-depth investigation

on Chang Zheng's case.

That is...

Do you think I'm overreacting here?

Not at all.

That's not what I mean.

I'll get to it immediately.

Vice-Mayor Han,

there's something

I don't know

if I should tell you.

I think you're especially concerned

about that Chang Zheng.

Qing,

don't forget.

I graduated from a police academy too.

I know how tough it is

to be a cop.

I'm not just being concerned

about Chang Zheng as an individual.

I'm also concerned about the entire public security system.

I'm trying to do something for them.

[Vice-Mayor]

[Wansheng Road Base, Secret Task Force]

Yang.

Guohua,

regarding the situations you've told us about,

we've held an emergency meeting

to discuss them.

Chang Zheng's investigation

is vital

to the Secret Task Force.

There are many doubtful points

regarding his arrest.

It's highly likely

that the Zhao family and their protective umbrella

are trying to set him up again.

This afternoon,

the municipal government of Changwu City

sent letters to us

and the municipal procuratorate.

They hope

that we can send our men to Changwu

and form a joint investigation team

with the local authorities.

We've discussed it with the municipal procuratorate.

We've decided

to form

a joint task force consisting of members

from the municipal public security department

and Changwu City People's Procuratorate.

We shall do an in-depth investigation

on Chang Zheng's case.

You shall be the leader

of the joint task force.

Besides that,

Comrade Xiao Chen of Changwu City People's Procuratorate

was in charge of this case before this.

That's why

we can recruit him

for the joint investigation unit.

We've sent him

an official invitation.

You're back?

Where's Mom?

She went square dancing.

Come.

Sit down.

Have a drink with me.

I still have work to do.

It's the weekend today.

I've already checked in with them.

This wine is pretty good.

Come.

Sit down.

So, how was it?

Are you confident in closing Chang Zheng's case?

I was wondering why you wanted to drink with me.

Suit yourself.

You can talk

if you feel like it.

You can forget it if you don't wish to talk.

How do I put it?

I think the case itself isn't that complicated.

The outer environment is the complicated thing here.

What do you mean?

Now,

everyone on the Internet is talking about this.

The public is criticizing Chang Zheng for his behavior.

It's as if

they won't quit until justice is served.

This is affecting those who are investigating the case.

It's as if we're not following the people's will

if we don't convict Chang Zheng.

However, is that the public will we should follow?

I don't think so.

If so,

what do you think represents the true public will?

Only one thing can represent the true public will.

The truth.

Great.

You've improved.

Dad,

don't tell me

you're trying to cover up for Chang Zheng today?

I know you liked him.

Xiao Chen,

I expect you

to enforce the law impartially.

You still have a long way to go.

I hope you take the right path.

Sometimes, when you take a wrong step,

it'll be difficult for you to turn back.

Don't worry.

Although I don't like Chang Zheng,

I hate making wrongful convictions the most.

Alright.

I pray

that you'll never make a wrongful conviction.

[Changwu City People's Procuratorate]

Xiao Chen,

this is Comrade Yan Guohua

from the municipal public security department.

He's the leader of the joint task force.

[Xu Bin, Chief Prosecutor, Changwu City People's Procuratorate]

This is Xiao Chen

from the First Prosecutor's Office.

Leader Yan.

Nice to meet you.

This is

Comrade Jin Yan from Binxi Criminal Investigation Detachment.

We know each other.

I went to Binxi Criminal Investigation Detachment

to inquire about the situation before coming.

When Jin heard that I was heading here,

she wanted to drive me here.

By the way,

there's something she needs to tell you

regarding Chang Zheng's case.

Alright.

You two can have a chat.

I need to speak with Political Commissar Yan in private.

Yan, come to my office.

Okay.

What are you doing here?

You didn't answer my calls.

That's why I have no choice but to come here personally.

It's not that I didn't want to answer them.

I just want to...

You don't need to explain yourself.

I'm sure you thought I was calling you

in order to make a plea for Chang Zheng,

right?

Was I wrong?

I don't think I'm making a plea for him.

Chang Zheng did nothing wrong in the first place.

How could you be so sure about that?

Do you

have any evidence?

Although I don't have any evidence,

I did see Cao Dalong

leaving the interrogation room without any injuries.

And,

I've been working alongside

Chang Zheng for a long time.

I know his character well.

I trust him.

Xiao Chen,

I know

that you disliked Chang Zheng

because of the incident with your mentor.

But when you think about it,

your mentor and Chang Zheng

are actually the same type of people.

They're very particular

and stubborn.

They won't give up

even when they're in danger

in order to seek out the truth.

That's why

if you truly respect your mentor,

you shouldn't be prejudiced against Chang Zheng.

You're afraid that I might bring my personal feelings

into my investigation, right?

Don't worry.

I'm not that petty.

Moreover, if I did so,

I'd be bending the law for my selfish desire.

Not only will I let my mentor down,

but I will also let my organization down.

Sorry,

and

thank you.

Why are you apologizing and thanking me at the same time?

I'm apologizing to you

on my behalf.

I'm thanking you

on Chang Zheng's behalf.

Fine.

I'll accept your apology.

But you can forget about the last sentence.

If so, I shall represent everyone from

the Binxi Criminal Investigation Detachment

and express our thanks to you,

Prosecutor Xiao.

[Zhao, Four Seas Group]

[Calling]

Yan Guohua has been stationed in the municipal procuratorate officially.

The joint task force

has taken over Chang Zheng's case officially.

Got it.

Chang Zheng,

regarding your case,

the provincial public security department and municipal procuratorate

have established a joint task force to investigate it.

This is Comrade Yan Guohua,

leader of the joint task force.

Please cooperate with us to your fullest extent.

Chang Zheng,

describe to us

how you interrogated Cao Dalong

without omitting any details.

That's the gist of it.

If so, where is he right now?

No, I have to look for him.

Ji Nian,

he's going through an isolated examination right now.

You can't help him out even if you go there.

Even so, I can't just sit here and do nothing.

Our province pays great attention to this case.

They've already established a joint task force

to make an in-depth investigation.

If so,

how's the case progress?

The investigators just reached Changwu not long ago.

I'll notify you immediately once I have any news.

You're a lawyer yourself.

You've seen all kinds of cases.

The most important thing

right now is for you to calm down.

Pengchao,

thank you for helping Chang...

Enough.

There's no need to thank me.

Rest up.

Leave the rest to me.

You can rest after altering the proposal.

Ning Yu,

did Chang Zheng tell you to stand guard

outside the interrogation room when he interrogated Cao Dalong?

That's right.

Why did he do so?

Mentor was afraid

that the interrogation result might be leaked.

The interrogation room is located in your detachment.

Why would the result be leaked?

Don't be nervous.

Just tell us the truth.

It's because we suspect

that there's a mole among us.

I noticed the word you used just now.

You said "we".

That means

you have the same suspicion too.

That's right.

Do you have any suspects in mind?

Not yet.

Cao Dalong's testimony

is vital to our task force.

That's why Mentor said

we must try to do everything we can to avoid leaking the result.

Chang Zheng entered the interrogation room

alone at around 1pm.

And, he turned off

the surveillance camera and listening device.

Did you know that?

Yes.

Initially, he wanted me to interrogate him.

After that, he changed his mind and interrogated him himself.

Back then, Cao Dalong was on guard.

He refused to answer any of our questions.

That's why Mentor

intended to have a casual chat with him

when he was having lunch.

He also told him that he had turned off

the surveillance camera and listening device

to make him feel more relaxed.

Did you discover anything strange

in the interrogation room during that moment?

After Cao Dalong finished his lunch,

I saw him at the door once.

He looked normal to me.

When was the last time Chang Zheng came into contact

with Cao Dalong?

It was around 3:30pm.

It was four hours before Cao Dalong was released.

But Chang Zheng left the room after the interrogation.

They didn't come into contact after that.

During the period

when you two interrogated Cao Dalong for the last time,

was there anything abnormal about

Cao Dalong's mental

and physical state?

No.

Abnormal?

I think it's a little abnormal.

However, it isn't what you think.

What do you mean by that?

After the interrogation was over,

I was the one who escorted Cao Dalong back to his cell.

On our way back,

he looked

very proud.

It's as if he achieved something great.

I'd never believe it if you said

that he was tortured to extract a confession.

I've been partners with Chang Zheng

for a long time.

He'll never torture a suspect

to extract a confession.

They suspect him

of accepting bribes?

With that explosive temper of his,

you'll be digging your own grave

if you try to bribe him.

[Video of the late Cao Dalong circulated, Officer Chang suspected of police brutality]

[Cao Dalong, torture]

[Netizens go crazy about Cao Dalong's video]

[Cao Dalong, torture, suicide, accepting bribes]

I'll pick you up downstairs.

Just come up.

According to the current situation,

[Changwu City People's Procuratorate]

it's likely that Chang Zheng was set up.

Next,

we need to verify three facts.

First,

did Cao Dalong commit suicide?

Second,

were there any hints

of torture on his body?

Third,

the report we received

regarding Chang Zheng's bribery that's circulating on the Internet,

was it true or not?

Cao Dalong's autopsy result

should be out by today.

I'll do the follow-up.

If so, I'll follow up

the bribes.

Alright.

Let's get to work.

Time is of the essence.

You've just returned?

Yeah.

Where are you going?

I'm heading outside.

Take care.

What are you doing here?

I was waiting for you. Hop on.

Do you know where I'm going?

The Forensic Identification Center, right?

How did you know?

The core lead of Chang Zheng's case

is Cao Dalong's autopsy report.

Where else can you go?

Hop on.

I bought some pasta for you.

And

some salad.

Thank you.

What are you busy with?

I'm looking for Chang Zhang's news

online.

I've read all of them, no matter if they're true or not.

I've calmed down

and analyzed the case.

Chang Zheng's case

should be closed soon.

He will be fine.

Are you that sure of it?

All those news regarding him accepting bribes

were just groundless accusations.

They do not contain any substantial content.

If the bribe accusation is fake,

the accusation of him using torture to extract a confession

won't be true.

You did your homework.

I think this is the only thing

I can do for him right now.

Since we no longer need to worry about him,

why don't

we dig in?

Okay.

[Cao Dalong Autopsy Photo Analysis]

This is Jin Yan from Binxi Criminal Investigation Detachment.

Due to our professional needs,

I've invited her here

to analyze

the autopsy report of Cao Dalong.

[Cao Dalong Autopsy Photo Analysis]

Let's take a look.

[The victim's torso photo]

Cao Dalong's limbs

and torso have no obvious external injuries.

His skin was still elastic.

And, seawater crystals were found on top of it.

[Seawater crystals on skin]

The victim's hair, skin,

oral cavity, and nasal cavity

contain algae.

That fits the characteristic of seawater drowning.

Let's proceed.

This is

a piece of fiber the medical examiner

had found in his fingernails.

It contains bloodstain.

And, the blood doesn't belong to the victim.

So, the medical examiner concluded

that Cao Dalong struggled before death.

And he scratched

the culprit's shirt and skin before death.

Have they identified the blood type?

They have.

Both the victim and Chang Zheng have different blood types.

We cannot determine

that Cao Dalong was murdered

because of the bloodstain on this fiber alone.

That's why we should move on.

This is a photo of Cao Dalong's hair.

This should be

the wound left behind by the culprit

when he pushed his head into the water.

According to the medical examiner,

this is a case of homicide.

I've explained some of the important points.

As for the other details,

you can find them in the autopsy report.

You guys can take a look.

I have something to add.

The autopsy report also states

that Cao Dalong's time of death

was around 11pm.

At that time,

Chang Zheng and I were nearby Daqiao Bureau.

The security leader of the bureau, Hao Dazhi,

and the cops there

can testify for him.

This is great.

Luo,

bring your men to Daqiao Bureau

and procure the evidence.

Yes, sir.

I have

good news for you all.

We've found out

the truth

behind Chang Zheng's bribery.

It was a malicious attack, right?

Now, we can confirm

that the articles we read online

are just

fabrications and false charges.

Liu Yuan,

tell us about your investigation progress.

Alright.

We found

the source of the rumor.

It was a person named Kangzhuang.

They said he was an online celebrity with a verified account.

In reality, he's just the leader of a group of Internet ghostwriters.

He got all his views from fake accounts.

According to him,

on the night when Cao Dalong was killed,

a mysterious figure approached him.

He told him to spread Cao Dalong's video around

and ruin Chang Zheng's reputation.

In order to attract attention

and get his hands on the money,

not only did he accept the deal,

but he also accused

Chang Zheng of accepting bribes.

What a scoundrel.

Is he forsaking

his verified account as well?

To them, a verified account

is just a tool for them to make money.

They do calculate their crime cost beforehand.

As long as you pay them enough,

they can even go to jail for it,

let alone

slandering someone with their accounts.

Did he tell you who that mysterious figure was?

According to Kangzhuang,

he never met the mysterious figure in person.

The mysterious figure was the only one doing all the contacting.

He used an Internet phone.

His contact number was random.

And,

he even used a voice changer

when he called him.

If so, how did he transfer the money to Kangzhuang?

The mysterious figure

placed the money in the rooftop water tank

of an abandoned building on the west side of the city.

After that, he told Kangzhuang to retrieve the money.

We've investigated

the scene thoroughly.

The scene was clean.

They didn't leave any important clues behind.

So, this mastermind

excels at

counter-detection,

and the way he dealt with the case

resembles the yacht explosion case.

They killed the victim

and framed others for it.

They've framed Chang Zheng

both times.

I don't think this is a coincidence.

There must be a connection

between the two cases.

If that's the case,

the death of my mentor

might be related to that mysterious figure.

And that mysterious figure

might be a member of the Zhao family.

Let's forget about the mysterious figure for now.

Now, we can understand

how risky the situation was

and how dangerous his opponents were

when Chang Zheng

handled the yacht explosion case.

If he was framed

even under such circumstances,

I guess

it would disappoint

all of our investigators

who are

currently on the frontline.

Therefore, our priority right now

is to form

a swift conclusion regarding Chang Zheng's case

under the name

of the joint task force.

We shall report this

to our superiors

and try to restore Chang Zheng's reputation and let him resume his work as soon as possible.

I agree.

[Changwu City PSB Binxi Branch]

Okay.

Thanks.

Mentor!

Mentor!

Mentor!

Calm down.

What are you doing?

You're finally back!

You've lost some weight.

Congratulations.

And,

I pray

that you will be doomed eternally.

Here.

Fine.

Doomed eternally, huh?

I'll accept that.

Mentor,

I pray that you'll be blessed with bad luck.

Here.

Where's Song?

He...

I'm sure he hid himself

after he heard that you were in trouble.

Don't spout nonsense.

I heard

that Song spoke up for him

during the task force investigation.

You must be joking.

After all, we've been partners for over three years.

Of course he needs to speak up for me.

Director Xiao?

It's working hours right now.

Where are you

instead of your office?

Director Xiao, I was just released.

And now, you're calling me.

Alright. Cut the crap.

Come to my office immediately.

Yes, sir.

Director Xiao is looking for me.

Let's go.

Aren't you going to say hi to him?

No need for that.

I'm content to know that he's doing fine.

Let's go.

[Changwu City PSB Binxi Branch]

[To serve the people]

Alright.

I appreciate your effort.

I would like to express my condolences

on behalf of the municipal government.

Thank you.

Alright.

Goodbye.

I knew that the child was framed.

Vice-Mayor Han, I'm here to report to you

about the result of Chang Zheng's case.

Seems like

you've already heard about it.

Chief Prosecutor Xu Bin of the municipal procuratorate

called me and told me about it just now.

Alright.

I'm glad to hear that.

Qing,

you should urge the public security bureau

to publish

an official notice about it.

Tell them to announce the result

to the public as soon as possible

and let them know about it.

We can only

quell the rumors by doing so.

Alright.

I'll get to it immediately.

[Vice-Director Office]

Director Xiao.

Come in.

You look well.

Have a seat.

Yes, sir.

Do you need anything from me?

It's like this.

After our discussion,

we've decided to reinstate you,

including your role as the leader

of the yacht explosion case task force.

I wish to hear your opinion.

What do you plan to do next?

What do you mean by that?

Let me put it this way.

Do you still have confidence

that you can crack the yacht explosion case?

Of course.

Aren't you afraid

that people might set you up again?

Master, to be honest with you,

I'm only afraid that they might not set me up again.

Explain yourself.

You see,

when they try to impede me,

that means we're investigating in the right direction.

We're exposing their weakness.

That's why they try to set me up

from time to time,

right?

The more times they set me up,

the easier it is for them to reveal their flaws.

However, Cao Dalong is already dead.

You've lost all of your leads.

If so,

I can start again.

What else can I do?

Anyway, as long as they've committed the crime,

I'm sure they'll leave their tracks behind.

As long as we put our hearts into it,

I'm sure we'll find new leads.

Why do I feel like

you've gotten more confident

after your detainment?

This is what you call

heavy on the green pine the snow weighs,

but the pine remains lofty and straight.

You're getting ahead of yourself here.

Who taught you that?

Of course it's you.

Alright.

I understand your stand

and determination now.

Go and resume your work.

Yes, sir.

I shall take my leave.

You've dealt with the things you're supposed to.

You've silenced the people you're supposed to.

And you've comforted the people you're supposed to.

You did better

than what I anticipated.

But you shouldn't blame Pengzhan and Pengxiang

for doing such a stupid thing online.

Even if they didn't do it,

the cops would find out Cao Dalong's cause of death eventually.

I already felt that when Yan Guohua came here.

We haven't lost

this round yet.

Although we didn't get rid of Chang Zheng,

at least we got rid of our Achilles' heel,

which was Cao Dalong.

You see,

Cao Dalong was the murderer

and the only witness.

Now that he's gone,

it's almost impossible for Chang Zheng

to reinvestigate the case back then.

That's my goal.

I never wanted to harm Chang Zheng in the first place.

[Qing]

Speak.

Understood.

How is that possible?

Qing called me just now.

He said your mother

was especially concerned about Chang Zheng lately.

And, the provincial city established the joint task force

under her instructions.

He suspects that something's wrong here.

What's wrong with it?

What's wrong with it?

He actually asked me

if

it was possible

that Chang Zheng

was the son of Han Ya?

That can't be.

This must be a joke!

Is he out of his mind?

Even if she was pregnant with him back then,

I would never let her

take the son of the Zhao family with her.

Dad,

you always say

that it's always wise to play it safe.

This is impossible!

Listen.

I know your mother too well.

Asking her to give birth to my child

is literally impossible.

What about me then?

Wait.

Our relationship

wasn't that strong

when she was pregnant with you.

Did you know why

I agreed to it

when your mother requested a divorce?

Wasn't it because

she found out that you had two illegitimate sons outside?

I let her find out on purpose.

Pengchao, you may not know,

but back then, our business

was booming.

However,

a lot of our business

was shady.

If your mother found out,

she would've reported me to the authorities.

Back then, you had no idea.

Your mother was young,

beautiful,

intelligent, and bold.

She was trying to ascend the ranks.

She would never

let me hinder her progress

and affect her career.

That's why your mother

is a total egoist!

She and the mothers of your brothers

are totally different.

They pose

no threats at all.

They can never topple the Zhao family.

Your mother was the most dangerous threat to us!

That's why your mother is...

Alright, that's enough.

Dad,

I don't care about that.

The only thing I care about

is Yan Guohua.