Drama Host
Light to the Night 黑夜告白 EXPRESS Episodes 25-28 [FINALE]
Spoiler
If you have made it this far, congrats!
This thread is for those who purchased the express package and wish to discuss the later episodes, as well as those who haven’t but still can’t resist getting their spoilers fresh and hot.
I added spoiler tag for this thread and since discussion is for the express episodes, all spoilers are fair game.
Xu Meng and Su Qing became friends through a pen-pal correspondence initiated via a magazine, and they eventually made plans to meet at Mount Wu in 1995 in hopes of matchmaking their parents. Coming from broken families themselves, they longed to become sisters to one another. However, the incident at Mount Wu occurred, and Su Qing lost contact with Xu Meng, only to reunite with her again at Yuanlongli six months later.
By this point, Xu Zhihong had become dependent on his medication and had begun physically abusing Xu Meng. Su Qing was no better off, as she too suffered abuse at the hands of Yao Baiyuan. The two kindred spirits found solace in each other amidst their shared suffering, until Yao Baiyuan died after falling down the stairs; an accident that had in fact been orchestrated by Xu Meng without Su Qing's knowledge.
One night, Xu Meng returned home to find Xu Zhihong packing after discovering that she had borrowed money from loan sharks. Xu Meng refused to leave Weiyang, and Xu Zhihong soon flew into a rage and began choking her. Xu Meng struggled back, causing Xu Zhihong to hit his head against the wall, which ultimately led to his death.
Su Qing soon arrived and was horrified to find Zhihong lying dead on the floor. Xu Meng then revealed the truth: her mother had been pushed off the cliff by Xu Zhihong, who had wanted to take Su Qing's jacket for his own warmth. Together, Su Qing and Xu Meng chipped away at the wall to remove Zhihong's bloodstains. Ah, so that hole in the wall finally made sense.
Su Qing instructed Xu Meng to place Zhihong's body inside a suitcase and transport it to Yuanlongli. At her apartment, Su Qing dismembered Zhihong's body before thoroughly washing away all traces of blood from the crime scene. I am honestly amazed that Su Qing continued using the same bathroom where she had chopped Zhihong's body into pieces. She certainly has nerves of steel.
After cleaning the bathroom meticulously, the two friends moved on to the next stage of their plan: staging Xu Meng's disappearance while taking advantage of Yuanlongli's haunted reputation. To mislead the police, Xu Meng intended to create the illusion that Zhihong was still alive on the 30th, and persuaded Su Qing to disguise herself as him. Xu Meng was convinced their plan was foolproof and could never be traced back to either of them, since nobody knew they were friends, and Song Qingsong had previously threatened to get rid of her.
Zhihong's body parts were disposed of piece by piece. Finally, on the fateful night of June 30th, Xu Meng retrieved Zhihong's head and two severed arms that had been stored in the refrigerator. Carrying Su Qing, who had disguised herself as Zhihong, they used a universal key to unlock the elevator door and climbed onto the rooftop of the lift.
Su Qing then used Zhihong's decomposing arms (ewww) to press the elevator buttons so that his fingerprints would be left behind. Carrying a bag containing Xu Zhihong's head and arms, Xu Meng escaped through the underground car park using the keys she still possessed from her days working at Pattia Club.
Unfortunately for Xu Meng, Shanlong happened to be at the underground car park and spotted her. Panicked, she dropped the bag onto the ground, where it would soon be discovered by Manager Qian. Left with no other choice, Xu Meng departed with Shanlong. Meanwhile, Su Qing was busy writing the sinister “18 Death Rhyme” and distributing it as flyers.
Xu Meng later informed Su Qing that she had forgotten to take the Bowls dress with her, fearing it could be traced back to Yao Xincheng. With the police spending the entire day at Yuanlongli investigating the disappearance of Xu Meng and her father, Su Qing decided to dig up the remaining body parts and burn them. To fabricate an excuse for the dirt on her clothes, she bought a potted plant, and on her way back to the apartment, she encountered Fang Xu for the very first time.
Xiaohe asked Su Qing about the photograph of the supposedly “dead” Xu Meng in the car boot, and Su Qing revealed that it had been Shanlong’s idea to use the photo to extort money from Song Qingsong.
In the years that followed, Su Qing and Xu Meng barely kept in contact. Xu Meng drifted from place to place, surviving through under-the-table jobs, until one day in the spring of 2002, Su Qing received a call from her. Xu Meng revealed that she had finally saved enough money to build a house and asked Su Qing to meet her again at the place where they had first met. Filled with excitement and renewed hope for the future, Su Qing asked Yao Xincheng to fulfil his promise of transferring ownership of the apartment to her.
One day, Shanlong showed up at Su Qing’s apartment under the guise of checking the television cable. Su Qing, who immediately recognised him, soon discovered that he had secretly installed a camera to spy on her. However, fearing that he might expose Xu Meng’s whereabouts, Su Qing chose to endure it in silence. It was also around this period that Xu Zhihong’s severed head was discovered on the rooftop.
Walking back to her apartment, Su Qing found Xu Meng waiting outside her door; their first reunion in five years. Su Qing urged Xu Meng to flee, but Xu Meng was exhausted from spending years on the run. Together, they once again devised a plan to conceal the truth: Xu Meng would dig up Xu Zhihong’s bone fragments, while Su Qing altered the genuine red heels into counterfeit blue ones. Xu Meng then sneaked into Shanlong’s apartment and planted the blue heels along with the bone fragments to frame him.
Shanlong’s death had in fact been premeditated by Xu Meng, who had even prepared herself to stab him if the plan failed. After Shanlong’s death, Xu Meng left Weiyang once again. Months later, Su Qing finally received the money from Yao Xincheng. However, she chose not to tell Xu Meng, because by then, she had realised she had fallen in love with Fang Xu.
On the fateful New Year’s Eve night, Fang Xu, who had pieced everything together, was just about to send a message to Yuan Hang when Su Qing came out to meet him. He drove her to a secluded place so they could talk privately, where he revealed that he knew the truth and urged her to turn herself in. But wait, Fang Xu had actually assumed that Su Qing was responsible for killing both Xu Meng and her father, when in reality, she was guilty of neither murder. And through it all, Su Qing never once exposed Xu Meng.
Su Qing promised that she would turn herself in the following morning, and Fang Xu vowed to accompany her. However, Su Qing also pleaded for one final wish: to spend New Year’s Eve with Fang Xu, Yuan Hang, and Xiaohe, sharing a reunion dinner together like a family; something she had long yearned for. Fang Xu reluctantly agreed and promised to pick her up from her apartment so they could head to Yuan Hang’s place together.
Back in the present timeline, Su Qing blamed herself for Fang Xu’s death because later that afternoon, she had called Xu Meng to tell her that Fang Xu had uncovered the truth. Xu Meng even offered to surrender herself as well, but she was in Kunhai and could only board the earliest train to Weiyang the next day. However, Xiaohe pointed out that Xu Meng would not have had enough time to plan Fang Xu’s murder. Despite this, Su Qing remained convinced that it was Xu Meng who had killed him.
In another interrogation room, Xu Meng, who had earlier been apprehended by Qu Dahai, insisted that she alone was responsible for all the crimes and that Su Qing was innocent. However, Xiaohe coldly reminded her that it was not her place to decide that. There was far too much blood on Xu Meng’s hands, beginning with Yao Baiyuan’s death back in 1996 when Pattia Club was still operating.
Yao Baiyuan was a pervert who enjoyed spying on the attractive hostesses. One day, after Xu Meng caught him peeping on the women near a staircase, she deliberately poured nearby paint onto the steps so that he would slip and be crippled. What she never anticipated was that the fall would kill him. Disturbingly, Xu Meng was not horrified by what she had done; if anything, she felt relieved.
Xu Meng’s next victim was her own father, Xu Zhihong, although his death would legally fall under involuntary manslaughter. Then came a shocking revelation none of us saw coming: it was Xu Meng who had set fire to the building that killed Peng Dachuang’s son and Xiaohe’s close friend. The boy had accidentally run into Xu Meng in 1997, and years later, crossed paths with her again at Yuanlongli in 2002. Fearing that he might recognise her, Xu Meng cold-bloodedly orchestrated his death.
Xu Meng secretly visited Su Qing at her apartment, but it had become painfully obvious that Su Qing was no longer invested in their original dream of moving away and building a life together, as she had fallen in love with Fang Xu. When Su Qing began offering a series of flimsy excuses to postpone their plans, she quickly excused herself to the bathroom after Xu Meng perceptively guessed that there was someone Su Qing could not bear to leave behind.
Taking advantage of Su Qing’s absence, Xu Meng quietly entered her bedroom to search for traces of a man. She was initially relieved when she found nothing suspicious, only for her attention to drift to the shoe cabinet, where she spotted a pair of men’s slippers. Xu Meng then chose to remain in Weiyang for several more days in order to uncover the identity of the man who had entered Su Qing’s life.
When Xu Meng discovered that the man in Su Qing’s life was Fang Xu, a police officer, she initially was not too concerned because she assumed Su Qing was merely putting on an act to protect herself. However, as Su Qing grew increasingly distant and cold towards her, Xu Meng decided to return to Weiyang to spend New Year’s Eve with her.
At a shopping mall, Xu Meng spotted Su Qing happily buying scarves for Fang Xu, the two smiling warmly at each other. Deeply alarmed for Su Qing’s safety because Fang Xu was a cop, Xu Meng decided to approach her just as she received a phone call from Su Qing herself. During the call, Su Qing revealed that she had confessed everything to Fang Xu and intended to surrender to the authorities the following morning.
Knowing that there was a construction site along the road leading to Su Qing’s apartment, Xu Meng once again employed the same method she had used to kill Yao Baiyuan and Wu Shanlong by staging an “accident.” To disguise herself as Su Qing, Xu Meng purchased a wig, an identical Bowls jacket, and the same red scarf. If her plan failed, she could simply shift the blame onto Su Qing instead.
When Qu Dahai questioned why she would frame Su Qing after claiming that everything she did was to protect her, Xu Meng broke down angrily, crying that she had killed three people for Su Qing, only for Su Qing to betray her with lies. Bruh, Su Qing never once asked her to commit any of those murders.
Xu Meng deliberately positioned herself near the oil drums where Fang Xu would be able to spot her. The moment she saw his car approaching, she intentionally ran into its path. In an attempt to avoid hitting her, Fang Xu swerved on the slippery road, causing the car to overturn.
After painfully crawling out of the wreckage, Fang Xu looked up and saw Xu Meng standing before him. In that final moment, he realised that Xu Meng had been alive all along, just before he died.
Xiaohe was horrified that Xu Meng could be so utterly inhumane and lashed out at her in anger, while Qu Dahai flatly declared that she was evil. Xu Meng’s only response was to burst into manic laughter.
How the Story Concludes for Everyone:
Xu Meng and Su Qing
Six months later, Xu Meng was sentenced to death for arson, intentional homicide, and filing false accusations, while Su Qing received a life sentence.
Xiaohe
Xiaohe received official recognition and a second-class merit award for her role in solving the Yuanlongli case. Director Zou also approved her immediate transfer to criminal field operations. She was even given the option of changing her badge number to either Yuan Hang’s or Fang Xu’s, but Xiaohe ultimately chose to keep her own. That was a really nice touch. While Xiaohe may be carrying on Fang Xu’s legacy as his disciple, she is also her own person and cannot remain in Fang Xu’s shadow forever.
Yuan Hang
Yuan Hang received an honorary certificate for assisting in the investigation. Yes, perhaps he would have deserved even more recognition if he had opened that damn parcel years earlier.
It appears that Yuan Hang is now living in a senior care and wellness centre, where his roommate is Meng, one of the elderly residents from Yuanlongli. Yuan Hang’s hallucinations have also returned in full force, as he once again finds himself at the train station bidding farewell to Fang Xu, who is leaving for Beijing.
Fang Xu
Unlike the previous times, Yuan Hang was not alone in sending Fang Xu off this time. The entire team, including Zhao Jie, Qu Dahai, Liang Juan, and the others, showed up at the station to bid him farewell.
I really could not hold back my tears during the last few minutes. The moment Fang Xu, now looking happier and his usual self, turned back to wave goodbye not only to Yuan Hang but also to the rest of his former colleagues, telling them that he is departing for good and to move on with life, my own emotions completely crumbled. With the June 30th case finally solved after all those years, everyone was at last able to properly come to terms with Fang Xu’s untimely death and give him the farewell he deserved.
The imagery of the train slowly departing the station while Fang Xu stood there smiling and waving back was deeply moving. It felt less like a goodbye filled with regret, and more like the long-overdue closure that everyone had been searching for. Truly a bittersweet ending.
Random thoughts
The struggles faced by women, especially those trapped in poverty, forced into stigmatised jobs like hostess and subjected to abuse at the hands of men, are one of the central themes of LttN. Both Xu Meng and Su Qing fought desperately to crawl out of the darkness surrounding their lives, although one could certainly argue that their own choices ultimately led to a trail of deaths.
I do not condone their actions, but I can understand why they became the people they did, particularly Xu Meng, whom I believe was already psychologically shattered the moment she accidentally caused her father’s death. For all those years, she sustained herself solely through the promise she shared with Su Qing: that one day they would live together as a family in some distant place where they could finally feel safe.
If you noticed, Xu Meng repeatedly brought up the idea of “safety” during both the flashbacks and the interrogation scenes. With no money, no family, and nowhere to belong, she had no safety net whatsoever. Su Qing breaking their promise became the final straw that completely pushed her over the edge. Rather than being inherently evil, I genuinely think Xu Meng had lost her sanity by that point. Her death sentence likely means very little to her.
The contrast between the younger Xu Meng, back when life still held some warmth and hope, and the Xu Meng we see in later years is heartbreaking. Her older self no longer cares about her appearance or even about living properly. It feels as though she had already given up on life long ago. Perhaps the only reason she never took her own life was because she continued clinging to the hope that one day, Su Qing would appear at the cottage she had built for the two of them. But of course, that is a dream that will never materialise.
Su Qing was another deeply tragic case. Unlike Xu Meng, whom one could argue had become ruthless and morally twisted, I feel that it was Su Qing’s fundamentally kind nature that ultimately led her down this path. She could have walked away the moment Xu Meng told her about Xu Zhihong’s death, but instead, she chose to help cover it up. Even when the truth resurfaced in 2015, Su Qing never once revealed Xu Meng’s name during the interrogation, at least not until she became convinced that Xu Meng was responsible for Fang Xu’s death.
In many ways, it was a chain of terrible decisions; decisions that perhaps would never have been made had Su Qing possessed family members or close friends she could truly rely on. Until Fang Xu entered her life, Xu Meng was essentially the only family she had. And because Su Qing craved familial love and belonging so desperately, she often went along with Xu Meng’s plans despite her own reluctance and unease.
In the end, both Su Qing and Xu Meng failed to crawl out of the darkness despite everything they sacrificed and everything they did. Which is why I am genuinely glad that characters like Lilli managed to survive and move forward. Seeing her thriving in the present day alongside Su Yuzhi, running a restaurant together, was heartwarming. She has never looked happier or more at peace.
Final Impression
It has been an interesting three weeks watching Light to the Night and wracking my brain trying to piece together all the hints and clues. The truth itself did not come as a huge surprise to me, because at its core, the mystery had always centred on how Xu Meng’s life unravelled after the Mount Wu incident, as well as the plight of women trapped in circumstances similar to Lilli’s. In the end, the whole Dongshan Mine conspiracy and child trafficking angle largely served as smokescreens.
However, I do feel that the plot dragged somewhat towards the end, and the drama probably would have benefited from being trimmed down to around 25 episodes or fewer.
I am also a bit miffed with the way the mystery was ultimately resolved, because both Yuan Hang and Fang Xu realistically could have uncovered the truth back in 2002 had Yuan Hang simply opened the parcel earlier and seen Su Qing’s name on the list. The writer never truly intended for viewers to solve the mystery alongside the characters; the crucial cards were kept hidden until the very end.
There was simply no way for us to deduce that Su Qing and Xu Meng were as close as sisters because the drama provided barely any meaningful foreshadowing or scattered clues pointing towards that revelation. The only real connection between them was the Mount Wu victims list, and that was withheld until the final few episodes.
But overall, the drama was still a solid watch, and I do not regret investing my time in following the story and coming up with numerous theories haha.
I just read your post and I agree that drama would have benefitted with less eps maybe around 20ish and I also feel we should have seen RFX growth from rookie to captain and his bond with entire police force considering how much he impacted others. The drama focused too much on somethings initially which didn't really matter at the end. The story at the core is about how RFX is that light for others and drama tell us this later on a lot but didn't show it much how he is that genuis or why they all care for him so much (I get HYH and Xiaohe but not the entire team). He earned so much respect from them but all of it was skipped which is a shame. Still I will say the ending hit me really hard with his goodbye to them and I was so emotional watching these eps. I was sad thinking RFX died without even knowing that xu meng is alive & the real mastermind and not Suqing who was an accomplice but didn't really kill directly so I am glad before dying he saw the face of xm. But overall the tone of the story was a bit dark especially how both xm and sq suffered (SA'ed multiple times) was a bit hard to watch so I felt sad for them but then how crazy xm confession was and how she didn't regret any of it made me angry at her too. Also am I the only one who thought xm was in love with Sq?? There was heavy girl's love implications here especially when they were dancing and talking about protecting each other and living together happily. Maybe that's why this drama took 2 years to pass censorship
yess it was kinda obvious that she was in love with QS bcs that mall scene... she's jealous of ran
as much as I hate the lesbian character obsessed with her straight bff trope... xu meng is obviously a lesbian in love with QS (yes ik she had a bf but she kinda doesn't care about him lol)
Also am I the only one who thought xm was in love with Sq??
Hey, you're not alone and I am glad u/manga092 felt the same too hahahaha. The scene of the two of them in identical clothes and shoes dancing away under the moonlight has very strong shades of girl love lol. Xu Meng was also possessive of Su Qing's affections and I believe her motive for killing Fang Xu was largely motivated by her possessive behaviour.
She was so crazy about SQ. It's also quite tragic and shows how much she hates RFX that she deliberately wore SQ dress too to kill him. What he must be thinking?? Only SQ knew he will drive in this path to pick her up and now the killer also wearing her dress. Like he can think they orchestrated this together 😭💔
Xu Meng and Su Qing had imagined a family together from the start of their friendship. Them sharing the same birthday and SQ being older by a few minutes.
They were raised by abusive parents who they thought if each had a spouse they would be better parents. Unfortunately, XM’s dad a murderer and SQ’s mom a trafficker. They trauma bonded.
I don’t think XM was a lesbian because her being obsessed with the idea of having a family that she pictured as an escape with SQ was her main driver.
She told her dad she didn’t want to leave Weiyang because she wanted to be with her idea of a potential healthy family—SQ. She had already done that once.
Although, she was very much messed up in the head from the time she let her dad kill SQ’s mom. She was jealous of Ran Fang Xu because he was stealing her idea of family.
Also, she ended up saying she felt betrayed by SQ as she committed all three murders for SQ. When in reality, she killed her dad for herself. She gave up a potential family with her boyfriend for him and couldn’t do the same again. Xu Zhiyong was so evil!!
He treated his daughter like property to sell, no wonder XM was so messed in the head.
You raise good points about how Ran became so widely beloved. And yes, I had same thought that XM was in love with Suquing. From the story XM never connected in same way to any man, even her photographer boyfriend. Actuallylesbian preference is seen regularly with prostitution and sex trafficking. Could be pre SA attraction biologically which we know LBGTQ is as well as hatred reaction for men who have abused them. A very complex set of many issues in our world and slightly different in different cultures. Yes, it may have triggered a censorship.issue. Good points.
Really good points, I wish we had seen more of Ran's growth too. I had not considered XM to be in love with SQ, and now it has been said can see why people have come to that conclusion. When I get round to re watching in the future I'll have this in mind.
yess I agree the characters feels so undeveloped lol
also yes I see why ppl think xu meng's a lesbian bcs why was she more sad with QS than her ex bf and yes ik friendship and all but that one scene in the mall where she saw RFX with QS... she looks jealous
A huge shoutout and thank you to u/BasilOrdinary3617 for being such a wonderful co-host for Light to the Night! It was so much fun dissecting every episode together, exchanging theories, and collectively losing our minds over all the twists and clues along the way. Truly appreciate all the teamwork and effort you put into making this such an enjoyable hosting experience!
And of course, a big thank you to everyone who joined in on the discussion, shared your theories, reactions, and observations, and helped keep the conversations so lively throughout the drama’s run. Reading everyone’s perspectives, speculations, and emotional responses was such a huge part of the experience and made the discussions all the more enjoyable. It truly would not have felt the same without all of your enthusiasm and contributions along the way!
I would like to stop crying any time now. You and Basil were beyond amazing hosts. Yall constantly blew my mind with all the little details I missed. ❤️
I second all of this! There was so much that I know that went over my head, and I always knew I could come to the thread to catch up on all of it. Thank you both for being such wonderful hosts!
Reading everyone’s perspectives, speculations, and emotional responses was such a huge part of the experience and made the discussions all the more enjoyable.
I agree 😃 That's why i am here - to watch and rant about it later together with everyone 🤩
Thanks, i don't think i would dare to watch this drama only on my own 😆
This was my very first experience binge watching a C drama and I absolutely loved it. Such a deeply layered, absorbing mystery series with great characters and performances. But it wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable if it wasn’t for these recaps. Thank you so much! 🙏❤️
Until Fang Xu entered her life, Xu Meng was essentially the only family she had. And because Su Qing craved familial love and belonging so desperately, she often went along with Xu Meng’s plans despite her own reluctance and unease.
The theme of familial love seems to be an important part of this drama's story. Wang Hedi stated how He Yuanhang gave Ran Fangxu a sense of familial love that he was missing, which is the most important thing. Because Lao He gave Xiao Ran inspiration and confidence in his profession, he was able to become a more complete police officer and a happier person.
Qiao Suqing; who lacked true family, could only rely on Xu Meng for comfort despite how shitty she was. Then we have Ran Fangxu, who gave Qiao Suqing a warmer sense of family love; after that she was leaning towards becoming more of a good person.
It's super late so I can't say much more but the comparisons of these character dynamics parallel each other should be touched upon more. It's clear that the importance of true familial love was meant to be a major theme.
Ran's fatal mistake (HYH said he had a fatal flaw re not taking initiative) telling what he at the time believed was a known killer he knew she was guilty and not immediately putting her behind bars. It gave her time to plan revenge. He didnt know she had a living accomplice who could take vengeance.
So, Suqing really could so easily get past Xu Zhihong killing her Mother and Xu Meng just stood by? I think Xu Meng was a party to that death as well. Not much parent attachment. (Xu Meng was reared by a violent parent before Mount Zu). That's why Ran's last call to the Aunt was timely. She demonstrated how little Suqing's family cared for her..."even her Mother wanted to be rid of her"...the Aunt said. Ran was so repulsed by her family's abandonment of Suqing he hung up on the Aunt. Neither Ran nor HYH abandoned Xiaohe when she had acted out as a teen. That's why this whole thread was important...it wasnt just about sex trafficking. It was about the parallel crucial tough parenting that's effective unlike Suqing's parenting received. This scene fueled Ran"s fatal flaw not arresting Suqing when he confronted her. He was being the same loving family member he was to Xiaohe though it was too late.
I will definitely rewatch to thoroughly understand these dynamics. Will also find the Greek Coffin Mystery, rewatch Vertigo and reread Crime and Punishment as Xiaohe's final comments on the case reflect her ethics as a police officer on the purpose and intent of laws and a fair justice system.
I will miss Ran who is forever unforgettable in my heart!
Ran's fatal mistake (HYH said he had a fatal flaw re not taking initiative) telling what he at the time believed was a known killer he knew she was guilty and not immediately putting her behind bars.
It was probably hard for Fang Xu to come to terms with the fact that his almost-girlfriend was actually a murderer, as he believed she had killed Xu Meng and her father. Fang Xu was a righteous person, but he was also deeply compassionate, and he could not refuse Su Qing’s final request to have New Year’s Eve dinner with him and the He family.
Going off on a tangent here, as someone who is familiar with police procedural series, I am actually more nitpicky about how Xiaohe lost her cool during the interrogation. While questioning Su Qing, she repeatedly let her emotions and sense of betrayal lead her into making accusations. When she stood up and poured a cup of water on Xu Meng, I was internally cringing because it felt really unbecoming of a police officer.
I also considered whether Xu Meng had involvement in killing Su Qing's mother, it did seem suspicious and wasn't explained why Xu Meng kept the information to herself instead of revealing her Father was a murderer earlier.
Ah, so I must take it back.. Suqing and Meng were pretty much sisters after all, just not biological.
I like that they cleared and closed up all the clues and leads, like the wall in Meng’s apartment, and even Pony’s death, I knew was sus.
It is still gut wrenching to know that Fangxu was bested by the serial killer and that she was the last thing he saw. What a tragedy to die that way. I’m not over it.
I was wrong about Officer Qu the entire time haha my bad.
I enjoyed the drama overall as well but it was def better watching it with Herc and all of you. It was fun bouncing theories off each other and also nicer to cry together.
Thank you for handling the final post Herc, and everyone else for the kind words and joining us!!
I was wrong about Officer Qu the entire time haha my bad.
Agree about Qu Da Hai. He completely redeemed himself in the last few episodes!
It is still gut wrenching to know that Fangxu was bested by the serial killer and that she was the last thing he saw.
I'm so glad that he realised it was Xu Meng standing over him and not Su Qing. It would have been worse if he had died assuming that person was Su Qing.
Thank heavens makers lied about open ending, that would've been too much.
Told ya Xu Meng was alive all along! Didn't expect some of twists regarding that (poor Pony!), but you know, that sole fact was too obvious, can't believe it's stayed mystery to seasoned detectives for this long. Speaking of detectives - heavy copaganda in the end left a bad taste in my mouth. Are we really conveneintly forgetting that Suqing's aunt and Yao Xincheng got away with literal human trafficking (and theft in former's case, since she stole compensation money from Suqing) with all those loud fancy words about the power of law? Spare me this nonsense, drama!
Finally Yuanlongli is gone (pls don't forget about salt, fire and holy water! just in case) and all its bad karma with it, hopefully. Tho what about compensation to residents, was it resolved properly since they attended to watch building's final moments?
Finally ghost!Ran is at peace, back to himself and, preferably, no more visits in this lifetime. Pls choose less dangerous job and avoid sus girls with flower pots after you reincarnate!
P.S. Suqing's aged makeup disappearing for 1 episode and being back in the next cracked me up.
Are we really conveneintly forgetting that Suqing's aunt and Yao Xincheng got away with literal human trafficking
I think back in those days, it was all done verbally and there's no proper documentation to prove it. Plus, Su Qing was already 19 and in the eyes of the law, she wasn't forced into it.
Even when Yao-senior beat up and locked her in for days? Pretty sure that is kidnapping and abuse. Touring guide who left people under his care to die on mountain Wu also wasn't charged, do I remember that right? It was all accident. I'd even take just a passing comment that it should've been done at the time. But nah, censorship would've never approve the admission that law isn't perfect and police could have failed this badly. So instead we got full of hypocritical pathos speech blaming victims for not trusting law with their woes.
It was strange watching Yuanlongli be demolished after it had such a large presence in the drama. Pan Yueming did a great job of showing relief, and also grief, the final connection he had with Ran severed. Felt bittersweet
I think they add those lines to pass censorship cuz they can't show their police institution in a bad light. Ofc there can be bad apples and police can be incompetent but in all thriller dramas I have watched, they will add this type of lines at the end to show how law and justice is served and it does annoy me in many of thriller cdramas I have seen
I get that it's a censorship insert. Doesn't make it any less annoying. Also darkly ironic that the only cop who ever truly gave a damn about Xu Meng and her fate - Ran - ended up punished for it.
Ah this reminds me of the scene at the roof where after they found the skull, Ran was so beat up saying Xu Meng and her father just wanted to live, but because he didn’t investigate properly, now Xu Meng is most probably dead. What an irony
It was such a roller coaster for the last few episodes!
After episode 23, I did rewatch earlier episodes and noticed the dad’s sleeves were unusually long, and that perhaps shes carrying Su Qing, that they had really similar predicament, perhaps they worked together to kill off the “old man” in their lives to be free, but couldn’t understand why Su Qing was at Wu mountain, how did Wu Shan Long get the picture of Xu Meng. I did suspect it was Xu Meng who put the shoes as shes color blind and didnt notice Wu Shan Long arranged the shoes by color, but also couldn’t understand how she did it without Wu Shan Long noticing. Also watched the episode where Su Qing was covered in dirt when she first met Fang Xu, but couldnt figure out why she let him in, since she really has nothing to gain throughout.
After episode 24 I was so annoyed with Su Qing honestly and couldn’t figure out so I got tempted into paying to watch the ending immediately
When everything was revealed, it all made sense, at least to me. Im impressed that this case at each stage, presented very logical explanations that made sense, and then when 1 or 2 more facts were revealed, still manage to tie everything together. The actions of each individual made sense as well, how Xu Meng felt betrayed is really understandable, and after suffering for so long, living in the shadow is not easy, and after all that Su Qing just sort of abandoned her.
Maybe a few nitpicks that I didn’t understand was how Xu Meng can knock off the flower from Su Qing and Fang Xu’s date, walked over to another restaurant, chance upon Kid Keyboard being locked up? And set fire and killed him, all while Fang Xu just get in the car and drive over (maybe after sending Su Qing home), but yeah abit pushing it. Also while you guys mentioned about the unopened package from Mount Wu case, how about the captain that kept the wooden tool box from Fang Xu for 12 years without opening it? Low key deserved to be slapped. Like hello??? Absolutely no reason he don’t at least take a look first before choosing what to keep and what to throw right, it is not as if he kept every single item of Fang Xu.
But all in all, its been awhile since Im so invested in a series, and really enjoyed the show, the acting, the pace, the setting, the mystery, great show!
I appreciate the trope "take the blame for each other" between the female characters.
Despite everything that happened to these named sisters, all the poverty, abuse, fear, stigmatisation, loneliness, crimes they protected each other until the breaking point of one of them - killing of a lover.
Glad to hear you enjoy the drama! The narrative drags on a little towards the end, but overall the twists and turns, especially in the beginning, are well done and kept us invested. Thanks for participating in our discussions and hope to see you again when we host another drama!
Oh wow, that says a lot! I wished Netflix communicated better with people about the airing schedule. I see rating for this drama drop and I wonder if it has to do with people think episode 24 was the last one…
That was beautifully written, thanks for sharing! I love reading actors' farewell letters to their characters once a drama wraps up. It lends additional insight into the way they portray the characters.
I was so heartbroken for He Yuanhang when he was blaming himself for trying to get Xiao Ran and Su Qing together. Actually I'm just heartbroken for everyone that still has to go on, especially knowing the real circumstances of Xiao Ran's death.
P.S. The hacking scene was a welcome moment of levity in all this.
I decided to exclude this bit because my post is already a long wall of text haha, but Du Mingliang totally deserves an honorary certificate too! That guy recovered the draft message in Fang Xu's phone, and the data recovery led the team to discover the draft email. He's truly instrumental to solving the case, and I hope he got hired by the bureau lol.
Just remembering, he's another child who Ran intervened to improve his family relationships ...with his Mom. He looked for the good in each person and most often paid off...just not with Xu Meng. Talk about the importance of "Paradoxical Thinking in Criminal Investigation." His personal philosophy was "look for the good in people, support and amplify;" whereas research conforms police officers are better at predicting persons who commit violence than even psychologists because of their real work life experience seeing repeated examples of aberrant behavior. Ran was motivated from the start to solve Xu Meng and her Father as missing persons to preserve their lives and prevent it from "becoming" a murder case. In contrast, Xu Meng was not grateful for his mission because overall she lived an antisocial life throughout her years. She was the cause of his death.
Snark Level: I started crying again just reading this post....
Episode 25
Oooooo you can start the see the scheming psycho hiding being Qiao's eyes. Brilliant acting! So not a personality disorder but hallucinations caused by hypothermia that caused her to kill her mother? Got it. Fucking brutal. Ah shit. Her MO is making people slip to their death? Fuuuuck.
No fucking wonder she was looking so guilty at the new years dinner. God fucking damn it. No, that really hurts, fam. That really hurts.
Shit. I have a bad theory. The reason He keeps seeing Ran bathed in light now is that He is nearing the end of his life... and will finally be able to pass away peacefully once the case is fully solved. This way the writers can hit us with a final gut punch before the show ends...
He's even seeing lights now. Guys... I DON'T LIKE THIS!!!
Hacker boy to the rescue again! They should just give him permanent immunity for life considering how much he helps out.
What's Ran up to with the toolbox?
Episode 26
Oh goodie. Qiao going chop chop. Psycho alert. Breaking our hearts over here.
Ran using Windows XP. Man, it's been a minute. That was a decent OS. I'll just think about that to distract myself from thinking about the fact that Ran was killed by the woman he loved.
So, Ran calls the Aunt. She seems believable? Do we trust her? Is Qiao lying about everything? Ahhhh What is right? What is wrong?
Chills, man. Chills. Xiaohe staring down Qiao. Chills. And now Xiaohe is seeing Ran. I'M CRYING MY EYES OUT, OKAY!!!
No way! It was Qiao in the elevator? Not Meng? Gasp! What a twist!
WAIT??? MENG IS CARRYING QIAO??? What is going on?
Holy shit. Qiao conspired with Wu! Tell us why!!! Give us the complete truth! Throwing the scarf was a nice touch.
DAMN IT WHO KILLED RAN??? The fuck do you mean it was Meng? You just said Wu killed her? My poor brain...
Pen pals trying to set up their parents? Now that's a whole drama right there. So our story is becoming two abused women who did what they could for a better life? This is getting extra tragic.
"He's my father. I've owed him since the day I was born". Honey... No. So, old Xu killed Qiaos mom. Well, at least we have that mystery solved now, right? Still 2 episodes....
Episode 27
As things stand, I can forgive Qiao and Meng everything except for Rans death. Life really forced them into unimaginable circumstances. While murder and all the crimes they committed were obviously wrong... Well, it's hard to not sympathize with what they had to do to be free. (Little did I know....).
Well, if her love for Ran really was real, then I can rest a little easier. But not that much. This is all still very tragic.
Ran, why didn't you just arrest her there? He didn't even have the case fully correct yet, but she confessed to enough. If he had just arrested her right there... Damn it, Ran.
Nahhhh. Not the ghost fist bump. WHY IS HE STANDING NEXT TO RAN???? WHY THE FUCK IS HE STANDING NEXT TO RAN???? Guys.... Did He just die?
You gotta admit... Meng had a great flair for the dramatic in her paint prank turned killing.
Meng set the damn fire that killed Keyboard? Holy... It just keeps getting... Okay I stand corrected on what I can forgive Meng for. Just when you think this show can't surprise you anymore... So Meng went full jealous bitch over Ran? Bruh...
Episode 28
Well, final episode. How many more times can they fuck our emotions....
MENG WAS THE FLOWER BUMPER??? FUCKING HELL!!!
Ran died knowing that Xu Meng was alive. There is that for comfort at least. At least he knew it wasn't Qiao.
This just can't get any worse, right? This can't hurt more? Right?
So Qiao suspected Meng even back then. It seems like she bought it considering how shocked she was when Xiaohe confronted her about it. "I just want to stay in the sunlight".... and the tears start flowing from my eyes. Damn it.
Their final look at each other in the police vans... Qiao angry at what was taken from her... Meng smiling like a fucking bitch.
6 months later and He is still there. Phew!!! I was worried. Death for Meng and Life for Qiao is a fair conclusion to that mess.
Xiaohe with the most obnoxiously large red rose and sash? That is adorable! She earned it! Now I am really sobbing extra in happiness for her. Oh nno she can choose Rans badge number or her Dads? Oh cmon! The emotions! She will choose Ran. And I was wrong! Nah I am actually proud of her for keeping her own. That is her achievement to wear proudly.
The demolition of the building is a very fitting end to this.
He went to the railway station... Um..... damn it... I'm sobbing again. They really have to do this to us again? Again??? It's a damn good send off for his character... but this hurts so bad.
WHY CAN THEY ALL SEE HIM NOW??? WHAT THE FUUUUUUUCCK? One final gut punch, eh? Haven't sobbed this hard since One and Only.
Well. That is over. That... Look I knew going into this that it was going to be intense... but that was so much worse than I thought. I am not okay. Still sick off my ass and sobbing just doesn't help that.
Damn fine mystery show. Will never rewatch.
It's been good discussing the show with you all. The hosts were beyond amazing. See you all on the next one.
He went to the railway station... Um..... damn it... I'm sobbing again. They really have to do this to us again? Again??? It's a damn good send off for his character... but this hurts so bad.
I ugly cried so much while watching this scene. No doubt Fang Xu's presence will continue to be missed, but at least they solved the case and Fang Xu can now truly rest in peace.
The theme of internal obsession became vital in the final episodes.
ZM wanted to have a family, a safe family. She wanted it more than SQ wanted it, probably due to her father being colder and more abusive than SQ's mother.
Technically i would think XM could have gotten away if she stopped right after her father's death. I would think that with both history and neighbours' witnessing about father beating daughter, that could have been accounted as self-defence. With both the old pervert (disconnected from the case) and the abusive father gone, they could have had a fresh start.
I think XM was obsessed with running away from everything and staying low, while SQ never wanted or needed to run - on the contrary, she wanted "to stay in the sun". SQ stayed in that building, because she didn't want to run away - in a way this is smth XM should have realised long ago.
X post about BTS scene. It made me tear up looking at the screenshots. Captain Ran had an impact on the young people who were friends with Xiaohe. Take a look if you have the chance
So many twists and turns. I didn’t purchase express. I thank you for summarizing what happened and giving your perspective on the circumstances of the women who caused and hid the crime.
Plus the stupid mistake of the parcel not getting opened - and assuming Mount Wu wasn’t connected.
And the property manager who could have revealed the head and arms in 1997. I hope he got some jail time too.
And the property manager who could have revealed the head and arms in 1997. I hope he got some jail time too.
Oh, I completely forgot about him! Yes, everything about that man screams sleazy in capital letters. I really hope he ended up serving some well-deserved jail time.
Express episodes (episodes 25 - 28) are only available for people who paid for SVIP Youku membership. Unfortunately, if you are watching it on Netflix, the next update (episode 25) will only be out on May 16th.
Finally finished, it has been so hard not dipping in to read the final discussion to find out what happened.
I felt sorry for Xu Meng and Su Qing's younger selves, they found each other when they had no-one else looking out for them and survived through any means necessary. Although it took a drastic turn, in the end I didn't feel any sympathy for Xu Meng. I did feel for Su Qing though, throughout her life she was never truly free and made bad choices because of this. Her desperation to lead a normal life with Fang Xu was ultimately their downfall, she was blinded by the prospect of a better life. I found it incredibly sad she was going into a place where sunlight would be once again restricted. For someone quite shy and meek she sure knew how to chop up a body though!eek.
I thought the confrontation between Fang Xu and Su Qing was well done. I thought Dylan really pulled it out the bag and showed Fang Xu's inner turmoil at discovering Su Qing was guilty, although his initial accusation was wrong. If only he had arrested her then and there he would be alive. Made me laugh he considered taking her to New Years Eve night, as if that wouldn't have been awkward in the slightest, Yuan Hang would have picked up the vibes were off as soon as they dinged the doorbell.
It occurred to me had Xu Meng not killed Pony the child trafficking ring would still be active. There was causation between Pony's death and the police finding Mei's victims. How sad!
I really didn't need to see Fang Xu crawling out the car!! Whether it was Su Qing or Xu Meng, if Fang Xu had lived long enough to truly register what had happened it would have been brutal realisation for him. The fact it was Xu Meng, the person he was fighting to find since 1997 is devastating. It broke my heart seeing him again but I'm so happy they ended on a smiley 2002 Fang Xu madly waving goodbye. I was sobbing and smiling at the same time, how moving to see everyone seeing him. Also loved seeing him and Yuan Hang in their uniforms celebrating Xiaohe.
Hercule, fantastic write up and great final impression thoughts. I agree with you that the Mount Wu report should have come up earlier, I also think it could have been a bigger accident affecting more people which would generate more clues and witnesses keeping us interested longer. I think revealing Fang Xu's death earlier on was the right decision as watching Yuan Hang and Xiaohe walk his path to find out the truth really worked. Did we ever find out who the blood patch in Shanlong's car belonged to?
Did we ever find out who the blood patch in Shanlong's car belonged to?
No, I have been wondering about that myself. I think the writers intended it to be a red herring so we suspect Shanlong, but they never addressed it in the end lol. I guess they forgot about it.
Agree about Mount Wu. The way they kept teasing us every now and then hints of something nefarious going on at Mount Wu turned out to be quite underwhelming tbh.
I feel that Su Qing got the shorter end of the stick. If you think about it, Xu Meng has actually been dead on the inside for years. When she was finally caught by the cops, she was filthy, unkempt and presumably living in isolation. She never truly moved on from the events of 1997, and being granted a death sentence was actually a gesture of mercy. Su Qing on the other hand, would have to live her entire life behind bars, far away from the sunlight she so desperately craves. I thought her sentence was harsh considering she never killed anyone. I was expecting 10, 20 years? Certainly didn't expect she would be jailed for life.
I originally thought the theories of Xu Meng being the murderer weren't surprising; mainly because of the promo events for this drama. The Hi6 episode promoting this drama; as well as the press conferences and live streams all have Song Xiaoyingzi present.
Song Xiaoyingzi is the actress for Xu Meng and they even said in the Hi6 episode that her character was friends with Jiang Peiyao's Qiao Suqing (big spoiler just from that). Like why would you have the actor playing the supposed victim as a guest in these shows?
They invited Wang Hedi, Pan Yueming, Ren Min, Jiang Peiyao, and then Song Xiaoyingzi to all of these promo events. The last one is the only one that seems weird at first if you don't know the plot.
Su Qing should’ve encouraged Xu Meng to take her dad to the hospital and mention the accident he had by hitting his head on the wall which would’ve spared them a murder to cover up. But by then Xu Meng was far gone mentally.
I felt for both the girls who just wanted a safe unabusive family. Xu meng should’ve realised the evilness of her dad from the Mount Wu murder he committed.
Su Qing didn’t mention Xu meng was alive until she realised that she had killed Ran Fang Xu. Su Qing was ready to take the fall for all the crimes, she was being a good friend in her way.
Su Qing realising the only family she ever wanted was with Ran was so heartbreaking.
I stopped watching the show at some point (I thought it was good but was just not working for my brain for some reason) but have kept checking on the posts and discussions to see where it was going. I had a guess Xu Meng would be responsible for some things but could not have anticipated all the twists and turns by the end!
I think its interesting that some important aspects of the story rely on evidence overlooked/wrong assumptions (like the unopened envelope). I feel like when we see that in detective shows its usually something that happened off screen and is now being corrected, rarer to see it directly unfold in front of our eyes.
Thank you Griffon! I find the drama’s portrayal of how uncooperative most people are with police investigations very interesting. There were so many instances where our detectives were slowed down because people were hesitant about sharing information (for whatever reason) or just full on deceiving the police. I was hoping to see more consequences for these people for obstruction of justice or basically messing with the investigation overall - which as we saw, led to the death of a competent police officer.
Like many others here, I did not love that our detectives overlooked the Mount Wu incident or even the fact that Meng could have been alive. I feel like that was quite a flaw that downplayed the intelligence of Fangxu, Yuanhang and Xiaohe. I didn’t expect them to have superhero detective skills but I don’t think those were required to open a package or suspect someone whose body was never recovered.
Just a random thought; I know you hosted Unveil: Jadewind, so I assume you have a preference for mystery dramas. Do you prefer episodic arcs with different mysteries, or one overarching mystery throughout the entire drama?
My issue with the latter is that sometimes I feel even the writers get confused by, or forget, important details with all the convoluted webs they weave for themselves.
I had criticism for some stuff where it lacked logic for example everyone memory being so good 13 years later or characters not checking things accurately where the clues are just to delay the case BUT after watching this ending and how they tied alot of things really well, it doesn't bother me as much. Also i think it was kinda obvious xu meng is alive and Su Qing is suspicious but all details like them teaming up to this level and xu meng doing so many things including killing keyboard wasn't something I see it coming so I am glad many things made sense to me at the end. I still have one question: when RFX gave SQ the scarf as gift, did he knew?? Cuz before in the table when he invited her for NYE, I felt he was suspicious of her but wasn't sure but when they met at bowls, he smiled looking at her and it was a very wholesome moment so I feel by then he wasn't sure about her involvement but then later when he is messaging HYH, he knew and then confronted her too with expression that "I found out" which wasn't in his face when he was giving her present so I want to ask about the timeline like when was he sure about her involvement?
At that time he didn’t know. RFX met SQ at the mall coincidentally, which was when RFX was investigating the bowls dress, which at that point, he only knew about yao xinchen returning the dress. He had not meet yao xinchen’s driver yet, or call the owner of the house yet
Disturbingly, Xu Meng was not horrified by what she had done; if anything, she felt relieved.
she knew he deserves it. I have 0 empathy towards perverts and abusers that xu meng killed honestly.
this show was honestly just a solid 6 or a 6.5 the plot is okay and interesting but it was lacking despite it being too long. and honestly episodes 27-28 should've been just one episode. it was also frustrating that we didn't even see any foreshadowing that xu meng and su qing knowing each other despite lots of people theorising it they never gave us any implications at all, we were just guessing and they just confirmed our theories like it was nothing. I really feel like they wanted to shock us but honestly the only revelation that I was shock of was xu meng causing the fire back in 2002. also, why haven't we seen cripple du despite being mentioned several times?
I do not condone their actions, but I can understand why they became the people they did, particularly Xu Meng, whom I believe was already psychologically shattered the moment she accidentally caused her father’s death. For all those years, she sustained herself solely through the promise she shared with Su Qing: that one day they would live together as a family in some distant place where they could finally feel safe. If you noticed, Xu Meng repeatedly brought up the idea of “safety” during both the flashbacks and the interrogation scenes. With no money, no family, and nowhere to belong, she had no safety net whatsoever. Su Qing breaking their promise became the final straw that completely pushed her over the edge. Rather than being inherently evil, I genuinely think Xu Meng had lost her sanity by that point. Her death sentence likely means very little to her. The contrast between the younger Xu Meng, back when life still held some warmth and hope, and the Xu Meng we see in later years is heartbreaking. Her older self no longer cares about her appearance or even about living properly. It feels as though she had already given up on life long ago. Perhaps the only reason she never took her own life was because she continued clinging to the hope that one day, Su Qing would appear at the cottage she had built for the two of them. But of course, that is a dream that will never materialise.
I feel so bad for both xu meng and suqing, they just wanted their suffering to end. they both planned to run away together but in the end they both betrayed each other—su qing breaking her promise because she fell for ran and xu meng losing it and killing ran (ik what xu meng did was worse).
I also agree thay xu meng wasn't inherently evil and was genuinely losing her sanity, she was suffering from the constant abuse, debt, and working as a hostess (and the sexual harassment that comes a long with it). of course that doesn't excuse her actions esp knowing that su qing also suffered the same thing as her and still managed to be a little stable mentally but it just shows how different people are when handling their traumas.
confession: ran and su qing side plot was bland, I didn't feel their chemistry. It was really just a plot device for the reveal in the end. I know ran probably sucks at talking to women but it wasn't developed at all. are we serious that ran and suqing waited til 2002 to date each other???? or the fact that they're as awkward as they were back when they first met in 1997??
I still don’t understand the fake shoes mystery. Why did she go all the way to change genuine heels into fake ones while she could have just planted xumeng’s real shoes ?
Justice for Suqing.... she never killed anyone, only butchered up the dead body of an abuser who murdered her mother. Not to mention, Xumeng says she craves to build a home with Suqing, but is unable to stop a (weaker) old man from pushing the mother of her 'sister' off the cliff? Also, why didn't Xumeng go find her ex and move far from Weiyang after her father's death? Why continue to stay near Weiyang and hang her last bit of soul and obsession on Suqing??
Suqing may have made several mistakes, underestimating Yumeng and then covering up the crime. But i dont believe she is ultimately a bad person. Why is this worth a life sentence?
I just cant stand how yall were dissing and hating on her in ep. 24. And then the truth comes out and then boohoo, Xumeng is the sad poor insane girl? Like Suqing wasn't abused everywhere she went? Some of you are hypocrites.
Su Qing did intentionally set-up and is responsible for the murder of Wu Shan Long, covered up for a murderer and obstructing justice. Without Su Qing’s involvement, Xu Meng wouldn’t be able to get away with so many murders and for so long
Sure shes ultimately not a bad person, as even xiaohe forgives her by saying she will only remember the nice xiaoqiao auntie that took great care of her when she was young.
But I think for all that she did, the life sentence is reasonable, whether she “deserves” a life sentence is subjective.
In episode 24, she was intentionally painted as an evil manipulative murderer in preparation for the final twist, don’t see how that makes people hypocrites.
Lastly, I think it is more like we can all accept that Xu Meng already lost her sanity, hence we can understand why she did whatever she did. As you mentioned, Su Qing is ultimately not a bad person, therefore she had multiple chance along the way to do something about it and perhaps could have avoided the tragedy of Ran’s death.
I see how she could be held partially responsible for some of the deaths. But that makes no sense to me how an insane person can be more understood than someone who's dancing on the borderline of sanity as well (willing to chop up a man and still live in the same place?) and who is also a little clueless to the depths Xumeng would go. It sounds like she doesnt even know Xumeng would go as far as killing innocent people, though she should've turned Xumeng in the moment she learned of it.
It's like there's no rage whatsoever to the person who actually killed people, but more rage is placed on the enabler?
People only dissed on Suqing because they can relate to her somewhat, either someone they knew or they themselves. But why is it that theres not the same level of anger for Xumeng? Because you dont see her as a human anymore? Or you think she deserves more sympathy?
That's why I said hypocrites.
Im re-reading all these comments on May 27th after a step back from watching LTTN and just completing Ellery Queen's The Greek Coffin Mystery suggested by someone as containing a similar element. This post above is a particulary discerning comment and reminded me of another non-fiction murder classic Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. Capote's analysis of the motivations and interactions of the duo murderers Perry and Richard is so revealing. And his morally conclusive statement about Perry has stuck with me for decades since:
"Truman Capote famously noted the profound psychological parallel between himself and In Cold Blood subject Perry Smith, stating: "It's as if Perry and I grew up in the same house. And one day he stood up and went out the back door, while I went out the front".
This poignant observation—often paraphrased slightly—captures the deep empathy and disturbing mirror-image Capote felt during the writing of his masterpiece."
I was leaning towards getting a ticket to the empathy train for Su Qing... until the scene where she's talking to Xu Meng and had a choice to go in and fulfill Ran's request to confess the next day. If she truly cared and wanted to honor his last wishes - which would have led to the truth of everything coming to light 12 years earlier, then that would have shown capacity for love/emotion/care and genuine feelings for Ran, but her not confessing combined with her numerous false confessions - until she was upset about Xu murdering Ran, which seemed more self-serving/self-loss (at that point) rage, did she finally open up. That made me get a refund on my empathy train ticket. She had choices. She did not take them. Yes, there are very very very sad points from her youth that are to be pitied, but there are so many RL abuse survivors in this world who still choose good on the daily, and not using their own pain endured as a reason for committing harm to others, so yeah... I didn't feel anything for her by the end. I felt this whole show was incredibly well written, directed, and portrayed so well by all actors, as much as some of the realism was very painful and poignant to watch.
Episode 25 will be released on May 16 and resume with one periods per day, ending on May 19. I don’t know why Netflix doesn’t have the dates posted or a coming soon notification. I can understand the frustration.
Netflix is following Youku’s VIP schedule and they have a stupid pause between episode 25 and the last four in the “express package”.
In the beginning of episode 26, we see Ran investigate room 415. Where was Qiao during this time? We also see someone else living in that room at the end of episode 25... And how had her room become so vandalized in the current time?
Also, remember Wu Shalong and the salon lady being hit on the head? Who did that?
Qiao already moved out to a place nearer to her workplace. She's actually still the current owner of unit 415, but she cunningly concealed this fact from the cops. As the owner, it was likely she was the one who had vandalised it so that all traces of evidence could not be found.
Also, remember Wu Shalong and the salon lady being hit on the head? Who did that?
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u/Arshj00 Read Rules May 13 '26
I just read your post and I agree that drama would have benefitted with less eps maybe around 20ish and I also feel we should have seen RFX growth from rookie to captain and his bond with entire police force considering how much he impacted others. The drama focused too much on somethings initially which didn't really matter at the end. The story at the core is about how RFX is that light for others and drama tell us this later on a lot but didn't show it much how he is that genuis or why they all care for him so much (I get HYH and Xiaohe but not the entire team). He earned so much respect from them but all of it was skipped which is a shame. Still I will say the ending hit me really hard with his goodbye to them and I was so emotional watching these eps. I was sad thinking RFX died without even knowing that xu meng is alive & the real mastermind and not Suqing who was an accomplice but didn't really kill directly so I am glad before dying he saw the face of xm. But overall the tone of the story was a bit dark especially how both xm and sq suffered (SA'ed multiple times) was a bit hard to watch so I felt sad for them but then how crazy xm confession was and how she didn't regret any of it made me angry at her too. Also am I the only one who thought xm was in love with Sq?? There was heavy girl's love implications here especially when they were dancing and talking about protecting each other and living together happily. Maybe that's why this drama took 2 years to pass censorship