Episode 18 recap: Yang Cai Wei and Pan Yue conducted a secret investigation at Xinzhen Academy.
After Pan Yue discovered Yang Cai Wei's identity, he couldn't wait and rushed to her residence. He grabbed her shoulders, wanting to say something but found himself at a loss for words. However, he quickly realized that she was now Shang Guan Zhi, and if her identity was exposed, it could be highly dangerous. So Pan Yue resisted the urge to reveal himself, took two steps back, and at that moment, Zhuo Lanjiang arrived to hurry them along. Pan Yue claimed to have found a case related to the Water Ripple Organization and promised to inform Yang Cai Wei once he made progress.
Late at night, Pan Yue reviewed the situation repeatedly in his mind. Yang Cai Wei had transformed into Shang Guan Zhi, and the figure lying in the ice coffin was indeed Shang Guan Zhi. Shang Guan Zhi had been unexpectedly assassinated by the Water Ripple Organization. It was all because of the Water Ripple Organization that Pan Yue made a firm decision to expose them and bring justice to both Yang Cai Wei and Shang Guan Zhi.
Pan Yue arrived at the room where Yang Cai Wei used to live and looked at the branches she had cut. He urged them to grow quickly, as Yang Cai Wei would be returning soon. Yang Cai Wei was torn about whether to return to the county office, considering that it would be embarrassing for her to do so.
Early in the morning, Pan Yue dressed neatly and waited for Yang Cai Wei to return, worrying that she might not come back. To his surprise, Yang Cai Wei, in her pursuit of the case, was willing to return to the county office despite the circumstances. Everyone was delighted to see Yang Cai Wei. When Pan Yue heard that she had arrived, he pretended to be serious but was actually at a loss for words.
Yang Cai Wei addressed Pan Yue as "Sir," a formal and unfamiliar title that made him feel a bit down. Yang Cai Wei lowered her head to look at the case files, while Pan Yue gazed at the strand of hair that fell on her face, his heart filled with emotions. As Yang Cai Wei focused solely on the case, she regarded Pan Yue's genuine feelings as mockery. Every time she noticed Pan Yue laughing, she felt that he had lost his mind.
Pan Yue decided to visit Xinzhen Academy, and upon hearing this, Yang Cai Wei insisted on accompanying him. During the carriage ride, Pan Yue's demeanor made Yang Cai Wei even more uneasy. When they arrived at Xinzhen Academy, it was apparent that the dean had made proper arrangements. Pan Yue detained him momentarily and gave Yang Cai Wei a signal to inquire about Shen Ci. However, upon hearing Shen Ci's name, people panicked and fled.
There was a room covered in black cloth, which belonged to Chen Fu. The dean explained that the black cloth was used to block the light since Chen Fu had become visually impaired and had difficulty moving around. Pan Yue and Yang Cai Wei wanted to take a look inside, and the dean did not object. Upon leaving, both Yang Cai Wei and Pan Yue felt that something was unusual, so they decided to visit the mountain behind the academy.
Zhuo Lanjiang found the person who had escaped from the prison cell, but he had already been killed. The murderer had an unusual condition on his right shoulder. Zhuo Lanjiang carefully recalled the abnormalities of Sun Zhen and concluded that he was the culprit. He decided to test him. Subsequently, Zhuo Lanjiang ordered someone to closely monitor Sun Zhen and find out what he was up to.
Pan Yue and Yang Cai Wei arrived at the eerie and terrifying back mountain. In the past, Pan Yue used Shang Guan Lan as an excuse, but today he was willing to take her on an adventure.
Fearful of getting lost, Yang Cai Wei marked the path with a knife. Pan Yue deliberately remarked that her knife resembled Yang Cai Wei's embalming knife. Yang Cai Wei quickly hid the knife, saying he was mistaken. After circling around in the woods, they ended up back where they started. Pan Yue, however, was not afraid and believed that someone was deliberately playing tricks.
Yang Cai Wei followed closely behind Pan Yue, and suddenly they heard the sound of water. Before they knew it, Yang Cai Wei was snatched away by creeping vines. Pan Yue rushed forward and rescued her, holding her tightly with lingering fear. Pan Yue soon discovered the mechanism behind the so-called "Ghost Forest."
Yang Cai Wei noticed an unusually fertile patch of soil, suggesting something buried beneath. They started digging and uncovered a complete skeleton with the emblem of Xinzhen Academy nearby. They took the body for examination, but the coroner was unreliable. Yang Cai Wei was determined to find an excuse to examine the body, and Pan Yue wanted to give her the opportunity. They understood each other without speaking.
Pan Yue breathed a sigh of relief only after Yang Cai Wei successfully examined the body. He quietly waited outside, preparing a table of delicious food. Worried that Pan Yue might treat Yang Cai Wei unfairly, Zhuo Lanjiang also brought a table of food, overshadowing Pan Yue's preparations.
After dinner, Zhuo Lanjiang escorted Yang Cai Wei with great care, leaving Pan Yue feeling even more melancholic. Zhuo Lanjiang asked Yang Cai Wei if she had been troubled, but she quickly denied it, only feeling that Pan Yue had been acting strangely that day.
Pan Yue, who missed Yang Cai Wei, became jealous of Zhuo Lanjiang's concern, while Zhuo Lanjiang felt that Yang Cai Wei's heart had already been occupied by Pan Yue. Bai Xiaosheng saw Pan Yue drinking alone and went to buy tangyuan for him. However, he encountered a repulsive thug. Pan Yue stepped forward and grabbed the thug's neck, while Bai Xiaosheng was afraid Pan Yue would kill him, so she just let the thug go.
Bai Xiaosheng's mood was off, and Zhuo Lanjiang didn't ask anything. Bai Xiaosheng talked about her background, how she lost her father at a young age, and her mother was a gambler. One day, her mother said she was taking her to visit a cousin who would provide for them. Bai Xiaosheng was happy, but upon arrival, she realized her mother had sold her for ten silver coins.
Later, Bai Xiaosheng managed to escape, begged on the streets, and started a small business. She paid ten times the price to get back her identity contract. Her mother's easy abandonment made Bai Xiaosheng more convinced that money was the only thing that couldn't escape. Zhuo Lanjiang listened quietly, gave her a piece of candy for comfort.
The next day, based on Yang Cai Wei's hint, the coroner revealed that the deceased had received dental work with traces of mercury. Yang Cai Wei and Pan Yue followed the lead to a dental clinic and discovered that the body was actually Shen Ci! But if this body was Shen Ci, then who was in the prison cell?
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