It was Uncle Chen's granddaughter who was kidnapped
Uncle Chen has always refused to give in to evil-doers,
so he didn't pay the ransom
You tried to stop me from paying the ransom. You'd rather watch her die
Xiaoyu died because of you
I'm sorry
I just want to know if my sister is well
That's all
The doctor says... I have cervical cancer
If I could know that you've found a good man and you're happy,
I'd have no regrets
When we were together,
was my temper unbearable?
What's with you? Why are you saying all this?
Wenjie...
I still love you
I know we've split up,
but I still can't get over us
Can we start over?
Anni, I...
You don't have to give me an answer right away
I'll give you time to think it over
You can give me an answer after that, okay?
Okay
Are you hungry? Want to order something?
Sure
Excuse me, menu please
The wine...
You want some? -Sure
Of course we're going to celebrate
In a couple of days, when I've settled things,
we'll all go out for a drink
I was lucky - they couldn't find enough evidence
So they let me go
Yeah, they couldn't do anything to me
That's settled, then
Bye
The money is under my bed in my parents' home
A LIFE FOR A LIFE
Vivian
What have we got?
At the moment I'd say the time of death was between four and six hours ago
The victim's carotid artery was severed with a sharp weapon
He bled to death
Did he die instantly?
No
The killer seems to have held a deep grudge against the victim
He didn't kill him at once
He let him die a slow, painful death
Ma'am, I've spoken to the residents nearby
The victim moved here only recently so they didn't know him well
And around the time of death, no one witnessed what happened
-What about security? -The guard was having lunch
He didn't see anyone coming in or out
The killer was smart - he broke the CCTV camera
Check if there are other CCTV cameras around
Okay
Ma'am, we've searched the area
We didn't find the weapon. The killer must have taken it
Tan Xinde, aged 42. His parents died when he was a child
He had no siblings and no contact with his relatives
He had always lived alone
When he was young, he was involved in fights, theft and other crimes
Five years ago, he was charged for his involvement in a kidnapping
That was the kidnapping of Uncle Chen's granddaughter
Recently, due to lack of evidence, he was released
In summary, he wasn't a good man
And he was cunning
He'd been released less than a week. He didn't look for a job
We checked his phone logs - he called some friends, that's all
How was he doing financially?
He owed many people money before he went to jail
That's how he made enemies
They would have come after him when he got out
Who was his biggest creditor?
-Chief Hong -Hong Lida?
Where's Uncle Chen?
I couldn't get hold of him. I left him a message to call me back
That's strange
It's not like Uncle Chen to just vanish
Could he be...
Could he be what?
Tan Xinde's dead, and now Uncle Chen's missing
At the same time
Is there some connection?
Uncle Chen would never do something like that
I didn't mean that
It was just a guess. Sorry
We're on the same team
What would Uncle Chen think if he heard you?
We have more important things to do
-Like what? -Lunch. I'm buying
Mr Guo, Mr Hong is waiting
Guo Yongyan's here
-You're here too? -Yeah. Here for lunch?
I'm meeting my dad for lunch
You guys come here a lot?
This is our first time
I hear the vegetarian food here is good
-What's good? -This isn't bad
Yongyan
The chief would like to invite your friends to join us
Do you mind?
No. Let's go say hello
Let me introduce you
This is my friend Ms Zhao Anni, and her colleague Jason
This is my dad
-Nice to meet you -Hello
Will you join us?
Sure
Thank you
You're Yongyan's friend?
Are you married?
-Not yet -Why are you asking, Dad?
Relax
You might scare Anni
Ms Anni doesn't mind
If she did, she'd say so
It's fine. You can ask me anything
How long have you known each other?
A few months?
How did you meet?
I believe he came to my rescue
That left a deep impression
Dad, it's not what you think
You don't have to explain. I didn't say anything
So Ms Anni, who else is there in your family?
Who are you living with?
I live with my parents
We're a middle-class family, and I'm an only child
-And what do you do? -I'm a police officer
That's not a bad occupation
I think so too
May I ask you some questions?
Go ahead
Have you seen this man?
His name is Tan Xinde. He died yesterday
I don't know him
Look closely
You can't possibly have forgotten a man who owes you over $100,000
Ms Anni, many people owe me money
Surely I can't be expected to remember all of them
Then I hope you don't mind me asking...
Where were you and what were you doing between 1 pm and 2 pm yesterday?
I was at home
I may not be a rich man,
but I wouldn't kill someone just for $100,000
Still, Mr Hong, I've heard of your style
No one who owes you money comes to a good end
Anni!
My dad retired a long time ago
He no longer handles the company's affairs
I see
I was just wondering. I hope you didn't mind
We've not caught the killer yet,
but he's not getting off scot-free
Thank you for lunch
I'm afraid we must go
I hope to lunch with you again
Dad, I have to make a call
Anni!
Go get the car
If you're going to tell me off, I understand
I want to apologize
What for?
I know my dad
He'd rather not have any dealings with the police
You're not angry that I spoke to him that way?
You were doing your job
Given his past, it's natural that he's a suspect
But he really has retired
He doesn't handle the company's affairs anymore
If you've any more questions, you can come to me
For a homicide?
If you don't mind revealing facts about the case,
I'd be glad to help
But for this case, I think we should keep our distance
You're a suspect's son after all
I don't want any misunderstandings
I understand
Thank you for that
I should go
Ma'am...
Should we have done that?
Dr Guo wouldn't mind. He understands it's our job
-I didn't mean him -What, then?
Chief Hong may have retired,
but he still has a lot of influence among the gangs
Did we just put him on his guard?
I wanted to provoke him
If he's guilty, he's going to act
-Put eyes on him -Okay
Have we found Uncle Chen?
We still can't get hold of him
You don't suspect him, do you?
Have you known him long?
We've been on the same team since I joined the force
It's been years
Uncle Chen has always been a good, responsible cop
I'm sure he wouldn't kill for revenge
I do hope so
Keep calling him
Hi, Dad
I'm sorry
What happened at the restaurant was unexpected
How did you meet that policewoman?
You like her?
We're just friends
How did you meet?
Through work
She consults me on the psychological issues of offenders
I'd like you to keep things that way. Don't get any closer
Don't worry
She's not interested in me anyway
We're not on the same side after all
You've never been involved in the company's affairs,
but you're a part of the Hong family all the same
I don't want you to get too close to a cop
I'm sure she'd want to avoid that even more
I do wish you'd find a girlfriend soon,
but this is not the one
I understand
Ma'am?
Uncle Chen
Come in
Have a seat
-I'll get you some water -Don't trouble yourself
Sorry about the mess
It's okay
You took two days' sick leave. Are you feeling better?
I'm still a little unwell
Ma'am, I'd like to take two more days off
Sure. I'll arrange it
Thank you
We couldn't get hold of you all day yesterday
We were worried
I'm so sorry. I left my phone at home when I went out
Is something wrong?
Tan Xinde was killed. Did you know?
He was killed?
Do we know who did it?
We're still on it
No one escapes divine judgment after all
He's done so much evil. I think he got his just deserts
Uncle Chen...
Where were you yesterday?
I was at home all day
Ma'am, I know what you're thinking
But don't worry
I wouldn't do something like that
Of course I trust you
Thank you
Well, I'm glad to see that you're okay
I'll let you rest, then
Okay
Uncle Chen...
Go easy on the drink
I will
The number you have dialled is not available
Please try again later
You're still here?
So are you. Some coffee to perk you up
Thanks
You're still looking at Tan Xinde's case?
Do you know who was in charge of the kidnapping case five years back?
I could find out
It caused quite a stir but the details are a blur now
I remember...
When Tan Xinde was brought to the station and they took his statement,
he confessed to planning the entire kidnapping
He had three accomplices
But he didn't give us their names
I remember that
When he was brought to court,
he went back on his statement
He claimed he had been coerced at the station
Something's not right
I'll dig up the case file
We'll see if there's anything we could use
Good idea
You're not going home?
-What time is it? -10.30
I had a date!
I'll tidy up for you
Thanks
-I'm off. Bye -Bye
Wenjie, I'm sorry. I forgot the time
-You waited long? -It's okay
I'll have what he's having
Thanks
Why didn't you call me?
I didn't want to interrupt your work
I asked you out to talk about us
You've made your decision in just three days?
I think the most important thing for a couple is to feel comfortable with each other
I don't want you to change for me
That wouldn't be good for either of us
So you mean...
I think...
maybe we're not right for each other
I understand
I just wanted to know if you thought that way about me at all
If you'd said yes, I don't know what I would have done
Really?
What's past is past
I'm not the sort who can't let go
I know our personalities clash
We were always fighting over nothing, weren't we?
It's less stressful being friends
I'm glad you think that
Could you be less tactful?
I've just been rejected by you
If people found out...
It'd be so embarrassing
Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me
Right. I'm paying for all your drinks tonight
Of course. You have to compensate me for my loss
What loss?
You're asking me?
I lost sleep the past few nights thinking about our future
-You're exaggerating -I'm not
So compensate me
Okay...
Mum?
You're still up?
What are you doing?
There's a hole in your dad's trousers
I thought I'd mend them for him so he can keep wearing them
Don't bother. Just get him new ones
Your dad loves this pair of trousers
He can't bear to throw them away
But you shouldn't be staying up so late
It's bad for you
Don't worry, I'll be fine
I'll do that
You know why your dad loves these trousers so much?
Why?
We bought them when we were holidaying in China
I have a pair too. They're matching
You're still all lovey-dovey?
Here you go
Mum, have you told Dad about your condition?
I was going to yesterday
But when I thought of how sad he'd look,
I couldn't say a word
Some things are really hard to say
It's like Wenjie and me
There's really no chance you'll get back together?
You don't love him anymore?
It doesn't matter if I do
It's all right
Take things as they come
Uncle Chen! You're back
Yeah
I have to step out for a bit
Go ahead
Uncle Chen
Feeling better?
It was just a cold. I'm fine
Uncle Chen, Tan Xinde was...
I know about that. You have any leads?
No. We've not made much progress
Right
Ma'am -Morning
How are you feeling, Uncle Chen?
I'm fine
Ma'am, we have the names of the people who contacted Tan Xinde
We need to talk to them
Ma'am, is there anything I can do?
Uncle Chen, it wouldn't be proper for you to take part in this investigation
I understand
I'll go work on case files
-Time for our meeting -Yes, ma'am
Hello. What can I do for you?
Is David in?
I'm David
Police
What is it, officer?
Do you know a Tan Xinde?
No
We checked his phone logs
You spoke to him for five minutes over the phone three days ago
So do you know him?
Oh, you mean De?
Yeah, I called him
What did you talk about?
Nothing special. I asked him out for a chat over coffee
If it was just a chat, why did you say you didn't know him?
Officer...
I call him De
I don't know his full name
That okay for you?
De was killed
If we should need your help during our investigation,
please get the facts straight
Sure
Anything else, officer?
If there's nothing else...
I've work to do
Hello. We're the police
Is Mr Zhou Mingxian in?
Just a moment, please
Hello, Mr Zhou
I'm Senior Inspector Zhao Anni of the Major Crime Division
This is my colleague
-I'm Liu Ziliang -Hello
-Have a seat -Thank you
How can I help you?
Tan Xinde was killed the day before yesterday. I'm sure you know about that
I do. We were good friends
We met up after he got out of prison
When was the last time you saw him?
It was... three days ago
We had lunch together
What did you talk about?
Nothing special
It was ordinary chit-chat
He asked me for a loan
What for?
I didn't ask
I assumed it was because he had just been released
I lent him a few hundred dollars
You lent him the money without even asking what it was for?
As I said, we were good friends
And it wasn't a lot of money
During your chat,
did you notice anything unusual about him?
Or did you talk about...
anything unpleasant?
No
We had some beer and...
we talked about the past
Do you know anyone who would want him dead?
All right
If you think of anything, call me
Thank you
The police came about De
What now?
I know. They were here too
Don't worry
Just act like you don't know a thing
They won't find any evidence
A LIFE FOR A LIFE
Ma'am
This is the information on the kidnapping of Uncle Chen's granddaughter five years ago
Have a look
There were three suspects apart from Tan Xinde
Zhou Mingxian, Hu Jinteng and David
It so happens that after Tan Xinde got out of prison,
all three of them contacted him
When I questioned David yesterday,
he tried to hide the fact that he had met up with Tan Xinde
It was suspicious
What else have you found?
In 2004, David started a business with friends and lost a lot of money
His friend ran off leaving him with the debts
Now he has his own garage
We spoke to Zhou Mingxian yesterday
He's now the owner of a furniture company
Looks like they got quite a lot of money from the kidnapping
I don't suppose this has anything to do with Uncle Chen?
I'm just guessing
Hello?
Got it
What is it?
David's dead
Ma'am, I've examined the body
At this point, I'd say the victim died between 1 am and 3 am
He was struck in the head and the back with an axe
He bled to death
The killer's methods are similar to the Tan Xinde case
Could it be the same killer?
We can't be sure yet
I asked the rest
They haven't found any weapon
We'll widen the search area and keep looking
The victim's phone and wallet are missing too
The other thing that's similar to the Tan Xinde case is...
The killer's targets may be the suspects of the kidnapping five years ago
The killer may be out for revenge
We'll proceed on that assumption
Post a guard on Zhou Mingxian and Tiger if necessary
Yes, ma'am
Jason
Tan Xinde and David...
were both suspected of kidnapping and killing Uncle Chen's granddaughter
They've both been killed
Do you still believe Uncle Chen had nothing to do with this?
I do
Uncle Chen would never do something like this
He's a good cop
All right
I hope it isn't him
But before we know the truth,
we can't discount the possibility
So be very discreet
Look into him privately. Don't let anyone know
Are you okay, boss?
I'm fine. I was pricked, that's all
-Tissue paper -Thanks
I'm okay. Go back to work
Xuezhi? What is it?
Wenjie, I saw another image!
Stay calm. What did you see?
-Someone was attacking your mum -What?
I called your home but no one picked up
I'm worried about her
Wenjie
-Good morning, Lan -Morning
You have any more lychees?
You're too late. They're sold out
My son Wenjie loves lychees
You could look in the new market. They should still have lychees
-All right. Thanks -Don't mention it
The new market?
Oh dear...
All right, then. I'll go
Wenjie loves lychees
Xuezhi, where are you? I'm at the market
I just got here. Where are you?
I see you. Wait there
Xuezhi!
Well?
My mum should be here, but I can't find her anywhere
What do we do?
You said you saw my mum being attacked
Do you remember where she was?
Let me think
I saw an alley
There was...
There was graffiti on the wall
What did it look like?
I'm not sure
A skull! I saw a skull!
Is this the one?
It's the one
Come
Mum!
-Auntie! -Mum! Mum!
Call an ambulance
Mum!
-BP reading? -210 over 120
Mum, hang in there
Don't worry
Your mum will be fine
It's all my fault
This wouldn't have happened if I'd got there in time
No one wanted this to happen
I should thank you
If you hadn't called,
I daren't imagine what would have happened to her
It was the least I could do
Take this
What is it?
A safety charm
I believe it has kept me safe all this time
And now...
In the same way it has protected me,
I hope it'll protect your mum
Thank you
Hello, Anni?
My mum's in the hospital
They're operating on her
-I'll be there when I'm done here -Ma'am
Bye
Ma'am
The victim bled to death when his aorta was slashed with a sharp weapon
The killer's methods are similar to the previous two cases
It should be the same perpetrator
The time of death is about an hour ago
He looks familiar
I understand there was a witness. We should nab the killer very soon
The witness is Wenjie's mum
They're operating on her at the hospital
Is Wenjie okay?
I just spoke to him. He said he was coping
Let me know if you need help
Thanks
I'll write up my report
Jason, have we identified him?
He's connected to the kidnapping case too
He's Tiger
No wonder he looked familiar
Ma'am, I've questioned the people living nearby
Apart from Wenjie's mother,
no one saw what happened
This is a secluded alley. What was she doing here?
She wouldn't pass through here on the way to the market
I understand...
this is a shortcut to the new market
Maybe she was on her way there
There's a new market?
Yes. It opened more than a month ago
It doesn't look like there's CCTV in this alley
Could you check if the other streets do?
Yes, ma'am
Jason...
Did you see Uncle Chen at the station?
-He's taken the day off -Again?
Is there a problem?
Don't you find it odd?
He's never here when there's a homicide
It does feel odd
But I'm sure Uncle Chen wouldn't kill anyone
When you get hold of him, tell him to call me
Yes, ma'am
The patient sustained injuries to the pons and medulla, which led to a haemorrhage
Fortunately, there was no pressure on the nerve cord
We managed to remove all the blood clots in the operation
But the patient is still unconscious
She is still in critical condition
The next few days are crucial
Thank you
She's going to be fine...
She's going to be fine
I hope so
Penny? What is it?
But I'm at the hospital
Can't this wait?
Go if you have to
I'll call when my mum comes round
All right, then
I'm coming
Take care. I'll be back later
Go on
Have you found Uncle Chen?
I still can't get hold of him
Did you check his flat?
He's not at home
His neighbour saw him leave the house early in the morning
What's going on with him?
It might be something he can't talk about
We'll know when we find him
Keep looking
Will do
Wenjie...
Try not to worry too much. Your mum will be fine
Who did this to my mum?
We're on it
We suspect the killer is exacting revenge for a kidnapping five years ago
Your mum may have witnessed the killing
That's why she was attacked
Do you have a suspect?
We're not sure yet
How come?
We do suspect someone, but we have no evidence
You have to catch the killer
We will
Try not to worry
I should get back to the station
Call me as soon as your mum comes round
I will. Go
-Hi... -You were here all night?
I couldn't leave my mum alone here
The doctor said these two days were crucial
It's been 24 hours and she hasn't come round
I'm worried
Don't be
Your mum is such a good person
Heaven is watching over her
You know...
My parents separated when I was a kid
All these years, it's been just my mum and me
I know her dearest wish is to see my sister again
And I promised her I would find Huixin
But I can't even do that
I've failed her
Don't think about that
Go home and rest
I'll look after her
I'm not tired
If you fall ill, who will look after her?
I know you're worried
But it won't help for you to stay here
Listen to me
Go home and rest
All right
Call me immediately if there's anything
Thank you
Mum!
I'm home
I'm Huixin
I'm really home
Open your eyes and look at me
I remember when I was little,
I loved your cooking
No matter how busy you were at work,
you would come home and make dinner for me
I still remember...
whenever Wenjie and I fought,
whether I was right or wrong,
you would take my side
Mum...
I really am Huixin
I'm home
I've wanted to come home all this time
I just never had the chance
Now I'm right here
Don't keep sleeping. Wake up, Mum!
Mum! Wake up!
Mum!
Mum?
Mum, can you hear me?
Doctor!
She responded
Mum? Mum?
Mum!
Doctor, how is she?
Not to worry. The patient just woke up
But she's still weak and she needs rest
You can see her now but don't stay too long
Thank you
Mum, you're finally awake
I still feel dizzy, though
Was Huixin here?
Mum...
I'm home
I'm Huixin
You're Huixin?
I'm sorry
I was afraid to tell you both,
as I'd promised Dad...
never to come back to you
All those years ago,
after Dad took me to the States,
he started a business with friends
We had a comfortable life
But later,
the financial crisis struck
His business failed
He became bankrupt
It was too much for him
He fell ill
We were down and out
He was afraid to come back
He was afraid you'd look down on him
Before he died,
he forbade me to come back to see you
But I missed you both so much
I wanted to come back and see how you were
Mum...
I'm sorry
I should have come back sooner
I've made you worry
Don't be silly
You don't have to apologize
I'm just glad you're back
I'm so glad you're back
I'm sorry...
Sweetheart...
I've missed you so much
Thank you
My mum wouldn't have come around if it weren't for you
I know you pretended to be Huixin to wake her
Thank you
It's not an act
I am Huixin
I'm the sister you've been looking for
Remember this?
Those photographs...
I've kept them all this time
Subtitles: Seki, MediaCorp TV