Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[The Inner Eye] [EP12]

[Detention Center]

So? Did he agree?

[Divorce Agreement]

Are you planning to go through

a litigation process for divorce with Qian Peng?

He'll agree.

How did you convince him?

Everyone has something

they're most afraid of losing.

Even someone as cornered as

him.

Luckily, I know him well.

But he doesn't know me.

Perfect.

Whatever

comes

our way,

at least we can

face it head-on and cut our losses now.

That's the smart move.

Mr. Tang.

What did this marriage

even give me?

I…

I was so looking forward to

that beautiful wedding.

But lately,

I've been calling all my friends, one by one,

to tell them the wedding is off.

Qian Peng's been arrested.

I have to get a divorce.

And I don't want to just end it like this,

but I'm out of options.

You have every right

to choose

the life you want.

You have nothing to apologize for.

So what's next?

Any plans?

I'll figure out

how to pay back

what I owe.

But,

you know

how much it is.

There's something

I need your help with.

What else can I do?

Just tell me.

Here's the thing.

I'm thinking of

switching to non‑litigation work under Attorney Dai.

Please don't get me wrong.

I'm just… I really need the money.

One successful deal

in that area

can pay seven figures.

I know

she

likely won't take me on.

That's why I'm asking you.

Could you put in a word for me?

Don't worry.

I'll speak to her,

but in the end,

it's her decision.

They'll probably

think less of me,

for leaving you

because my own life's a mess.

Being true to yourself is a good thing.

Wanting to

earn more

is only natural.

Don't worry about what others think.

As long as you're happy,

I'll support you.

And I'll be happy for you.

Thank you.

Now.

Left arm up.

Inhale.

Then, exhale

and look up toward the ceiling.

Feel the stretch along your side.

And again, exhale

and look up.

Peilin,

Lin Xiaoyun is hoping to learn from you.

I've mentored her for a few years.

She

is diligent

and easy to work with.

You won't find it a burden to have her with you.

Since the divorce,

it's no secret

my caseload has dropped.

She knows how to read the situation.

And she's got good judgment.

She

is capable

and also quite calculating.

If she trains under me for a year or so,

I guarantee

she could take over

most of my non‑litigation practice.

Ambition is not a bad thing.

We wouldn't be here

without it.

Right?

Honestly,

I've never really liked her.

Too shrewd

for someone so young.

So tell me,

how is it that

she gets out of that whole mess,

and now you show up

to recommend her?

What's the story here?

Guess I'm just

a softie.

She

has your number.

In psychology,

extreme vulnerability

is

a form of control.

You think you're helping her,

but she's the one

really in control.

I actually get where she's coming from.

With all that debt,

if I were in her shoes,

I'd use every resource I had

just to stay afloat.

Her real edge

isn't

her skills.

It's her ambition, and she cuts corners to win.

Whether it's at the Chen Jun Law Firm

or in finance,

she won't take orders for long.

That you're willing to help her

says a lot about you.

Me?

I'll be honest.

With someone like that

around,

I'd squeeze every last drop from her.

It's like the divorce

gave you a new perspective.

I'm doing fine.

Actually, it's the girls' dad who seems

anxious.

The girls tell me that

when they stay

with him,

Qi Wen cooks for them every meal,

trying way too hard

to be the perfect dad.

He's not hoping

to win you back, is he?

I think

what works best

for us now

is to just be friends.

Your future is wide open,

and I can't wait to see what happens.

[Document Folder]

Xiaoyun.

Haven't you left yet?

I was just leaving.

I saw the light on

in Attorney Tang's office.

Are these

all her case files?

Yeah.

I'm organizing

the case files,

for whoever takes over.

Let me help with that.

Could you sort

the documents over there,

and put them on this shelf?

Sure.

Xiaoyun, do you think

you'll regret leaving Attorney Tang?

I'm just

really sad about it.

I've been with her

since my first day here.

She taught me

how to be a real attorney.

Just never thought

I'd leave like this.

Once you're debt-free, you could come back.

You know she would take you.

I wish.

This whole thing

taught me one thing.

Once you choose your path,

there's no turning back.

With your right-hand person gone,

how are you holding up?

People come and go here all the time.

You get used to it.

Speaking of which,

your assistant Cheng Feng is sharp.

Can I borrow him?

What a coincidence!

He just asked me this morning

if he could

move into her spot.

Did you two plan this?

How about

you?

Getting used to it?

I really hope

you two can work well together,

for the good of the firm.

High‑sounding.

All bark and no bite.

[Seeing Xiaoyun and Qian Peng

end up like this,

I keep thinking of

how they Leaned on each other,

pushing ahead.]

[Back then,

that stubborn light

in their eyes

was so bright,

it lit up

all their daily struggles.]

[But when things got tough,

all the

practical stuff hidden in that love

just spilled out.]

[Love isn't enough

for a marriage.]

[From Money,

careers,

to different ideas,

even the smallest thing

can trip one up.]

[Xiaoyun

and Peilin,

they both gave too much

in their relationships.]

[Twisted themselves into knots

just to keep things steady.]

[And in the end,

trying to balance that impossible scale,

they lost who they were.]

You're home early.

What's wrong?

You seem down.

What do you think

a marriage

really gives a woman?

Security.

Support.

Belonging.

A home.

Then how do you know

you've picked the right person?

Time will tell.

What's going on with you today?

Did something happen?

No.

Just suddenly

marriage seems like such a joke.

Joke or not,

I do know

when you're feeling low,

something sweet

helps.

I made a tiramisu yesterday.

It's in the fridge.

Let me go get you a piece.

I can't get too used to your sweetness either.

Might get tired of it.

Not just sweetness.

Life has all kinds of flavors.

You can taste them all.

Alright, you must be hungry.

Let me go make you dinner.

No way.

That's not happening.

Director Kang, in the meeting

you talked all about

teamwork and mutual success.

- So what's this? - Attorney Dai. Attorney Tang.

Our own people stabbing us in the back?

What the hell is that about?

Attorney Luo and Yang

have been working on the HY for over half a year.

Now they want Attorney Dai to take over.

Hey,

this isn't personal.

Got it.

Tell me why.

Why?

Look,

First of all,

Dai isn't that kind of person.

I think

she would never poach a client

from anyone in the firm.

I'm pretty sure.

There's definitely

a misunderstanding here.

A misunderstanding?

She's divorced, sure,

but she's still

carrying the child.

You call that no backing?

She could get any case

she wants.

Why go after mine?

Just because I seem like an easy target?

Attorney Luo,

I think

you may have misunderstood me.

I have never approached HY

about working together.

I only learned of

their request to change counsel

this morning.

Weren't you meeting with HY's vice president

just the other day?

We're old friends.

We simply ran into each other at a charity gala

and exchanged a few words.

A few words,

and suddenly

they want to change lawyers?

Impressive, Attorney Dai.

Attorney Luo,

we've all worked together for years.

Everyone knows what kind of person

Dai is.

With

your experience here,

you know

clients switch lawyers

all the time.

There's no need

for that passive‑aggressive tone.

Kang,

what do you say?

I'll talk to HY

and give everyone

a clear answer.

Will that work?

Fine.

I'm good with that.

Attorney Dai,

I heard

you lost some clients

after the divorce.

I know

your caseload's taken a hit.

If you're struggling, just say it.

We're all here to help.

But

there's no need

to do things like that.

Right?

Are you

insane?

Stay out of this.

- Ignore him. - Attorney Tang. Hello?

Could I speak with Attorney Dai alone

for a moment?

Go ahead.

Have a seat, please.

Don't take it personally.

Losing a few regular clients

happens all the time.

Those firms only signed on

to get closer

to the Qi family.

So their leaving now

is no surprise.

Honestly, it doesn't bother me at all.

I hope

you feel the same way.

Alright?

I'm sorry.

Seems my personal situation

is causing issues here.

Not at all.

That's minor.

Really, don't give it a thought.

Actually,

Qi reached out to me

recently.

He said

you passed Qi Tong's

regular legal work to Lin Xiaoyun.

He crosses lines.

I need some space from him.

I will

train her.

I know.

And I understand why.

But right now,

you need cases more than ever.

Look,

when

life changes,

there's often

a price to pay.

I'll make sure

you get first dibs on

new cases.

But

non‑litigation work is limited.

If I were you,

I'd try branching out

into other types of cases.

Director Kang.

That was quick.

What's up?

There's a case

I'd like you to look over.

Well, this is a surprise.

The director himself,

hand‑delivering a case.

Since I'm here,

maybe just take a quick look?

Please.

I know this case.

Wang Xinglang was found guilty

of negligent homicide in the first trial.

And he admitted in court

that he caused the harm.

Why would we touch a case

that's already settled?

[This morning,

the Yungang District Court

convicted

Wang Xinglang of

negligent homicide.]

[Right after the verdict,

his co-workers

gathered outside the court,

protesting his innocence.]

[Wang Xinglang is innocent.]

[Can you tell me

what really happened?]

[No way he killed anyone.]

[He was trying to help someone.]

[He's not guilty.]

[They've got the wrong guy.]

This case

is drawn a lot of public attention.

The defendant, Wang Xinglang,

was a migrant worker

here in Shenzhen.

His story is,

that night,

he was out with his wife

getting some skewers at a BBQ joint.

He saw a girl at the next table

getting hassled,

and he couldn't just stand by.

So he stepped in.

Then, the whole group turned on him

and started beating him.

Trying to protect

his wife,

he grabbed a broken beer bottle

and stabbed the guy.

In the end,

the victim didn't make it.

But during the trial,

the defendant had nothing

but his own word,

no solid evidence at all.

Yeah.

His wife's been sick for years,

all his money

goes to her medical bills.

He couldn't afford a lawyer.

The court just assigned him

a public defender.

Look,

if anyone can get to the truth,

it's you.

Right?

And

his co-workers already

came to us.

They know Chen Jun's reputation,

and they're hoping

we'll take the case.

So you want me

to be his lawyer?

Look,

this case is huge now.

In the appeal, if we can just get him

a lighter sentence,

even if we don't fully overturn it,

that's still a win.

For you,

and for Chen Jun.

It's our chance

to show everyone what we can do.

We go with self-defense.

I knew it.

You never do anything for free.

By the way,

this case won't pay a dime.

Not that you care about that.

Well,

I've always been that way.

You do have a point, though.

I'll get back to you.

Take your time.

Director.

What about

Peilin?

Just between you and me.

Look, personally,

I'll help her however I can.

She's my senior,

and she's earned it.

Honestly,

Chen Jun owes her everything.

But on the record,

I've gotta be fair to everyone.

I have to think about the whole team.

Her winning streak

that was a while ago.

Maybe it's time she considered

something different.

Sounds like we're on the same page.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

See you, Attorney Dai.

Goodbye.

Bye.

Hey, want a lift?

I'm heading to pick up Tongtong.

Oh, perfect!

I haven't seen her in ages.

I miss the kid. Let's go.

She's gonna be so excited to see you.

Hey.

That Wang Xinglang case.

You've heard of it, right?

Yeah, I have.

It's blown up

online.

What about it?

I

have looked into it.

The facts are clear.

It's all about the evidence.

His last lawyer

didn't even try.

If we can just prove

his story checks out,

there's still

plenty of room for defense.

You mean…

I mean…

You should take this case.

You must be joking.

I haven't handled

a criminal case in ages.

Just because you haven't

doesn't mean you can't.

When I first joined the firm,

I witnessed

your brilliance in court.

It was only later,

because of the Qi family situation,

that Director Chen had you

shift to non-litigation work.

Besides,

right now, I don't want to take on

such high-pressure cases.

I want to save more time

for dating.

This case has high visibility.

I think you're the one

best suited to handle it.

I think you

need this case more

to return to your main arena.

So that those following this case

will also pay more attention to you.

But in my current state…

I'm just… not suited.

Nonsense. You're perfectly suited.

Don't worry.

Lin Xiaoyun is great with criminal defense.

She'll assist you.

Plus, you'll have me backing you up.

And Director Kang too.

Don't worry. Just go for it.

I'm Dai Peilin,

a lawyer from Chen Jun Law Firm.

This is Lawyer Lin Xiaoyun.

We've been entrusted by your coworkers

to serve as your defense counsel

in this case.

We'll provide you

with professional legal assistance.

Do you agree to this?

I agree.

Next,

we have a few questions for you.

Think carefully before answering.

Try hard to recall everything.

Don't leave anything out,

and don't conceal anything.

Okay.

At the time of the incident,

were there any other

eyewitnesses present?

It was complete chaos.

I can't remember clearly.

I only recall the restaurant owner…

Screw you!

My shop!

Two young women…

Feng Su'e is

the girl you helped.

You weren't related to her,

and those men

were clearly trouble.

Why did you still step in?

Did it ever occur to you

that after you intervened,

they could cause serious harm

to you and your wife?

No, I was just trying to

save that girl.

Was I wrong

from the very beginning?

Judging solely by the outcome,

it's hard to say clearly

who was right or wrong.

That's why we need the law to decide.

Although the first trial verdict

didn't give us

the result we wanted,

I still hope you

can trust the law,

and trust us.

If your conscience is clear,

the law will surely

give you the right answer.

Based on your account just now,

when you decided to step in

to stop Zhao Dong from harassing Feng Su'e,

did you judge that

the other party posed a certain

threat to society?

Or rather,

were you certain that if you didn't intervene,

Feng Su'e would definitely

suffer unlawful harm?

Yes.

What's wrong with me adding you on WeChat?!

Zhao Dong first harassed her,

and when she refused,

he started beating her

and tried to drag her away.

If no one stopped them then,

I believe

that girl

would have been assaulted.

After you pulled Zhao Dong

away from Feng Su'e,

Zhao Dong and his companions

turned their attack toward you.

Before you fought back,

did you believe that

your life and your family's

safety were in danger?

Yes.

They started ganging up on me right away.

Seeing they outnumbered me,

I covered my head.

Then my wife came to break it up,

and Zhao Dong kicked

my wife to the ground.

To protect my wife

from further harm,

I had to push them away.

After you pushed Zhao Dong away,

did he continue

to assault you?

Yes.

He picked up a chair

to hit my wife with.

I saw that and grabbed him.

But he was incredibly strong,

he choked me,

cutting off my breath.

I'll choke you to death.

I'm gonna kill you today!

If I hadn't fought back,

he would've strangled me to death.

Go on, go!

-Beat his wife. -Okay

Beat his wife!

Break her legs, hurry!

That's what happened.

We now understand

the course of events.

Mr. Wang,

I have one last question

for you.

After all this,

do you regret it?

I do regret.

I regret killing someone.

I regret not

protecting my wife well enough.

But if it happened again,

I would still step forward

to save that girl.

On that point,

I would never change my mind.

No regrets.

Lawyers,

thank you.

Thank you.

This is the meeting transcript from today's visit

with Wang Xinglang at the detention center.

Please organize it.

Tomorrow I'll go

to the crime scene again

to see if I can find

any eyewitnesses from that day.

Xiaoyun,

how is Wang Xinglang doing?

His mood is relatively stable.

But we didn't tell him

his wife is still unconscious in the hospital.

But Wang Xinglang is sharp,

All the questions Attorney Dai asked,

he was able to answer.

Who would have thought

that Attorney Dai would be so skilled

in handling criminal cases too.

I really envy you

getting to work on this case with Attorney Dai.

Cheng Feng,

why did you want to become a lawyer?

Me?

Being a lawyer is my dream.

Because I think as a lawyer,

I can protect my family and friends,

and also protect

those who deserve protection.

And I can protect myself too.

What about you, Xiaoyun?

Actually, I'm the one who envies you.

For me,

dreams are a luxury,

they don't put food on the table.

Wang Xinglang's case doesn't pay much.

If I don't take on more cases,

I might not even make rent

this month.

Let's eat quickly.

Finish up and leave early.

It's fine, Xiaoyun.

I'll stay and work with you.

[BBQ Restaurant]

Cheng Feng,

let's ask at this convenience store.

Let's go.

Hello.

Welcome.

Boss,

I wanted to ask,

do you know what time

the barbecue place next door opens?

The barbecue place next door?

Yeah, the online reviews say

it's really good.

You'd better go somewhere else.

It's won't be opening.

Why won't it open?

Someone died there.

Someone died?

Who died?

It was all over the news. You haven't seen it?

No.

He was a well-known local troublemaker. around here.

And he had it coming.

That day he parked right in front of my door

I just went out and said something,

he threatened

to smash up my shop.

Before leaving,

he kicked my light box to pieces.

Look.

Boss, do you know

ow that person died?

H-how he died?

You'd better check the news.

I didn't see anything.

Hello, Ms. Feng.

I am Dai Peilin,

the appeal lawyer for Wang Xinglang's case.

Our conversation today

will be fully recorded, audio and video.

Here are our credentials,

the law firm's certification,

and the notification of approval.

You're still working while pregnant?

Is that a problem?

It's just... you're not that young.

Staying stable must be tough.

Lawyer, sis,

you're really pushing for fame, huh?

About what happened that day,

I've already told the police

and the presiding judge.

Don't waste your time on me.

I respect every life.

That goes for my child,

and even more so for my client.

Ms. Feng,

let's talk about

what happened that day.

Here are your two testimonies.

One, given before the trial

o Attorney Wu,

confirms that the deceased Zhao Dong

harassed and assaulted you that night.

Wang Xinglang acted bravely

to intervene and help you.

Is that correct?

However, during the first trial,

you changed your testimony.

You claimed that although assaulted,

you lost consciousness afterwards

and did not witness

any of Wang Xinglang's actions.

It was precisely this "did not witness"

that became one of the key reasons

Wang Xinglang was convicted.

I don't even know him.

What happens to him has nothing to do with me.

Ms. Feng,

the moment Wang Xinglang yelled

"Stop!" at the assailant,

you became the beneficiary

of that action.

But now Wang Xinglang is facing

a charge of negligent homicide.

Is this the outcome you wanted?

I never thought it would come to this.

To have Wang Xinglang and his family

bear all the terrible consequences

of this incident.

Can your conscience be at peace with that?

If this had happened

to someone else,

how would you judge it?

Of course

You can choose self-preservation.

But suppose that night,

Wang Xinglang had also taken

an attitude of self-preservation?

What do you think would have happened?

I'm not the one involved.

Perhaps I'm oversimplifying

everything.

Your reluctance to testify in court

isn't a matter of conscience,

but one of personal safety.

Ms. Feng,

this case has already sparked

significant public outcry.

It's not just netizens,

relevant authorities are also watching.

Do you really think

in a society where everything

is open and transparent,

anyone would still dare

to harm you again so blatantly?

If you still have concerns,

you can tell me.

Your personal safety

will definitely be protected.

The key witness, Feng Su'e,

her stance is still unclear.

But I think there's still hope.

Cheng Feng and I went today

to the convenience store next to the grill.

The owner there was clearly acting strange.

Did you find out anything?

He wasn't willing to say anything.

Look at this first. Play it.

This sunshade umbrella

blocked the view of the crime scene.

Was there any surveillance footage

from the grills entrance?

The police asked the proprietress.

The camera in that direction was broken.

It didn't record anything.

Cheng Feng learned earlier that Zhao Dong

had a group of unsavory friends.

These friends

must have already found

these three key witnesses

and certainly used

underhanded methods

to pressure them into hiding the truth.

So we still need to find

the grill proprietress.

Her testimony is crucial.

Yes.

Play it again.

Okay.

Stop.

Zoom in on the upper left corner.

Upper left corner.

It's a bit blurry.

Probably on-site

there are still witnesses like this.

Keep looking.

See if there are

any willing eyewitnesses.

Also, I'll post online

to solicit information.

Anyone with

evidence related to the incident

can send it to us

anonymously.

I'll talk to Feng Su'e again.

I'll go find that grill owner.

Director Kang,

let me go with you.

No problem.

Is the address reliable?

I asked around for a long time

among the proprietress's

relatives and friends

before getting this address.

before getting this address.

Wait a moment, Director.

This is the place.

[Lawyer’s License]

Hello.

All these awards on the wall

are all your daughter's?

Wang Xinglang's son is younger than her.

Second grade.

Wang Xinglang works here.

His son lives with his grandparents

in another city.

Wang Xinglang's wife is hospitalized long-term.

So his son goes to school

and takes care of his mother at the same time.

The crime of involuntary manslaughter

means Wang Xinglang faces at least

three years in prison.

A sentence like that

for him,

for his family,

and for his child,

the impact is devastating.

Proprietress, just think about it.

If Wang Xinglang

is a good person who acted bravely,

then he shouldn't be facing

this outcome.

You're a good person too.

Good people like you

should help each other out.

I'm not some "good person".

And you... don't need to

lecture me about principles.

Fairness or unfairness

I don't get it.

All I know is

this has nothing to do with me.

It has nothing to do with you,

but this violent incident

happened in your shop.

What are you implying?

Did I tell him

to harass a female customer?

Did I tell Wang Xinglang

to butt in?

Did I tell them to fight?

I'm a victim too!

They smashed my shop to pieces!

I can't even run my business now.

You're so capable.

Go deal with those bastards!

Anyway...

I didn't see anything,

and I don't know anything.

The surveillance footage from your shop,

do you still have it?

It's broken.

Are you sure, proprietress?

It's really broken.

Or was it smashed by them?

You're too scared to say.

I know someone threatened you.

But I promise you,

if you request protection

from the police,

your safety,

your family's safety

will be guaranteed.

Why can't you just speak up?

If everyone is like you,

turning a blind eye to injustice.

What if one day

your daughter is bullied?

Who will help you then?

[TCM Pharmacy]

Here, take it.

Why are you haunting me like this?

Don't waste your energy.

As you can see,

my injuries aren't healed yet.

I need regular medication and check-ups.

I won't testify in court.

Since you're already here,

let me take you to meet someone.

Your daughter loves reading so much.

Seeing her reminds me

of my own childhood.

I loved reading too when I was little.

I was quiet.

and I am good at studying.

But I was always bullied.

Every time they bullied me,

I tried to reason with them.

But reasoning was useless.

Not only did they bully me,

they stole my money too.

I was at my wit's end.

I couldn't fight them all.

So I let them take

the class funds I was carrying.

In the end, those kids who robbed me

were all disciplined by the school.

You let them take it

on purpose?

Very clever.

If one day

someone bullies you,

or your mom,

how would you

protect yourself?

I'd call the police.

Have them all arrested.

Good people shouldn't be bullied by bad people.

You're absolutely right.

Counselor, please stop trying.

Just leave us alone, okay?

If I leave you alone,

will Zhao Dong and his gang

leave you alone?

Zhao Dong has

a younger brother, Zhao Hui, right?

That gang of theirs

causing trouble in your shop.

was it just once or twice?

They've been harassing your business for years.

Zhao Dong got hurt in your shop.

Wang Xinglang tried to save someone,

and now he's the one facing prison.

Do you really think those people

won't become even more aggressive?

Won't they push further?

Lawless.

This time it happened to someone else.

What about next time?

What will you and your daughter do?

If one day

they target your daughter,

who will protect her?

One person's courage is bravery.

A society's courage is heroism.

You just need to step forward

and speak the truth you witnessed.

It's that simple.

And you'll be putting on

a suit of armor to protect yourself.

What you do...

your daughter is watching.

You are her role model.

Like you,

she is also a victim.

She was diagnosed with cancer two years ago.

Wang Xinglang has been taking her

everywhere for work and treatment.

That day, she had just finished chemotherapy.

Her condition was under control.

The couple was overjoyed.

They went to a eatery to celebrate.

That's when the accident happened.

No one knows

how much time she has left.

But if Wang Xinglang is convicted of

involuntary manslaughter.

There's a chance

this unfortunate couple

may never see each other again.

I can say with certainty

that for a long time afterwards,

you'll toss and turn every night

and unable to find peace.

You'll hate yourself

for not speaking the truth.

You'll forever bear

the self-condemnation of your conscience.

I just...

I just wanted

to end all of this quickly

and return to my peaceful life.

How it ends

and in what manner it ends

is up to you.

[Business Card]