Original subtitles

=Sword Rose=

=Episode 17=

(Tuanyuan Restaurant)

(Reunion Night, Welcome Home)

Little Spud!

So sweet!

Look at Grandma.

Don't cry.

Look at Grandma.

Did I scare you?

Such soft little hands.

Yes.

So adorable.

Look at Grandma.

Look at Grandma.

Looks like you've gained some weight.

Yes.

He's gained two kg since coming home.

He just woke up.

He's a bit cranky.

A bit cranky.

Say "Grandma".

It's okay now.

Look at Grandma.

Madam He.

Mr. Liu.

Don't give up hope, everyone.

Trust us,

you'll definitely find your children.

Look, we found ours, didn't we?

Have faith.

Stay strong.

You'll find them.

Yes,

we will.

Yes, we will.

We must have faith.

Such a good boy.

Look at him.

By the way,

we have a new friend with us today.

She's going to share her story.

Come on.

Hello, everyone.

My name is Pingjiao.

I was abducted when I was seven.

The people who raised me only took me

because they wanted a son.

When I got older, I tried to run away,

to be independent,

and to find my real parents.

But unfortunately...

- Don't be scared. - I was trafficked again.

And I nearly lost my life.

Thankfully,

I've now found

my real mom and dad.

They've been incredibly kind to me.

That's wonderful.

So happy for you.

That's great.

So happy for you.

It's okay.

Wait, you mean

you were trafficked when you were twelve?

Ma'am, I was seven when I was abducted.

Yes, yes.

Seven years old.

From seven years old until now...

After all these years,

you finally made it back. That's amazing.

So everyone, don't give up.

Never lose hope.

We'll all make it home one day.

Ranran is right.

Ma'am, I'm Ping...

We just have to keep going.

Keep holding on.

Yes.

Yes...

Yes, yes.

That's right. We'll all make it home.

She's right.

That's wonderful.

Come, give Grandma a hug.

Come...

Grandma's got you.

Good boy.

Oh, right,

Pingjiao also brought us some local specialties.

Lots of goodies.

She wanted us to try them.

Everything was grown by my mom and dad.

Everyone, have a taste.

All natural and pesticide-free.

Great, great.

Thank you.

Let me help you.

Thank you.

Here...

(Reunion)

Hello, there.

Are you looking for a nanny?

What a sweet little one.

Such a good baby.

Look at those long lashes.

So well-behaved.

So fair and clean.

It's rare to meet

someone Xiaoguang doesn't shy away from.

Exactly.

I've looked after many kids,

so kids naturally take to me.

Ma'am,

how long have you been a nanny?

Many years now.

From babies just over a month old

to kids one to five years old, I've cared for them all.

Newborns, though, are a different matter.

That's for postpartum nannies.

Not just anyone can handle that.

So what brings you here today?

In the last family I worked for,

the father was transferred to another province.

(Liangjie Domestic Services) They wanted me to go, too,

but I'm used to living here.

I didn't want to move,

so now I'm job hunting again.

Here.

This is my resume.

(Domestic Worker Resume) And this was my last family.

They were very kind.

Just that the lady of the house was a bit picky.

But we really got along.

I worked there for over four years.

When the child left suddenly,

I was genuinely reluctant to go.

Ma'am, here's the thing,

we're here today

because we're looking for a nanny.

But we couldn't find a good match

at the agency.

You seem to click with my child so well.

Would you

consider helping us?

Sure.

I'm looking for a job anyway.

And I really feel a connection with this child.

I'm happy to help.

Great.

It's settled then.

Let's go register at the agency.

Well...

The agency takes quite a cut.

You pay more,

and I get less.

It's not a good deal for either of us.

How about...

Well...

It's rare for Xiaoguang to take to someone like this.

Perhaps

we could start with a brief trial period?

Well,

we can ask her to leave her ID with us,

and we'll make a copy to keep.

Here's my ID. Take a look.

Shall we try it for a few days?

Sure.

Ma'am,

why don't you come home with us to start?

Alright, sounds good.

Here you go.

Okay.

Great.

Let's go.

Alright.

Sweetie...

(September 1, 2009. Jewelry Shop, Linshan City)

Hello, how can I help you?

I'm just looking.

(Linshan City Police Bureau)

How's your leg?

It takes time for serious injuries to heal.

It still hurts.

That Yang Caiyun you mentioned earlier,

we found her.

That's great news.

Officer,

have I redeemed myself, then?

That depends on how you behave going forward.

Madam Hong.

What's her real name?

She never said.

She changes her name every few days.

She's used many names.

Like Deng Yanping,

Hong Yanyan,

Liu Yulan,

Li Lanxiang,

and others.

Where is she from?

She never said,

and I never asked.

Her accent?

From the way she talks, it sounds like

she's from the southwest.

You never met any of her friends or family?

No.

You lived with her all that time

and you know nothing about her?

Officer,

in our line of work,

you don't ask what you shouldn't.

But you must at least know what she looks like?

I do.

Of course I do.

Can you describe her?

Yes,

of course.

Huang Chuan's description is very accurate.

We showed the sketch to several people involved.

They all confirmed it was Madam Hong.

Vice Director Yin has contacted police and detention centers

across the country.

(Linshan Police Bureau) So far,

Madam Hong is still on the run.

But relying on just this sketch

is like finding a needle in a haystack.

What we need now is to narrow down the search area.

We still have to start with Huang Chuan.

After all, they lived together for years.

There's no way she never slipped up.

I'll go question Huang Chuan again.

Are you sure this is

what Madam Hong really looks like?

Yes.

That's her.

Even if she turned to ash,

I'd still recognize her.

Officer,

have you caught her yet?

You lived with Madam Hong.

What do you know about her habits?

Habits?

Nothing special.

People like us,

are always out and about, constantly on the move,

running from the cops.

We don't even have a proper life.

What about her favorite foods?

Officer,

is any of this really useful?

Cut the nonsense.

Just answer the questions.

Okay, okay.

Whenever she made money,

she'd treat herself to braised pork.

Where would she eat it?

It varied.

She said

she was poor when she was young.

Now that she had money,

she wanted to eat

braised pork from every shop

in Linshan.

Besides food,

did she have any other hobbies?

Hobbies?

Oh right.

She liked buying gold jewelry.

The funny thing is,

normally,

she didn't care about appearances.

But every time she made money,

she'd secretly go out

and buy all kinds of gold and silver jewelry.

Quite a lot, actually.

A few times,

I checked the pockets in her clothes

and found some receipts.

They listed things like

gold bracelets, gold earrings, and such.

I asked her,

"What's an old woman like you

buying this stuff for?"

She got mad at me over that.

Did you ever see her wear it?

Never.

Not even once.

I have no idea where she stashed it.

You mentioned the receipts.

Do you remember

where she bought the jewelry?

Honestly, I don't remember.

But I'm sure it was in one of the malls in Linshan.

Director Deng, Madam Hong once told me something.

I'm used to living here.

I don't want to move.

She must still be here.

Ma'am, these are some of our earrings.

With your short hair,

they'll look especially flattering.

Let's look over here.

Have a look, see which gold piece you like.

That one.

This one?

Ma'am,

you have good taste indeed.

This

(Camera 3) is one of our best-sellers.

Here.

Take a look.

This...

The bracelet?

That one?

That one?

The thick one.

Ma'am,

to be honest,

I bought the same one

for my mom for Chinese New Year's.

She absolutely loved it.

We've got more here.

This one.

This one?

Let me box it up for you.

And there's more here.

Let me show you.

No, just these.

Just these?

Alright, these are the ones you chose.

Take a look, and see which one you like best.

Do they look good on me?

They do.

You've got a great eye. Trust your taste.

I'll take them.

All of these? You're getting them all?

Didn't you say they looked good on me?

That's her.

A month ago,

she bought a large amount of gold jewelry at a store.

I confirmed it with the store assistant.

She said her appearance

matches the sketch of Madam Hong.

So now, at least we know one thing.

Madam Hong was still in Linshan a month ago.

Huang Chuan waited at several jewelry stores

but never ran into her.

And right after he went into hiding in the suburbs,

she showed up.

Start the search here.

Focus on places elderly folks frequent.

Zoom in on Camera 1.

Look at the plastic bag in her hand.

What's written on it?

(Liandu Mountain Supermarket)

Liandu Mountain Supermarket.

That's a grocery store bag.

It's filled with household items.

Is it possible

that Madam Hong has been hiding somewhere

between the jewelry store and that supermarket?

Director.

Eat something while you can.

We've canvassed all the nearby neighborhoods.

No one has seen that old woman.

Is it possible

that she doesn't actually live here?

I just looked again at the photos

the jewelry store assistant gave us.

I think

we need to change our approach.

You know what,

Madam Hong's

got taste.

The pieces she picked out are quite stylish.

Don't you think?

Huang Chuan told us that Madam Hong

is a woman in her fifties,

and she probably bought the jewelry as a store of value.

But if that's the case,

why not buy gold bars

or coins?

Why buy

jewelry with such striking designs?

Could it be that she had another reason?

Meaning

she didn't buy the jewelry

just as a store of value.

Exactly.

Our impression of her

is probably very different from how she really looks.

She's good at disguises.

So we have to imagine,

when she's alone,

feeling safe

and relaxed,

what does Madam Hong really look like?

People like us,

always out and about, constantly on the move,

and running from the cops.

We don't even have a proper life.

The funny thing is,

normally,

she didn't care about appearances.

But every time she made money,

she'd secretly go out

and buy all kinds of gold and silver jewelry.

Her voice was pretty deep.

You couldn't even tell the gender.

We've been chasing Madam Hong

(Linshan Municipal Government) from the shadows for 20 years.

She's cunning, unpredictable,

a real chameleon.

I asked her,

"What's an old woman like you

buying this stuff for?"

Director.

What are you looking at?

Are there any upscale neighborhoods around here?

I know where she went.

Hello, welcome!

Hi, there.

We're the police.

We need your cooperation on something.

Of course.

Have you seen this person before?

Looks a bit familiar.

Give me a moment.

Sure, thank you.

This woman.

(Name: Hong Yawen) Ms. Hong Yawen.

She kind of

looks like the woman in your sketch.

She's actually a VIP client here.

Every time she comes,

she gets facial treatments.

Spends a lot too.

Can you help us get in touch with her?

Sure.

Thank you.

Miss, just wait a moment.

I'll get your hydration and whitening treatment ready.

Okay.

Please, go ahead.

We finally meet.

Madam Hong.

The infamous Madam Hong of the underworld.

It's you, isn't it?

I don't know any Madam Hong.

Recognize him?

Your old flame.

He said

even if you turned to ash, he'd recognize you.

Huang Chuan.

You called him Old Yellow Dog.

He told us everything you did

in full detail.

You lived with him for decades.

Don't tell me you don't remember anything.

Officer,

you can't just take his word for it.

I'm a good judge of character.

Just look at him. He doesn't look like a decent person.

Don't try to play dumb with us.

If we didn't have solid evidence,

you think we'd bring you in?

Why are you being so aggressive?

How am I playing dumb?

I'm being wrongly accused.

I've been to your place.

According to this DNA report,

hair samples collected

from Huang Chuan's home

match your DNA with a high degree of certainty.

Fine.

I admit I knew him.

But I hated him.

I didn't want to talk about him.

I didn't want to be anywhere near him.

He said

if I ever left him,

he'd kill me.

I had no choice.

I'm just a woman.

I had to do everything he said,

or else he'd beat me.

I'm a victim too.

That's not what Huang Chuan said.

He said you abducted children together.

And that

it was all your idea.

Kidnapping children?

That's ridiculous!

Officer,

you can't frame me like that.

All I did was cook

and clean the house.

I swear I didn't know anything else.

I've got a question.

You look like you've got a lot of money.

Where did it all come from?

I saved it.

Just saved it?

You live in a high-end apartment,

go to beauty salons,

and wear designer clothes.

Tell me,

what kind of job lets you save that kind of money?

Where exactly did your money come from?

I've worked for years.

And I've made some investments.

Investments, huh?

What kind of investment makes that much?

Care to teach me?

Don't tell me it's

gold trading?

You made that money from abducting kids over the last 20 years.

Huang Chuan told us everything.

You took all the money and disappeared.

Nonsense! What a load of garbage!

That money was mine to begin with.

So you're admitting you worked with Huang Chuan?

I didn't work with him.

He made the money and gave me a share.

He never told me

what he was doing, and I never asked.

How many children did you take?

How many families did you destroy?

You think acting clueless

will get you off the hook?

Don't frame me!

I swear I didn't do anything!

Why won't you believe me?

Why won't you believe me?

I didn't do anything.

Madam Hong denies everything.

She's blaming it all on Huang Chuan.

We expected that.

An old trafficker like her,

if we don't hit her

with solid evidence,

she'll keep stonewalling us.

The problem

is we know nothing about her real identity.

Not her real name,

where she's from, or her family background.

Nothing at all.

Now we've got a photo of her.

I've already asked the bureau

to help with the investigation.

We'll get to the bottom of who she really is,

including running her DNA

through the national database.

Director.

Linping County's Anti-abduction Office has news.

In their area, there's a middle-aged woman named Hong Jinfeng

who looks a lot like Madam Hong.

Linping authorities got her phone number

through the local police station.

Turns out it was our officers in Linshan Detention Center

who picked up the call.

That woman named Hong Jinfeng...

She's Madam Hong?

No doubt.

Linping County is Madam Hong's hometown.

Her real name is Hong Jinfeng.

Born in 1958.

Her family had five members.

Her parents,

and two younger brothers.

She left home to work when she was just a teenager

and rarely returned.

Her family moved away in 1995

and never came back.

Can we get in touch with her family?

Vice Director Yin is already looking into it.

So that means

we've now found

the suspect's original home address.

Alright.

Take a team to her hometown.

Have Mr. Yin contact her family.

Got it.

According to the old officer who patrolled here,

the family moved away decades ago.

The old house has been empty

ever since.

Understood.

That's Hong Jinfeng's house up ahead.

Here, this way.

(Certificates of Honor)

(Award Certificate: Model Student)

Who would've thought

Madam Hong used to be a good student?

Jiajia,

take a look at this.

What have you found?

(Family Portrait, 1970)

Family photo.

But there's no Hong Jinfeng in this family photo.

Kind of sad for her, honestly.

Left out of the family photo,

and had to live in the kitchen.

(Family Portrait, 1970) Since it's a family photo,

why didn't they take it with them

when they moved out?

Maybe they forgot.

It's right in plain sight,

and they just forgot?

So that means

this family photo

was deliberately left here.

(Family Portrait, 1970) Because someone wanted to look at them.

If that's the case...

She never really left.

Does anyone usually clean this place?

No.

(Family Portrait, 1970) This photo was taken in 1970.

Hong Jinfeng was only 12.

No matter what happened back then,

it must've had a huge impact on her.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have held on to the photo.

Ai Xin, once we get the search warrant,

take a few more people with you.

There may be more clues.

I'm finally back.

Mr. Yin, thanks for your hard work.

You all had it tougher than me.

Any luck?

Did you find her family?

I went all the way to the far north

and finally tracked them down.

Her parents have passed away.

But I met her younger brother.

What did he say?

I showed him a photo of Hong Jinfeng.

He told me

the person in the photo isn't his sister.

He said she's already dead.

Dead?

Each brother is saying something different.

Looks like the family wants nothing to do with her.

In that case,

confirming Madam Hong's identity will be even harder.

Even so,

we can still charge her.

There's one more person we can ask.

Lawyer Sun,

we need your help identifying someone.

Take a look at the people coming in

and see if the fake nanny

who abducted Xiaoguang is among them.

It's been years.

She's probably changed a lot.

It's totally normal if you don't recognize her right away.

Just try to remember

if she had an accent,

or any particular habits.

To this day,

I remember every little detail about her.

Even if she turned to ashes,

I'd still recognize her.

Bring them in.

Come in.

Such a good baby.

Look at those long lashes.

So fair and chubby.

You're such a sweet baby.

Not just anyone can handle that.

So adorable.

Are you looking for a nanny?

I've looked after many kids.

So kids naturally take to me.

I'm used to living here.

I don't want to move.

It's her!

It's her!

It's her!

That's her!

Where did she sell my Xiaoguang off to?

That's her!

Please calm down, Lawyer Sun.

Let us handle it.

Just confirm, was it number six?

My Xiaoguang...

Xiaoguang...

Give me back my Xiaoguang...

Give me back my Xiaoguang...

Officer,

I've told you everything I know.

All that bad stuff was done by Huang Chuan.

Why won't you believe me?

Hong Jinfeng.

What were you doing

on September 18th, 1998?

1998...

How should I know what I was doing back then?

It'd be a miracle

if I could remember that.

You were working as a nanny

around that time, right?

Yes.

I did work as a nanny.

Let me remind you,

you worked for a lawyer's family,

and you took their little boy away.

Didn't you?

No.

I swear I never did that.

The lawyer identified you.

He said it was you.

So just because he said so,

it must be true?

What if he's mistaken?

I've always been a decent, honest nanny.

Really.

I've never done anything like that.

Officer,

you know better than I do.

You need evidence to accuse someone.

You can't frame an innocent person.

I really didn't do any of that.

Take a look at these people in the photo.

Do they look familiar?

Do you know who they are?

No idea.

Really?

They're your parents and your brothers,

and you don't know them?

If you don't,

why did you keep the photo?

Is it because

it helps you remember

everything you went through?

Is that why you've kept it all these years?

Hong Jinfeng,

our team has already visited

Yalu Village, Linping County.

We met your family.

You got in touch with them?

We found your younger brother.

What did he say about me?

He said

you've been dead for years.

Dead?

Yes.

That Hong Jinfeng

died a long time ago.

Hong Jinfeng,

do you resent your parents?

You hate them

because they favored their sons

and never treated you fairly.

You hate them

because they never

saw you as their daughter.

They never

treated you like one of their own.

So you channeled all your hatred

into taking revenge on those innocent children.

You kidnapped so many kids.

You tore them from their families

and ruined their lives.

Do you know how many families you destroyed?

Everyone.

Hong Jinfeng is starting to crack.

But Huang Chuan's confession

and Lawyer Sun's identification aren't enough.

We're still missing key evidence.

So,

Yan Lei and Ai Xin, go back to her old home.

See if there's anything new to be found.

Got it.

Okay.

(Family Portrait, 1970)

Anything?

(Award Certificate: Model Student, Hong Jinfeng)

(Award Certificate: 1st Prize in Essay Contest, Hong Jinfeng)

Yan Lei,

I think we've found Madam Hong's gold stash.

But what's that stuff

underneath the gold?

At the scene, we found

children's clothing.

Upon verification,

they're linked to several trafficking cases.

Judging by how worn they are,

these crimes span a long period.

The clothing spans roughly

thirty years.

Additionally,

the clothes have clear local characteristics.

It suggests her activities

were centered around Nanjie and nearby areas.

Besides children's clothes,

we also found a large amount of gold jewelry at the scene.

Based on Huang Chuan's interrogation,

every time Hong Jinfeng succeeded in abducting a child,

she would use the money to buy gold jewelry.

But she never wore them herself.

Instead, she put them together with the victims' clothes

and hid them away.

This behavior is very abnormal.

It shows that abducting children

gave Hong Jinfeng a sense of satisfaction.

She collected these clothes

as trophies.

A twisted mind.

Based on this pattern,

we brought in metal detectors.

We've been scanning the old house

and surrounding areas around the clock.

So far, we've found 43 pieces of clothing

and the same number of gold items.

So there are 43 victims?

Maybe more.

The investigation isn't over yet.

She might have other hideouts.

How's the interrogation of Hong Jinfeng?

From what we know,

Hong Jinfeng only did the abductions.

She wasn't involved afterward.

She's only admitting to three cases.

She still doesn't know what we've found.

In any case,

this lead

might help us locate those children.

(With strong support from provincial authorities,)

(Linshan's Anti-abduction Office)

(has taken effective steps to investigate.)

(Tianhai Lucky Entertainment Center) (The arrests of Huang Chuan)

(and Hong Jinfeng mark a major milestone)

(in our city's anti-trafficking campaign.)

Madam Hong is done for?

Sit down.

Sit down.

Will she drag us down with her?

Madam Hong's never met me.

Fei Yan always handled the contact.

She can't trace it to me.

But

we still need to be careful.

Look,

even an old pro like Madam Hong got caught.

This Anti-abduction Office

is no joke.

So you need to move faster.

What's the status of the labor company

we discussed earlier?

The paperwork for the labor export company

is almost done.

But we still need

an overseas contract before we can start operations.

Otherwise, even if we recruit workers,

customs won't let them through.

Fine. Get on it.

Alright then.

I'll head out.

(Anti-abduction Office)

(Linshan City Police Bureau)

Ranran.

You couldn't find me, could you?

You're so good at hiding.

Mr. Yin,

help me look for a pink dress.

Okay.

This is Pingjiao's file.

A red top,

black pants,

with a small cat design on the chest.

This is the one.

Dinner time.

Honey.

Come on, dinner's ready.

Come and try this.

Tonight, Dad made

tomato scrambled eggs and sweet-and-sour pork.

It smells so good.

Thanks.

Come, sit down.

Let's eat.

Have more eggs.

Thank you.

Jing.

Jing.

Don't be shy.

Eat more, here.

Eat up.

Honey.

She's Bai Xiujing.

Our daughter, Bai Xiujing.

Jing?

Jing.

Mom.

Mom, I...

I'm Jing.

When...

When did you become so big?

Impossible.

♪What kind of person do you want to be?♪

♪A beacon in the night, lighting the way for others♪

♪A brave soul♪

♪No matter the role I play♪

♪My heart stays true♪

♪Through it all, I became who I am♪

♪I walked my youth with nothing to regret♪

♪Bearing love's pain, I fight for the impossible♪

♪Never letting down those unwavering eyes♪

♪Go on river, just keep flowing♪

♪With steady eyes, I raise my hand♪

♪The gentle strength of navy blue, one moment etched in eternity♪

♪Once I choose this path, I won't turn back♪

♪Let time come and go as it will♪

♪There's always someone behind the spotlight♪

♪What we cherish in time stays forever new♪

♪Just like my heart♪

♪It will never rust♪

♪This heart in navy blue♪

♪Will never rust♪WEBVTT

♪Will never rust♪