Chinese Dramas like Mr. & Mrs. Chen

In the year 1940, Nanjing, a covert operative of the Kuomintang military intelligence with the code name "Red Heart Five," known as Zuo Shuangtao, undertakes a mission. The objective of this operation is to target Shan Xia Wu Fu, an undercover agent of the Imperial Japanese Army's Military Affairs Division. Shan Xia Wu Fu has been residing in China under the guise of a businessman for many years, and his appearance is unknown. He intercepted a confidential letter prepared by the military intelligence destined for Shanghai. They cannot allow their intelligence agency to decipher the letter, so they must retrieve it. The person in the photograph is Shan Xia Wu Fu's bodyguard, and according to reliable intelligence, he will escort Shan Xia Wu Fu on a train from Nanjing to Shanghai. Zuo Shuangtao speculates that the bodyguard's left eye is either squinting or blind, with a prosthetic eye.

After discussing the operational plan, they commence their mission. Akun accidentally knocks the sunglasses off a person, only to discover that he is neither blind nor squinting. Zuo Shuangtao, putting her hand down, accidentally collides with a one-eyed man and realizes that he is the bodyguard in the photograph. Shan Xia Wu Fu is cunning; to avoid attracting attention, he is seated in second class, indicating that there might be more than one bodyguard. The bodyguard's photo falls from Xiao Hu's pocket, and when he goes to retrieve it, he is confronted by the bodyguard with a gun. After shooting the bodyguard, Xiao Hu quickly uses a knife to kill him, grabs the wallet, and the sound of gunfire scatters the people around. Xiao Hu is mistaken for a thief and killed by the military police. Zuo Shuangtao holds back the others from approaching, as crossing would mean a dead end.

The Taihe Trading Company is the intelligence station of the Japanese Garrison Headquarters in Shanghai. Chen Jiaping, a Communist Party member, working there learns that Shan Xia Wu Fu will arrive in Shanghai by train. After observation, Zuo Shuangtao confirms that the person in the third train carriage wearing a gray woolen coat is Shan Xia Wu Fu. He must have the confidential letter in his briefcase. Chen Jiaping attempts to open the safe in the trade group leader's office, but unexpectedly, Zhao An and Luo Guanqun's wife, Zhang Shuyun, are having an affair there. He is forced to hide behind the curtain. Kimura Kensan knocks on the door; Zhao An quickly has Zhang Shuyun hide behind the curtain, coincidentally the opposite side of the curtain. Zuo Shuangtao poisons the tea cup, and as expected, Shan Xia Wu Fu is poisoned, but the dose is not lethal.

Zuo Shuangtao believes that when the train arrives at the station,Shan Xia Wu Fu will undoubtedly be taken to the infirmary for treatment. They plan to strike then. Kimura Kensan opens the curtain, sees Zhang Shuyun, sarcastically comments on Zhao An, and then gets to the point, assigning Zhao An to protect Shan Xia Wu Fu and take him to the infirmary. The famous actress Han Lu, suspected of being a collaborator, almost gets shot at the station but is saved by Chen Jiaping. However, the sound of the gunshot alerts Zhao An's men. Akun and Daxuan urgently intervene, but both get shot. Zuo Shuangtao has no choice but to leave first, but Zhao An notices her and closely follows. Zuo Shuangtao changes her outfit, discarding her coat, hat, and gun. Later, she encounters Chen Jiaping.

In front of Zhao An, Chen Jiaping claims that she is his girlfriend, and Zhao An refrains from arresting her. Two years ago, due to mission commitments, Chen Jiaping missed the time to register with Guoguo, so they parted ways. They reunite in such a way they never expected. After confirming they are not being followed, at a street intersection, one goes left, the other goes right. Suddenly, Zhao An appears in a car with others. Chen Jiaping immediately turns back to hug Guoguo, but they are both taken separately for questioning. Luo Guanqun interrogates Chen Jiaping. They met in 1938 when Chen Jiaping, tracking him, accidentally took a bullet meant for Luo Guanqun. Despite being a formality, Luo Guanqun does not go easy and directly asks about Chen Jiaping's girlfriend and which train she took to the station.

Chen Jiaping and Zuo Shuangtao have a tacit understanding, and both being intelligent, they quickly coordinate their statements during questioning. Faced with interrogation, they answer without revealing any details. They have had some past romantic involvement, making it easy for them to answer questions about their dating history. Luo Guanqun dismisses suspicions about Chen Jiaping and starts to believe that Zhao An is making a big deal out of nothing. However, Zhao An persists and intentionally brings Lu Fangfang into the scene to create discord between Zuo Shuangtao and Chen Jiaping. Zuo Shuangtao insists that she came to Shanghai specifically to find Chen Jiaping, who was there to pick her up at the train station.

On the other side, following Zhao An's instructions, Luo Guanqun starts to fabricate a confession, but Chen Jiaping remains unaffected. Zuo Shuangtao and Chen Jiaping are released from the interrogation room but are taken to another one. They expected a quick release, but Zhao An persists. He brings Gao Fang, employing technical means. In one recording, Zhao An and Miss Han Lu discuss how Chen Jiaping saved her, and the location of her rescue is close to where Shan Xia Wu Fu was attacked. If Han Lu's words are true, then Chen Jiaping's initial statement about waiting for Zuo Shuangtao at the exit is false. Following this, Zhao An plays another recording where he interrogates Daxuan, who, in the recording, admits to being an accomplice of Zuo Shuangtao. Chen Jiaping, being clever, requests to operate the tape recorder and listens to the recordings repeatedly.

During this process, he identifies flaws in the recordings; they have been edited. Miss Han Lu does not admit that Chen Jiaping saved her, and Daxuan does not confess to being an accomplice of Zuo Shuangtao. After Zhao An fails to expose them, and with no other options, Luo Guanqun intervenes, ordering the release of Luo Jiaping and Zuo Shuangtao. That evening, Luo Guanqun invites them to Huayou Building for dinner, self-penalizing with alcohol for the day's events. Following Zuo Shuangtao's lead, he admits that Taihe Trading Company is working for the Japanese. Luo Guanqun asks about Zuo Shuangtao's aunt, and she reveals that her aunt lives in the Yushan Ren Mansion, and her name is Zheng Yumei. However, Zheng Yumei is her mother's cousin, not a blood-related aunt.

Luo Guanqun immediately respects Zuo Shuangtao because Yushan Ren is the chairman of the Sannan Lunbu Company and a renowned financial tycoon. Everything seems too coincidental, and Zhao An hasn't given up on them. He deliberately arranges their accommodation for the night, complete with specially installed listening devices in their room. Chen Jiaping and Zuo Shuangtao display impressive acting skills, maintaining coordination while arguing and discovering the listening devices. In the bathroom of the room, Chen Jiaping signals that Zuo Shuangtao can speak now but to be cautious and speak softly, as they are unsure if the listening devices are still operational. Zuo Shuangtao straightforwardly asks him why he pretended to be picking her up at the train station. Chen Jiaping doesn't directly answer her question but starts discussing events from a few days ago when he saved someone who had been following him for three days.

The person tracking him is sent by the organization. Chen Jiaping has been undercover in Shanghai for over a year and is finally about to be awakened. However, before being awakened, the organization needs to assess him to see if he has colluded with the enemy and if he is still capable of performing his duties. In response to Lao Lu's skeptical question, Chen Jiaping answers. Although checking if Lao Lu has a magazine on him is a risky move, Chen Jiaping still wins the gamble. Lao Lu tells Chen Jiaping that the organization has received information about a traitor who is being transported to Shanghai. The only known details are that the traitor is on the 514 train from Nanjing to Shanghai, arriving around 3 PM. Zhao An from Taihe Trading Company will be there to receive them, and there is no other information about the traitor.

Chen Jiaping's mission is to find the traitor, obtain the secret letter, assist the organization in eliminating the infiltrator, and prepare for evacuation. The Rain Ink Art Shop on Dongpu Stone Road is the future rendezvous point for Chen Jiaping and Lao Lu. Luo Guanqun calls Chen Jiaping over to inscribe a title for his painting. Chen Jiaping sees Zhao An leaving Taihe Trading Company with people, so he seizes the opportunity to sneak into Zhao An's office, open the safe, take photos of documents, and climb back to his own office from the exterior wall, cleverly creating an alibi for himself. Based on the gathered information, the traitor Fang Hongnan is escorted from Nanjing to Shanghai by Shan Xia Wufu. By locating Shan Xia Wufu's group and identifying the distinctive features of the left-hander, they can pinpoint and eliminate the traitor.

With the situation urgent, Chen Jiaping doesn't have time to report to the organization and must take immediate action. Faced with questions from Zuo Shuangtao, Chen Jiaping can't reveal everything and deflects by providing another reason. Zuo Shuangtao asks why he didn't come earlier, and Chen Jiaping still doesn't tell the truth, saying he hadn't decided. They return to the living room, talk about unrelated matters to avoid suspicion from eavesdropper Zhao An, and then Chen Jiaping leaves the room. At the Japanese Garrison Headquarters in Shanghai, Zhao An receives a task to lead troops guarding Cian Hospital. Although Shan Xia Wufu is dead, the Japanese want to expose the CCP member Mei Hua Si hidden in Taihe Trading Company.

Zuo Shuangtao secretly sneaks into the mortuary and is forced to hide in a mortuary cabinet when staff enters. The staff closes the cabinet, trapping Zuo Shuangtao inside, and she becomes extremely cold. Two hours earlier, Chen Jiaping decides to investigate Cian Hospital and discovers Zuo Shuangtao trapped in the cabinet, but before he can see her face clearly, Zuo Shuangtao escapes through the window like lightning. At this moment, staff and others arrive in the mortuary, and Chen Jiaping cleverly avoids being noticed. The next day, Zuo Shuangtao and Chen Jiaping take a car arranged by Luo Guanqun to Yushan Ren Mansion. They meet Aunt Zheng Yumei, and upon hearing what Aunt Zheng Yumei says, suspicions arise in their minds.

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Jiaping reminds Zuo Shuangtao to write more letters, setting the time within a year, using different paper, pens, and figuring out the postmarks and envelopes. Mukai Kensan orders all employees of the trading company to gather in a small grove. When Chen Jiaping arrives, the Japanese bring out the traitor Fang Hongnan, accusing undercover agent Mei Hua Si. He identifies Chen Jiaping as Mei Hua Si. Instead of waiting to be captured, Zuo Shuangtao decides to investigate the trading company but witnesses the Japanese preparing to execute Chen Jiaping by hanging.

Zuo Shuangtao's attempt to stop was futile. She helplessly watched Chen Jiaping getting farther from the ground, her face becoming increasingly distressed due to suffocation. He was forced to confess, and Luo Guanqun immediately broke the rope. Chen Jiaping kept his life but didn't admit to being an undercover agent. Instead, he discovered that the person claiming to be Fang Hongnan was actually Shan Xia Wufu. Using his keen observation skills, Chen Jiaping noticed many details, such as Fang Hongnan's habit of using his right hand and the large gap between his toes caused by wearing Japanese clogs. Confirming that he was Shan Xia Wufu, not the traitor Fang Hongnan, Chen Jiaping exposed Shan Xia Wufu's identity. Since there was no evidence that Chen Jiaping was an undercover agent, and considering Chen Jiaping's intelligence, he was temporarily spared.

Afterwards, Zuo Shuangtao, filled with remorse, gently tended to the bruises on Chen Jiaping's neck, not holding back. Luo Guanqun, who hadn't assisted Chen Jiaping earlier, apologized and dismissed Zuo Shuangtao, then privately informed Chen Jiaping that after Fang Hongnan was poisoned, he told Shan Xia that he had a list of undercover Communist Party members and it was stored in the safe at Lumié Bank in the French Concession. He wanted Chen Jiaping to retrieve it before Zhao An got hold of it, round up the undercover agents, and have Luo Guanqun fabricate false intelligence to frame Zhao An, allowing them to take credit. Zhao An started realizing that Luo Guanqun had such a capable person under him, regretting underestimating Chen Jiaping before. Zhao An ordered his subordinates to obtain leverage over the manager of Lumié Bank by any means necessary.

Chen Jiaping went to the Rain Ink Art Shop to report to Lao Lu. As for the relationship between him and Zuo Shuangtao, Chen Jiaping would find a way to end it, whether superficially or internally; it no longer mattered at this point. Zuo Shuangtao suspected that the secret letter was still with Shan Xia Wufu, but it was impossible to retrieve it now. However, if they evacuated, the deaths of Xiao Hu and Da Xuan would be in vain. Zuo Shuangtao wrote a letter, inadvertently recalling Chen Jiaping, who had waited anxiously for letters in the past, feeling a bitter pang in her heart.

The next day, Zuo Shuangtao contacted A Kun, suspecting that the button might be crucial to Shan Xia Wufu. A Kun didn't fully understand, questioning the importance of carrying out the mission now when the military intelligence was accumulating wealth, and only Zuo Shuangtao considered the task so vital.

Qian Xiucai stopped Zuo Shuangtao from entering, but Da Mashao took the initiative to vouch for her and led her into Taihe Bank. Zuo Shuangtao overheard that Chen Jiaping hadn't signed the paperwork for Er Badao because entering the French Concession now required many requirements and procedures, and Er Badao needed to follow the rules; otherwise, Chen Jiaping couldn't sign for him. While eavesdropping on Er Badao's conversation with Zhao An, Zuo Shuangtao accidentally made a noise and almost got discovered. She suddenly realized that the letter she wrote for Chen Jiaping was missing from her bag and hurriedly went to discuss it with him. In a short time, Chen Jiaping devised a meticulous plan, using Lu Fangfang to stage a lovers' quarrel, making it appear natural for her to retrieve the letter. Luo Guanqun discovered that his wife had an affair with Zhao An and felt intense jealousy.

Da Mashao earnestly told Luo Guanqun about the situation, but what the file contained was not the letter at all. After explaining the process, Luo Guanqun realized that the letter had been swapped when Da Mashao went to the bathroom. At this moment, Zuo Shuangtao and Chen Jiaping caused a commotion in the trading company due to a heated argument staged by Lu Fangfang. In the midst of the argument, it was revealed that Zuo Shuangtao retrieved the letter because of disappointment in Chen Jiaping. Zuo Shuangtao suggested a breakup, and Luo Guanqun pushed Chen Jiaping out to apologize to her. The two agreed on a consistent story, and they maintained a standoffish relationship. Chen Jiaping received the form handed over by Er Badao and took leave to get it stamped at the Japanese Garrison Headquarters.

Zhang Shuyun was worried that the Japanese might target Luo Guanqun, causing trouble for herself. Zhao An dismissed Luo Guanqun as inconsequential, claiming the Japanese paid no attention to him. Regarding himself, Zhao An displayed self-awareness, knowing that Taihe Trading Company was the Japanese's money vault, and they wouldn't miss anyone as long as it wasn't him. Just as they were about to get intimate, Er Badao interrupted, ruining Zhao An's mood. After negotiations, Pierre agreed to give Zhao An the contents of the safe. Confident, Zhao An, accompanied by Er Badao, left the bank manager's office. Suddenly, two masked men entered and started robbing. Instead of targeting the bank, they looted valuables from ordinary people, even taking important documents from Zhao An's bag.

The letter was a crucial list, and Zhao An couldn't let them take it. He instructed Er Badao to get his knife, and a scuffle ensued between Zhao An and the two robbers. Zhao An held the fatter robber hostage, turning Er Badao into a hostage. Zhao An explained that he only wanted the letter back, and an agreement was reached. Just as Zhao An was about to retrieve the letter, patrol officers arrived on the scene. Liu Cheng, the head of the patrol officers, led his team, and a gunfight erupted between them and the robbers. Zhao An and Er Badao each had a gun, but they had to wait until the gunfight ended before searching for the letter in the piles of money. Patrol Captain Liu Cheng took the two men into custody, and regardless of what they lost, they had to queue up as required. In the French Concession, Zhao An had to follow others' rules.

Later, Liu Cheng swapped the envelopes and handed the real one to Chen Jiaping. Zuo Shuangtao was being tracked and managed to shake off one pursuer but was ultimately captured. In 1938, Zuo Shuangtao saved two wanted individuals, but one of them tried to kill her and was killed by Liu Wuchang, a member of the Military Statistics Su-Zhe Operations Committee. He explained that the person was a traitor, and he wanted to lure out more people through himself. After this, he invited Zuo Shuangtao to join the Military Statistics, to resist Japan and eliminate traitors together. Meanwhile, the captors interrogated Zuo Shuangtao, submerging her face in water, repeatedly asking if she came to Shanghai to carry out an assassination mission against Shan Xia Wufu.

Zuo Shuangtao remained silent, revealing no critical information. Later, it was revealed that the one who captured her was Liu Wuchang from the Military Statistics, and he did it to test if she had betrayed the organization. In Liu Wuchang's eyes, there was only the mission, and he cared little about the deaths of Xiao Hu and Da Xuan. To continue the mission, Zuo Shuangtao had to stay close to Chen Jiaping, providing her with the opportunity to frequently enter and leave the trading company, gathering information about Shan Xia. For this, she apologized to Chen Jiaping, which was out of character for her, leaving Chen Jiaping puzzled. Gao Fang, who had a liking for Zuo Shuangtao, accidentally discovered the secret of the letters. No matter how good an actor is, there will be a day when the truth comes out, and Zhao An still had a way to deal with Chen Jiaping.

Gao Fang slipped a note into Zuo Shuangtao's pocket, claiming to have her letters and asking her to meet at Commander Kai's coffee shop. Zuo Shuangtao went to the coffee shop as agreed and unexpectedly found Gao Fang waiting for her. Discovering Gao Fang's affection for her, Zuo Shuangtao initially paid it little mind until Gao Fang mentioned knowing the secret of the letters. He pointed out that the dates on the letters were written before the paper was produced, proving that these letters were fake. If Zuo Shuangtao didn't follow his instructions, he would give these letters to Luo Guanqun or Zhao An.

Mu Cun Jian San is angry about Zhao An's ineffective handling of matters, and Zhao An expresses that he can make amends for his mistakes. He whispers a few words in Mu Cun Jian San's ear and then goes straight to find Luo Guanqun, instructing Er Badao to "invite" Chen Jiaping to dinner at Huayou Building. Chen Jiaping refuses in vain and can only go. Meanwhile, Luo Guanqun also has Da Mashao use Chen Jiaping's name to invite Zuo Shuangtao to dinner at Huayou Building. This meal is nothing short of a trap, and in short, Chen Jiaping understands that Zhao An has no good intentions. Almost everyone from the company is invited to dinner at Huayou Building, and Zhao An deliberately brings up the marriage of Chen Jiaping and Zuo Shuangtao, trying to urge them to get married quickly. Chen Jiaping and Zuo Shuangtao politely decline, but Luo Guanqun stands up to join the matchmaking team.

Others follow suit to encourage, except for Zhang Shuyun and Lu Fangfang, who speak up for the couple. Little do they know what tricks Luo Guanqun is playing. Assuming himself as Chen Jiaping's elder brother, he takes it upon himself to arrange the marriage between Chen Jiaping and Zuo Shuangtao. Chen Jiaping continues to refuse, and at this moment, Mu Cun Jian San appears with Yu Shanren. Yu Shanren is not only the chairman of Sanbei Lunbu Company but also the president of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce. Just a stomp of his foot can shake Shanghai. Mu Cun Jian San and Yu Shanren both urge Chen Jiaping and Zuo Shuangtao to get married. In this situation, Chen Jiaping has no choice but to agree, or refuse, so he pretends to deliberately drink himself unconscious to buy some time. Liu Wuchang learns about this and thinks it's the perfect time to assassinate Shan Xia Wufu.

Zuo Shuangtao understands that once Shan Xia Wufu is assassinated at her and Chen Jiaping's wedding, Chen Jiaping will be implicated as an accomplice, and the outcome is obvious. Liu Wuchang is so eager to kill Shan Xia Wufu; Zuo Shuangtao suspects it's to protect the high-ranking official in collusion with Shan Xia Wufu. Even so, for the sake of Xiao Hu and Da Xuan, Zuo Shuangtao is determined to carry out the mission to assassinate Shan Xia Wufu. At night, she visits, surprising Gao Fang. Originally planning to kill Gao Fang, she unexpectedly discovers the secret of Gao Fang using the radio to send telegrams and uses this leverage to retrieve her own letter. This turns out to be the best outcome, resolving the issue between her and Gao Fang without bloodshed.

Honestly, Gao Fang is indeed concerned about her. Knowing that Zhao An and Luo Guanqun suspect her, Gao Fang advises her to leave early. Therefore, Zuo Shuangtao feels that she doesn't dislike Gao Fang as much. Chen Jiaping drinks too much, breaks his head, and is admitted to the hospital. The doctor says he has a mild concussion. Upon learning this, Zuo Shuangtao rushes to the hospital to see him but is denied entry. For the next five days, she is unable to see Chen Jiaping. Luo Guanqun can't figure out what Chen Jiaping is up to, but today Chen Jiaping is about to be discharged, and he can't avoid Zuo Shuangtao any longer. Zuo Shuangtao goes straight to the company to confront Chen Jiaping, and an hour ago, Chen Jiaping had already prepared by arranging candles and numerous red roses.

Exactly at this time, Mu Cun Jian San comes to Zhao An's office to discuss important matters. Taking advantage of the time Chen Jiaping is setting up the proposal scene, he enters through the ventilation duct to eavesdrop on the conversation between Zhao An and Mu Cun Jian San. But to everyone else, he seems to be just setting up the proposal scene. The door opens, Chen Jiaping proposes to Zuo Shuangtao, and in front of everyone, Zuo Shuangtao accepts his proposal. All of this is part of Chen Jiaping's plan. However, Lao Lu had raised a practical question earlier. A year ago, Zuo Shuangtao's identity was clean, but now no one can guarantee that her political background is still as clean as it was a year ago.

Before investigating Zuo Shuangtao's identity thoroughly, Chen Jiaping cannot marry her; it's an organizational discipline, and Chen Jiaping expresses obedience to the arrangement. Later, Chen Jiaping asked Lao Lu a relatively personal question, and Lao Lu answered truthfully. It turns out that Lao Lu also had a family, but due to a traitor's betrayal, his family was captured and executed. These underground intelligence workers can do anything, but often cannot protect their own families. After the organization's investigation, it is confirmed that Zuo Shuangtao is a patriotic youth with no other political background, and the organization agrees to Chen Jiaping marrying her. Chen Jiaping is genuinely happy and gives Liu Cheng some money to help buy a thousand roses. Chen Jiaping takes Zuo Shuangtao home and personally cooks Yangchun noodles for her.

Zuo Shuangtao sees a brochure for wedding dresses and smiles knowingly. They paint and wallpaper the new house together, busy but happy. Lu Fangfang runs into Chen Jiaping at the restaurant and kindly reminds him that Zhao An and Luo Guanqun are strongly pushing for his marriage to Zuo Shuangtao, and there must be something suspicious about it. Chen Jiaping pretends not to care, thinking they just want to climb the relationship ladder with Yu Shanren. Lu Fangfang reminds him again that no matter how close a woman is, a man should not tell her everything without reservation. Before leaving, Chen Jiaping accidentally learns that Zhao An is planning to discuss a budget with Lu Fangfang tomorrow, seemingly for some meeting, but Lu Fangfang doesn't know the details. Chen Jiaping's mind races, feeling that it's related to the Shan plan.

Mu Cun Jian San is unlikely to directly give Zhao An such an important document as the Shan plan, so the document in Zhao An's hands may be a sub-plan of the Shan plan. And since Kimura mentioned dissatisfaction with Zhao An's fundraising, Chen Jiaping suspects that this plan may be to prepare funds for the Shan plan. Zhao An's plan is a breakthrough, and getting the budget made by Lu Fangfang is an opportunity to get closer to the breakthrough. The next day, Zuo Shuangtao asks Chen Jiaping to go together after work to choose a wedding dress, and Chen Jiaping agrees. However, before the end of work, he calls Lu Fangfang, who is about to go to the Finance Bureau, to choose a wedding dress. He claims it's to help him keep an eye out but actually plans to use the time Lu Fangfang spends changing into a wedding dress to discreetly capture photos of the financial documents in her bag with a miniature camera.

Just after taking the photos, Zuo Shuangtao appears at the bridal shop, and Chen Jiaping is nearly caught. After a sincere apology, Zuo Shuangtao calms down, but Lu Fangfang also feels uneasy because as soon as Zuo Shuangtao arrives, Chen Jiaping's attitude towards her becomes less warm. Seeing an urgent signal, Zuo Shuangtao meets with Liu Wuchang. He requests her to hold the wedding with Chen Jiaping within three days because next Monday, Shan Xia Wufu is going to be transferred, and if the wedding is not held in time, he won't be able to attend. Zuo Shuangtao is forced to agree. Chen Jiaping apologizes to her and promises to hold the wedding at the Shaxun Manor three days later. Chen Jiaping finds out that a special meeting will be held at Wan Ning Qiao Huihong Building at 2 pm on the same day as the wedding.

Chen Jiaping calls Liu Cheng to discuss the plan, figuring out how to detain Zhao An and finding an opportunity to snap photos of the documents in his bag. Zhao An's men capture A Kun, finding a necklace with the number 917 engraved on it. Zhao An reports to Shan Xia about it, suspecting A Kun's feelings for Zuo Shuangtao. He tells Shan Xia his plan, and Shan Xia agrees. Chen Jiaping tampers with Zhao An's car, causing him to take the route to the French Concession for the meeting. He is stopped by Liu Cheng for inspection, as they are responsible for patrol, and Zhao An, without a pass, plans to bribe Liu Cheng, but Liu Cheng orders his arrest.

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Chen Jiaping asked Mu Cun Jian San for a favor, but unexpectedly, Mu Cun Jian San shot at him without a second word. Soon after, Yu Shanren stepped forward and suggested that a female be sent by Kimura to check Zuo Shuangtao in a room. Out of respect for Yu Shanren, Mu Cun Jian San reluctantly agreed to this approach. With Zhao An exposing so many issues, Luo Guanqun was actually pleased. Zhang Shuyun volunteered to go for a late-night snack with him, and Luo Guanqun agreed. Zhao An, startled, noticed that Mu Cun Jian San was aiming a gun at him. He explained that bringing A Kun to the scene was Shan Xia Wufu's idea, not his responsibility. This explanation angered Mu Cun Jian San even more, but since Zhao An was responsible for fundraising for the Shan Plan, Mu Cun Jian San spared his life this time.

Chen Jiaping is hospitalized for recovery, and Zuo Shuangtao takes care of him. She proposes to work at the company, but Chen Jiaping disagrees. Currently, the most important task is to raise funds for the Shan Plan. Mu Cun Jian San tells Zhao An not to waste time on Zuo Shuangtao and Chen Jiaping. Lao Lu informs Chen Jiaping that his next task is to continue investigating the Shan Plan. Chen Jiaping suspects whether Zuo Shuangtao is a member of the anti-Japanese organization. Lao Lu promises to report to the higher-ups, but Chen Jiaping should still ensure his own safety. Chen Jiaping confronts Luo Guanqun in his office, refusing to allow Zuo Shuangtao to work at the company. Luo Guanqun quickly pacifies Chen Jiaping, guaranteeing that Zuo Shuangtao won't be involved in any dangerous work. Chen Jiaping then drops the matter.

Chen Jiaping tells Luo Guanqun that before the incident, Zhao An sent Feng Qi to do something, and Luo Guanqun suggests that he follow this lead. Zhao An, following Mu Cun Jian San's instructions, wants to kill two Japanese hiding in the Army General Hospital. However, he didn't use his own men but hired a hitman through Feng Qi. Chen Jiaping and Liu Cheng, watching Zhao An's movements, quickly discover that Zhao An has hired an assassin nicknamed "Big Ghost," who is often active in the French Concession. Liu Cheng recognizes this person. Disguised as a janitor, Big Ghost enters the hospital to prepare for the hit but is interrupted by Chen Jiaping, who pretends to be a doctor. Twenty-five minutes earlier, Chen Jiaping changed into a doctor's white coat, interrupted Big Ghost's plan, and secretly took a photo of the person he was supposed to kill from his pocket.

Using the information that Big Ghost was planning to kill them, Chen Jiaping negotiates with two Japanese, but before the collaboration is finalized, Big Ghost catches on and strikes again. Chen Jiaping is forced to release the two Japanese without understanding why Zhao An wanted to kill them. With the secret message lost, Zuo Shuangtao continues to stay in Shanghai in defiance of military orders. Liu Wuchang vents his anger, but ultimately agrees to let her continue her mission in Shanghai. Chen Jiaping notes down the Japanese conversation between the two men and seeks help from Miss Hanlu, who is proficient in Japanese. She mentions words related to the Chongqing government, negotiations, and secret leaks. Zuo Shuangtao and Chen Jiaping go to the movies together, using the movie tickets provided by Liu Wuchang. However, she spots A Kun in the cinema.

Zuo Shuangtao leaves midway on pretext, persuading A Kun to give up killing Chen Jiaping and secretly removes all the bullets from A Kun's gun. After the movie ends, A Kun still points his gun at Chen Jiaping, but the patrol police surround him. A Kun tries to shoot but realizes there are no bullets, and then he is shot dead by the patrol police. Afterwards, Chen Jiaping tells Lao Lu that he recognized A Kun and Zuo Shuangtao were in cahoots. Therefore, he suspects Zuo Shuangtao is a member of the anti-Japanese organization. Her seemingly collaborator identity makes it difficult for her to act normally, so she tries to find a way to work at the company.

Chen Jiaping believes in his instincts and judgment, convinced that Zuo Shuangtao has no intention of killing him. Lao Lu emphasizes that Chen Jiaping is in a very dangerous situation, as the organization is re-investigating Zuo Shuangtao's background but has not yet reached a conclusion. Once it is confirmed that she is indeed a member of the organization, Chen Jiaping should immediately evacuate from Taihe Company. Chen Jiaping disagrees, stating that the Shan Plan has just shown some progress, and there is still a long way to go. Lao Lu prioritizes Chen Jiaping's safety and the organization's security, and this is a direct order. Zuo Shuangtao starts working at the company, replacing Lu Fangfang as the accountant, which displeases Lu Fangfang. During lunch, Chen Jiaping learns from Qian Xiucai that Er Badao and Feng Qi are not currently with Zhao An, and Zhao An is now left without any real subordinates.

Just as they discuss this, Er Badao returns, having a conversation with Zhao An at another table. Zuo Shuangtao also sits at Chen Jiaping's table for lunch. Chen Jiaping intentionally criticizes and changes tables, sitting next to Zhao An. When he does, he overhears Er Badao mentioning the name Hanlu. Therefore, he becomes more vigilant and instructs Liu Cheng to keep an eye on them. Liu Cheng intervenes, allowing Hanlu to leave safely. An official returns to Shanghai and waits in Hanlu's room for her to come back. He has urgent matters this time and hopes Hanlu can help him rent a house. Chen Jiaping, observing from downstairs, notices a man leaving Hanlu's place. He attempts to follow but unfortunately fails to catch up.

Chen Jiaping goes upstairs and knocks on Hanlu's door, inquiring if an important friend came to see her. However, Hanlu clearly does not want to disclose such matters, and Chen Jiaping abandons further questioning. When he returns home late, Zuo Shuangtao questions why he came back so late. He intentionally lets her discover the autographed photo of Hanlu in his pocket. Zuo Shuangtao doesn't press further, entering the room and slamming the door shut. Chen Jiaping understands that if Zuo Shuangtao is indeed an infiltrator, he must provide her with reasonable explanations for any seemingly unusual behavior. However, there will inevitably be a flaw that she might notice. Should he really give up the mission and leave Shanghai? Perhaps there is a way to make her voluntarily leave.

Zhang Shuyun goes to the temple to pray and coincidentally sees Gao Fang and Zuo Shuangtao talking in Zhaofeng Park. Gao Fang takes away the button from Shan Xia Wufu and demands Zuo Shuangtao to divorce Chen Jiaping. However, Zuo Shuangtao flatly refuses this request. Gao Fang steps back, proposing that Zuo Shuangtao gradually starts dating him. Tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock, he will be waiting for her at the Qinka Café on Xiahui Road. Zhang Shuyun informs Lu Fangfang and Zhao An about this matter. After a brief thought, Zhao An realizes that what Gao Fang is using to blackmail Zuo Shuangtao is likely the secret letter. Lu Fangfang tells Chen Jiaping about Zuo Shuangtao holding hands with Gao Fang, and later, Chen Jiaping learns from Lao Lu that Zuo Shuangtao's true identity is an intelligence officer from the military.

Chen Jiaping racks his brains to find a reason to leave the company. This reason must not arouse suspicion from Luo Guanqun and Zhao An but should provide a safe excuse for Zuo Shuangtao. Liu Wuchang instructs Zuo Shuangtao to poison Gao Fang after confirming the secret letter. He will be monitoring in the café when this happens. According to the plan, Zuo Shuangtao meets Gao Fang at the Qinka Café. Their meeting is also under Zhao An's surveillance. After talking with Gao Fang, Zuo Shuangtao abandons the idea of killing him and plans to lead him out of the café before Liu Wuchang takes action. Zhao An, thinking Zuo Shuangtao would assassinate Gao Fang, immediately orders his men to arrest her upon finding no movement.