Episode 16

***Last Supper*** (Chinese: 最后的晚餐 *Zuìhòu de Wǎncān*) is the fifth episode of the second season of Link Click.

## Plot

In the photo, as the girl and mother struggle to win a plush toy from a claw machine, a man approaches them from behind and places a hand on the mother's shoulder, drawing their attention. Having observed their attempts, he comments that their current method won't succeed. He then takes control, aggressively shaking the joystick and swinging the claw. With precise timing, he slams the red button, and the claw, approaching from a diagonal angle, successfully clasps the desired toy. As it retracts and releases the toy above the drop zone, excitement fills the air.

The mother, intrigued, asks the man about his strategy. He explains that the key is to position the claw directly above the drop zone, then swing it wildly and release it at its highest point, ensuring that the claw reaches diagonally, carrying the toy directly over the hole before its release. Observing in his hospital room, Lu Guang reminds Cheng Xiaoshi to feign joy after getting the plush toy, but quickly finds the reminder redundant as he finds Cheng Xiaoshi fully immersed in his role. Witnessing a heartwarming moment shared by the mother and daughter, Lu Guang's tense expression fades into a faint smile.

Later, the mother, daughter, and the man from the claw machine, who turns out to be their next-door neighbor, arrive at their apartment building. Cheng Xiaoshi communicates their address to Lu Guang: Apartment 607, 48 Tongli Lane, Nande District. Standing by the elevator, the mother thanks the neighbor for helping carry their bags. The neighbor inquires if the bags contain Chinese medicine, to which the mother replies affirmatively, adding that she plans to prepare it herself at home. The neighbor then remarks that he often detects the scent of Chinese herbs in his apartment, prompting the mother to apologize for the spread of the smell, but the man assures her that he didn't mind.

Turning to the girl, the neighbor affectionately pats the girl on the head, commending her cuteness and inquiring about her age and name. However, he is abruptly interrupted by the shout of a young boy, sternly warning the man to stop touching his sister. As Cheng Xiaoshi turns towards the source of the voice, he wonders if this protective boy is the "good brother" referred to in the message on the back of the photo. As Cheng Xiaoshi turns to look at the boy, he wonders if this might be the "good brother" referred to in the message written on the photograph.

In his hospital room, Lu Guang relays the address to Officer Xiao. Noticing that it was the same as Liu Lan's address previously provided by Officer Wang, Xiao Li concludes that Cheng Xiaoshi is indeed at Liu Lan's residence. Contacting Officer Wang via a call, he instructs her to hold on to the witness, and retrieve information on Liu Lan as soon as possible.

The mother, her two children, and their neighbor reach their floor. Walking towards their apartments, the mother apologizes for her son's overprotectiveness, and thanks the man once again for his assitance with the medicine and the claw machine. Her son however, remains irritated, insisting that he doesn't deserve thanks. Entering their room with his sister, he rants about the neighbor, whom he deems insincere, expressing his hatred for people who hide their true nature under the guise of kindness. He taps the floor, gesturing for his sister to sit down. Cheng Xiaoshi obeys, noting the boy's deep-seated hostility towards his neighbor despite his young age. The boy earnestly advises his sister to never let such individuals touch her, stressing the necessity for girls to protect themselves. Caught off guard by Cheng Xiaoshi's smirk, the boy asserts his seriousness. He passionately lectures that the world operates on the principle of survival of the fittest, emphasizing the need for strength and assertiveness to combat those they despise.

Cheng Xiaoshi can't help but be amused by the brother's passionate and dramatic demeanor, typical of young boys. Lu Guang tells Cheng Xiaoshi to ask the boy where he learned such a perspective. Stumped at first about how to communicate as a mute girl, Cheng Xiaoshi receives guidance from Lu Guang on using sign language. Cheng Xiaoshi awkwardly follows, but the boy understands his inquiry. He reveals that these ideas were imparted by a new friend. With a tone of admiration, he shares a recent incident: his soccer ball had fallen into a pool. While he attempted to retrieve it with a stick, this friend, dressed in black and grey, leapt into the water, effortlessly retrieved the ball, and handed it back with a daring remark, "If you don't have the guts for that, how can you be my friend?" The boy recounts to his sister how, despite soaking his shoes, this friend's audacious attitude was incredibly cool.

Cheng Xiaoshi chuckles and remarks that the friend was simply naughty. Lu Guang lets out a sigh, jokingly commenting on Cheng Xiaoshi's rare display of self-awareness. The boy, changing the topic, points out that his sister's attempt at sign language was quite clumsy. He decides to test her, asking her to sign "I wanna go home". Lu Guang instructs Cheng Xiaoshi to point at himself and then his head, but Cheng Xiaoshi misunderstands, pointing at his face and then nodding instead. Seeing this, the boy corrects his sister, explaining that the first step is to point at her chest, not her face. Cheng Xiaoshi, still not understanding the latter half of the instructions, points at his chest, then nods again. The boy corrects her once more, clarifying that she should be pointing at her head instead of nodding. Cheng Xiaoshi continues to miss the mark, growing increasingly frustrated. Observing this, the brother grabs his sister's hand, guiding her hand through the correct motions:

1. Point at the chest, representing "I"
2. Point to the temple, moving the hand in a circular pattern, representing "want to"
3. Extend the thumb and pinky of one hand while curling the other fingers, representing "return"
4. Form a "Ʌ" shape with both hands, representing "home"

As the brother holds Cheng Xiaoshi's hand, he momentarily loses contact with Lu Guang, sparking a brief panic. The connection is restored once the brother withdraws his hand. He asks Lu Guang where he had been, but Lu Guang answers that he was there all along, leaving Cheng Xiaoshi perplexed about the "poor signal". Noticing her sister's distraction, the boy asks what she is thinking about, but they are interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Their father has arrived home, and their mother has finished preparing dinner, calling her children to the table. As Cheng Xiaoshi approaches the father, he notices the plush toy and questions its origin, to which the mother answers that they won it from a claw machine after a doctor's visit. The father, knowing the difficulty of operating a claw machine, asks if his daughter had caught the doll herself. Slightly uneasy, the mother replies that she had caught it in the end with the last coin they had remaining, attributing the win to luck. Coming to the table, she puts the doll away and urges her daughter to eat before the meal cools. She notices Tianchen, the boy, has yet to join them and calls out to him. He soon appears and takes his seat next to his sister.

Cheng Xiaoshi rejoices over the arrival of mealtime. Lu Guang however, quickly tempers his enthusiasm, reminding him to moderate his appetite, given his current guise as a young girl. The brother caringly places a piece of meat in his sister's bowl, telling her that it will help her grow faster. Touched by this act, Cheng Xiaoshi acknowledges that he was indeed fitting of the title of "good brother". Following suit, their father also places meat in the boy's bowl, telling him to not forget about himself. However, the boy responds with a frown, insisting that he will serve himself, drawing a reprimand from their mother. The father remarks on his early adolescence, but the mother dismisses it, noting his young age.

The scene shifts briefly to the neighbor's apartment, where he is engrossed in an online game, fervently trash-talking his opponents. As the meal continues, Cheng Xiaoshi reflects on the warmth of sharing a meal with loved ones, finding comfort in the familial atmosphere. After a conversation with her husband about work, the mother turns to her son, reminding him to be well-behaved in school and only befriend those with good grades and good character. Amidst the family interaction, Cheng Xiaoshi ponders over the message on the photo, "can't live without a good brother," finding it strange with the brother seemingly doing just fine.

At this point, the father abruptly shifts the conversation, inquiring if his wife had purchased a new camera for the kids. With slight hesitation, she denies doing so. The father's demeanor hardens as he sets his bowl down, confronting her about a camera he spotted on the cabinet, which she feigns ignorance about. However, her husband's patience wears thin, accusing her of deceit and revealing that he saw her trying to conceal it behind the plush toy. He rises from his seat, voice raised, declaring his inability to overlook this issue any longer. Cheng Xiaoshi, witnessing the sudden shift of atmosphere, falls into a slight panic. The father seizes the camera, demanding to know its origin. She hesitantly claims to have bought it herself, but this explanation is immediately called a lie. The argument intensifies as he alleges an affair, claiming that it's become a topic of gossip throughout the neighborhood.

A flashback plays, revealing the father's earlier encounter with the complex security guard, who informed him about a male teacher's visit to their home, carrying what appeared to be a gift. He furiously smashes the camera on the floor, deducing that it was given by this teacher. His anger escalates as he repeatedly stomps on the camera, continuing to vehemently berate his wife for alleged infidelity. With tears welling in her eyes, she defends herself, explaining that the teacher, Mr. Zhou, visited out of concern for their daughter, and suggested she attend a special needs school. Her husband, however, refuses to listen, insisting that Mr. Zhou's interest in their daughter is a guise for ulterior motives towards her. He scoffs at the idea of a special needs school, citing financial constraints and traditional expectations for a girl to stay home and learn domestic roles. Hearing this, Tianchen protectively covers his sister's ears, shaking his head in disapproval. The father, addressing his wife as Liu Lan, expresses disbelief at her supposed deceit for Mr. Zhou's sake. Spotting Xixi's plush toy, he jumps to the conclusion that it too was a gift from the teacher, attempting to tear it apart. Liu Lan's attempt to intervene results in her being knocked to the ground, and the toy is ripped in half.

As the conflict escalates, the father orders Tianchen to take his sister back to their room and lock the door. Though reluctant, under Lu Guang's instruction, Cheng Xiaoshi follows the brother into their room. They leave Liu Lan behind, weeping on the floor as their father's verbal abuse persists, blaming her pushing him to this stage. The door closes shut, followed by the sounds of intense physical abuse. In their room, both stand frozen near the door, terror-stricken by the events unfolding outside. Cheng Xiaoshi, unable to speak, desperately tries to communicate with Tianchen. Reading the silent plea on his sister's lips, Tianchen realizes she is urging him to intervene. Emboldened by the memory of his friend's words about bravery, he darts out of the room, charging at their father and pushing him to the floor. Seizing the moment, Cheng Xiaoshi rushes towards the neighbor's door, frantically pounding on it for help, as Tianchen attempts to restrain their father.

Before the neighbor can respond, the father catches up to his daughter and forcefully pulls her back into their apartment. With his rage now directed at his children, he accuses them of ingratitude, which prompts a defiant glare from Tianchen. This reaction only fuels the father's fury, as he menacingly retrieves a hammer from a cabinet, threatening that nobody will leave the situation alive. Liu Lan's maternal instincts surge, as she rushes to shield her children, desperately pleading with her husband to stop and asserting the innocence of their kids. Her husband however, interprets her plea as an admission of guilt, and raises the hammer to strike her.

The narrative abruptly shifts back to the quiet hospital room, where Xiao Li receives a phone call from Wang Juan, informing him that Liu Lan died in a criminal case seven years ago, together with her husband, Li Fan. Cutting back to the tense moment within the photo, Li Fan's hammer strike is suddenly interrupted by the sound of knocking the door. He opens it to find their neighbor, inquiring if there had been knocking at his door. Li Fan dismissively denies any knowledge. Past Li Fan's shoulder, neighbor glimpses the chaotic scene inside — Liu Lan and the children on the floor — but before he can question further, Li Fan menacingly holds up the hammer. He fabricates a story about hunting a rat on the floor, threateningly stating his intent to smash it and warning the neighbor to stay out of it to avoid getting hurt. The neighbor, intimidated, retreats, only mentioning that he'll call the police if the noise persists. Wtinessing the neighbor's inaction, Tianchen silently reaffirms his earlier sentiment of contempt for people like him.

Li Fan, walking back to his family with a menacing air, speculates aloud, questioning why their usually cowardly neighbor chose to play hero today, arriving at the conclusion that he too must have been seduced by his wife. Liu Lan, with a trembling voice, begs for him to stop, suggesting a divorce. Li Fan, however, vehemently rejects the idea, fearing the ridicule and shame it would bring upon him. Insisting on never granting a divorce, he raising his hammer for another full-force strike. In a silent slow-motion sequence, Cheng Xiaoshi attempts to rise, while Lu Guang is seen shouting something, drawing the attention of Qiao Ling and Xiao Li in the hospital room.

After this, the scene transitions to an interrogation room in the police station. The witness takes off her hood, revealing long, pink hair. The door opens and Cheng Xiaoshi enters, greeting her and inquiring about her name. In response, the witness introduces herself as none other than Li Tianxi, marking the end of the episode.

## Notes

1. ↑ The reason for Cheng Xiaoshi's misunderstanding is that 点头 (Diǎn Tóu) can mean both "nod" and "point at head".