diff --git a/src/daemon/cache.rs b/src/daemon/cache.rs
index 128d428..561df51 100644
--- a/src/daemon/cache.rs
+++ b/src/daemon/cache.rs
@@ -23,14 +23,25 @@ struct CacheEntry {
     decrypted_path: PathBuf,
 }
 
+/// `DbCache::get_with_mode()` 本次解析 rel_key 时实际走了哪条路径。
+///
+/// latency tier:
+/// - `CacheHit`：~0ms，只返回已有解密产物
+/// - `WalIncremental`：典型 <10s，只在 cached DB 上增量 apply WAL
+/// - `FullDecrypt`：最慢路径，大库上可能到 ~120s
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub enum CacheMode {
+    /// Path 1：主 `.db` 和 WAL 都没变，直接命中缓存。
     CacheHit,
+    /// Path 2：主 `.db` 没变、只有 WAL 变了，在 cached DB 上增量 apply。
     WalIncremental,
+    /// Path 3：主 `.db` 变了或缓存 miss，重新 full decrypt。
     FullDecrypt,
 }
 
 impl CacheMode {
+    /// 手工固定为 snake_case 字符串，避免未来给 enum 直接 derive `Serialize`
+    /// 时静默改变 wire 形态。
     pub fn as_str(self) -> &'static str {
         match self {
             CacheMode::CacheHit => "cache_hit",
@@ -56,7 +67,6 @@ pub struct DbCache {
     mtime_file: PathBuf,
     all_keys: HashMap<String, String>, // rel_key -> enc_key(hex)
     inner: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<String, CacheEntry>>>,
-    last_modes: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<String, CacheMode>>>,
 }
 
 impl DbCache {
@@ -79,7 +89,6 @@ impl DbCache {
             mtime_file,
             all_keys,
             inner: Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::new())),
-            last_modes: Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::new())),
         };
 
         cache.load_persistent().await;
@@ -92,18 +101,6 @@ impl DbCache {
         &self.db_dir
     }
 
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    pub async fn last_mode(&self, rel_key: &str) -> Option<CacheMode> {
-        self.last_modes.lock().await.get(rel_key).copied()
-    }
-
-    async fn stamp_mode(&self, rel_key: &str, mode: CacheMode) {
-        self.last_modes
-            .lock()
-            .await
-            .insert(rel_key.to_string(), mode);
-    }
-
     fn cache_file_path(&self, rel_key: &str) -> PathBuf {
         let hash = format!("{:x}", md5::compute(rel_key.as_bytes()));
         self.cache_dir.join(format!("{}.db", hash))
@@ -237,7 +234,6 @@ impl DbCache {
         if let Some(entry) = cached.as_ref() {
             if entry.db_mtime == db_mt && entry.decrypted_path.exists() {
                 if entry.wal_mtime == wal_mt {
-                    self.stamp_mode(rel_key, CacheMode::CacheHit).await;
                     return Ok(Some(CacheResolve {
                         path: entry.decrypted_path.clone(),
                         mode: CacheMode::CacheHit,
@@ -274,7 +270,6 @@ impl DbCache {
                         },
                     );
                 }
-                self.stamp_mode(rel_key, CacheMode::WalIncremental).await;
                 self.save_persistent().await;
                 return Ok(Some(CacheResolve {
                     path: out_path,
@@ -317,7 +312,6 @@ impl DbCache {
                 },
             );
         }
-        self.stamp_mode(rel_key, CacheMode::FullDecrypt).await;
 
         self.save_persistent().await;
         Ok(Some(CacheResolve {
@@ -537,6 +531,72 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn get_with_mode_reports_each_path() {
+        let root = unique_tmpdir("getwithmode");
+        let db_dir = root.join("db_storage");
+        let cache_dir = root.join("cache");
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&db_dir).unwrap();
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&cache_dir).unwrap();
+
+        let rel_key = "message_0.db".to_string();
+        let db_path = db_dir.join(&rel_key);
+        std::fs::write(&db_path, b"fake encrypted db").unwrap();
+        let wal_path = wal_path_for(&db_path);
+        std::fs::write(&wal_path, [0u8; 31]).unwrap();
+
+        let cached_hash = format!("{:x}", md5::compute(rel_key.as_bytes()));
+        let decrypted_path = cache_dir.join(format!("{}.db", cached_hash));
+        std::fs::write(&decrypted_path, ORIGINAL_CACHED_BYTES).unwrap();
+
+        let db_mt = mtime_nanos(&db_path);
+        let wal_mt0 = mtime_nanos(&wal_path);
+        let mtime_file = cache_dir.join("_mtimes.json");
+        let payload = serde_json::to_string(&serde_json::json!({
+            &rel_key: {
+                "db_mt": db_mt,
+                "wal_mt": wal_mt0,
+                "path": decrypted_path.display().to_string(),
+            }
+        }))
+        .unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(&mtime_file, payload).unwrap();
+
+        let mut all_keys = HashMap::new();
+        all_keys.insert(rel_key.clone(), FAKE_KEY_HEX.to_string());
+        let cache = DbCache::with_dirs(db_dir, cache_dir, mtime_file, all_keys)
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let hit = cache
+            .get_with_mode(&rel_key)
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .expect("cache should hit");
+        assert_eq!(hit.path, decrypted_path);
+        assert_eq!(hit.mode, CacheMode::CacheHit);
+
+        std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(20));
+        std::fs::write(&wal_path, [0xffu8; 31]).unwrap();
+        let wal = cache
+            .get_with_mode(&rel_key)
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .expect("WAL-only change should stay incremental");
+        assert_eq!(wal.path, decrypted_path);
+        assert_eq!(wal.mode, CacheMode::WalIncremental);
+
+        std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(20));
+        std::fs::write(&db_path, b"different bytes").unwrap();
+        let full = cache
+            .get_with_mode(&rel_key)
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .expect("db mtime change should trigger full decrypt");
+        assert_eq!(full.path, decrypted_path);
+        assert_eq!(full.mode, CacheMode::FullDecrypt);
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn restart_with_wal_change_still_reuses_cached_db_then_applies_wal() {
         let root = unique_tmpdir("restart-wal");
diff --git a/src/daemon/meta.rs b/src/daemon/meta.rs
index 26ba2a4..1db37f5 100644
--- a/src/daemon/meta.rs
+++ b/src/daemon/meta.rs
@@ -65,26 +65,25 @@ pub struct Meta {
 pub enum MetaStatus {
     #[default]
     Ok,
+    /// `session.db` 的最新时间明显领先于本次消息查询结果，说明数据可能过期或不完整。
     PossiblyStale,
+    /// 最强信号：磁盘上出现 daemon 不认识的新分片，通常必须重跑 `wx init --force`。
     PossiblyStaleUnknownShards,
+    /// 调用方主动传了 `since` / `until` / `offset` 等窗口条件，结果天然是局部视图。
     Windowed,
 }
 
-impl MetaStatus {
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    pub fn as_str(&self) -> &'static str {
-        match self {
-            MetaStatus::Ok => "ok",
-            MetaStatus::PossiblyStale => "possibly_stale",
-            MetaStatus::PossiblyStaleUnknownShards => "possibly_stale_unknown_shards",
-            MetaStatus::Windowed => "windowed",
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-/// session 领先 history 多少秒就报 PossiblyStale。
+/// session 领先 history 多少秒就报 `PossiblyStale`。
+///
+/// 24h 的取值是故意保守的：活跃群聊/私聊很少会整整一天没有新消息，
+/// 超过这个窗口就值得显式提醒 agent 不要把结果当成“当前最新状态”。
 pub const STALE_THRESHOLD_SECS: i64 = 24 * 3600;
 
+/// 统一 freshness status 的优先级：
+/// 1. `unknown_shards` 非空：daemon 整体视图已经过期，优先返回 `PossiblyStaleUnknownShards`
+/// 2. `windowed=true`：调用方本来就在看局部窗口，不参与 stale 推导
+/// 3. `session_last - chat_latest > STALE_THRESHOLD_SECS`：返回 `PossiblyStale`
+/// 4. 其他情况：`Ok`
 pub fn derive_status(
     chat_latest: Option<i64>,
     session_last: Option<i64>,
@@ -103,6 +102,13 @@ pub fn derive_status(
     }
 }
 
+/// 扫描 `<db_dir>/message/` 下真实存在的 `message_*.db`，diff 出 daemon 当前没有 key
+/// 的未知分片。
+///
+/// 契约：
+/// - 返回值一律是 `/` 分隔的 rel_key（如 `message/message_3.db`），与 `all_keys.json` 对齐
+/// - 结果按字典序排序，方便测试和 CLI 稳定显示
+/// - 排除 `_fts*` / `_resource*`，因为它们是索引/附件库，不属于消息分片真相
 pub fn discover_unknown_shards(db_dir: &Path, known: &[String]) -> Vec<String> {
     let known_set: std::collections::HashSet<String> =
         known.iter().map(|k| k.replace('\\', "/")).collect();
diff --git a/src/daemon/query.rs b/src/daemon/query.rs
index 13cbf61..30f755f 100644
--- a/src/daemon/query.rs
+++ b/src/daemon/query.rs
@@ -699,6 +699,8 @@ pub async fn q_search(
     results.sort_by_key(|r| std::cmp::Reverse(r["timestamp"].as_i64().unwrap_or(0)));
     let paged: Vec<Value> = results.into_iter().take(limit).collect();
     let unknown_shards = current_unknown_shards(db, names);
+    // 全局搜索 / keyword 过滤天然是窗口化结果，没有稳定的 chat-level latest baseline，
+    // 不参与 stale 推导；这里只保留 unknown_shards 这类 daemon 全局健康信号。
     let meta = meta_for_global_query(
         scanned_rel_keys.len(),
         hit_rel_keys.len(),