Recaps

Lu Chiyan was relaxing in his hotel room when repeated, unanswered doorbell rings made him suspect the hotel was haunted. He opened the door and was pulled inside by a mysterious figure, who kissed him fiercely.

• Pei Zeyan questioned Lu Chiyan about rumors involving him and Brother Sili in the group chat.
• Zhou Siyan explained that he, Wen Zhao, and Xue Bei had eaten together, and that Xue Bei was Wen Zhao's fan.
• Lu Chiyan set aside his phone and went to run a bath in his hotel room.
• Lu Chiyan heard the doorbell ring repeatedly but saw no one through the peephole.
• Lu Chiyan opened the door, and a dark figure pulled him inside, pinned him against the entryway, and kissed him.

Qin Sili surprised Lu Chiyan in his room and kissed him, then carried him into the bathtub despite his protests. The chapter ended with Qin Sili beginning to unbutton his shirt as Lu Chiyan glared at him from the tub.

• Qin Sili forcefully kissed Lu Chiyan, who struggled to push him away.
• Qin Sili teased Lu Chiyan about having taken off his shirt and suggested they shower together.
• Lu Chiyan told Qin Sili to leave, but Qin Sili insisted they had not tried being together in a hotel yet.
• Qin Sili hoisted Lu Chiyan over his shoulder and carried him to the bathroom.
• Qin Sili put Lu Chiyan into the full bathtub, where he fell in and got soaked.
• Qin Sili began unbuttoning his shirt as Lu Chiyan protested from the tub.

Lu Chiyan impulsively stripped Qin Sili and kissed him, and the two spent the night together in the bathtub. Near dawn, Qin Sili finally let the exhausted Lu Chiyan sleep while holding him close.

• Lu Chiyan admired Qin Sili's physique as Qin Sili undid his shirt buttons.
• Impatient, Lu Chiyan pulled Qin Sili's shirt off and kissed him.
• Qin Sili and Lu Chiyan tumbled into the bathtub and became intimate.
• Lu Chiyan begged Qin Sili to stop, but Qin Sili teased him about calling him big brother and continued.
• Near dawn, Qin Sili held Lu Chiyan as he fell asleep and watched him with affection.

After waking up sore and naked following the night with Qin Sili, Lu Chiyan discovered that Qin had thrown away his clothes and demanded that he bring replacements. Qin agreed, leaving Lu Chiyan waiting in his hotel room as Qian Le arrived.

• Qian Le called Lu Chiyan and told him to get up because he was on his way.
• Lu Chiyan woke fully, remembered the previous night's encounter with Qin Sili, and found himself alone and without clothes.
• Lu Chiyan called Qin Sili and demanded to know where his clothes were.
• Qin Sili said he had ruined and thrown away Lu Chiyan's clothes, then teased him about inviting him to bring a replacement set.
• Lu Chiyan finally invited Qin Sili to bring clothes, and Qin agreed just as Qian Le knocked at the door.

Lu Chiyan refused to let Qian Le into his room because he had no clothes on, so Qin Sili brought him an outfit and let himself in with a key card. Qin Sili stayed to watch Lu Chiyan change, despite Lu Chiyan telling him to leave.

• Qian Le arrived to take Lu Chiyan to a script read-through, but Lu Chiyan refused to open the door because he was naked.
• Qin Sili arrived with a bag of clothes and opened the door using a key card.
• Qian Le saw Lu Chiyan wrapped tightly in a quilt, then waited outside after Qin Sili signaled him to do so.
• Qin Sili gave Lu Chiyan clothes from C, which suited Lu Chiyan's taste.
• Lu Chiyan told Qin Sili to leave, but Qin Sili sat on the sofa and told him to go ahead and change.

Lu Chiyan discovered he was trending again after Qian Le found him outside Qin Sili's room, and learned that people were accusing him of buying his way into the cast and trying to replace the male lead. The script read-through had been canceled, leaving Lu Chiyan to face the rumor.

• Lu Chiyan dressed after joking with Qin Sili, then headed for the door.
• Lu Chiyan found Qian Le waiting in the hallway and learned he was trending again.
• Qian Le told Lu Chiyan the script read-through had been canceled.
• Lu Chiyan pulled Qian Le into the room and shut the door on Qin Sili.
• Qian Le said people were accusing Lu Chiyan of buying his way into the cast, pushing out the second male lead, and planning to replace the male lead.

Lu Chiyan discovered that rumors accused him of buying his way into Strange Tales of Luo City and trying to replace its male lead. Qin Sili denied replacing the lead, while the controversy forced the production team to cancel the script read-through.

• Lu Chiyan saw several trending topics claiming he had bought his way into the cast and wanted the male lead's role.
• Qian Le told Lu Chiyan that he had been the production's only choice for the second male lead.
• Lu Chiyan wondered whether Qin Sili had arranged to replace the male lead, then dragged him into the room to ask.
• Qin Sili denied replacing the male lead and asked whether Lu Chiyan wanted to play the role.
• Qian Le said fans were flooding the production's official Weibo account, so the director canceled that day's script read-through.

Lu Chiyan went live to address rumors that he was replacing Xie Tongchu as the male lead, while Qin Sili held his phone. He began responding to the trending topic, but the chapter ended before he explained further.

• Lu Chiyan refused to take the blame for the unsubstantiated rumors and started a livestream.
• Qin Sili crouched in front of Lu Chiyan and held his phone while the livestream audience surged.
• Viewers argued in the comments, with some accusing Lu Chiyan of stealing Xie Tongchu’s role and others defending him.
• Lu Chiyan said the trending topic had canceled his planned script read-through and that he was going live to respond to it.

Lu Chiyan addressed the trending rumors about his role in Strange Tales of Luo City during a livestream, admitting Qin Sili’s investment could be called buying his way into the cast but clarifying that he had secured the role first. He denied taking another actor’s role or trying to replace the male lead, and apologized for the trouble the rumors caused the production team.

• Lu Chiyan took Qian Le’s phone and began responding to the trending topics one by one.
• Lu Chiyan admitted that Qin Sili’s investment could count as buying his way into the cast, but said Qin believed the drama would make money.
• Lu Chiyan swore that the director had approached no other actor for the second male lead role and denied taking it from someone else.
• Lu Chiyan mocked the rumor that he wanted to replace the male lead, noting that he had signed his contract and nearly memorized his lines.
• Lu Chiyan said he fought for the role before Qin Sili invested, denied having the power to replace the male lead, and apologized to the production team for the disruption.

After Xie Tongchu's contract termination sparked rumors that Lu Chiyan had forced him out of Strange Tales of Luo City, Lu Chiyan was attacked online again. Qian Le learned that the director had replaced Xie Tongchu, leaving Lu Chiyan wondering why.

• After ending his livestream, Lu Chiyan saw Xie Tongchu post a cryptic message, and rumors spread that Xie Tongchu had left Strange Tales of Luo City.
• Fans spotted Xie Tongchu at the airport, and netizens accused Lu Chiyan of lying about replacing him and demanded that Lu Chiyan leave the drama.
• Lu Chiyan asked Qin Sili about the rumors, and Qin Sili said others could have replaced Xie Tongchu.
• Lu Chiyan refused Qin Sili's offer to remove the story from the trending list, worried it would fuel accusations that he used his influence.
• Qian Le called to investigate and told Lu Chiyan that the director had replaced Xie Tongchu himself.
• Lu Chiyan asked why the director had changed his mind after seeming pleased with Xie Tongchu the night before.

Qian Le explained that Xie Tongchu had angered Director Yan by offering to sleep with him, then leaked a false story blaming Lu Chiyan for the male lead’s replacement. Lu Chiyan learned he had been wrongly blamed all day while Director Yan terminated Xie Tongchu’s contract.

• Qian Le told Lu Chiyan that Xie Tongchu had used drunkenness as an excuse to offer to sleep with Director Yan.
• Qian Le explained that Xie Tongchu had believed a false rumor that Director Yan liked men, angering Director Yan with his offer.
• Qian Le revealed that Xie Tongchu had leaked the news about the male lead’s replacement to turn public opinion against Director Yan and protect his own position.
• Director Yan discovered Xie Tongchu’s scheme and terminated his contract under a clause allowing termination for actions harmful to the production.
• Lu Chiyan realized Xie Tongchu had pinned the blame on him and that people had cursed him on trending topics all day.

Lu Chiyan tried to explain that he had not caused Xie Tongchu’s replacement, but the public took the director’s defense as proof that Lu had used his money to force the decision. The chapter left Lu and Qian Le watching a fan video of Xie Tongchu at the airport after he left the production.

• Lu Chiyan read director Yan Shengting’s post saying the decision to replace Xie Tongchu as Lin Yi was his alone.
• Lu Chiyan hoped the post would clear his name, but online commenters accused him of making the director take the blame.
• Qian Le tried to comfort Lu Chiyan as they realized that further explanations only made the backlash worse.
• Qian Le found a fan video of Xie Tongchu waiting at the airport after ending his contract with the production.

Qin Sili exposed evidence showing that Xie Tongchu had tried to approach Director Yan Shengting at night and had framed Lu Chiyan, causing Xie Tongchu’s public image to collapse. Xie Tongchu was already offline on a flight, leaving him unable to respond as the revelations spread.

• Xie Tongchu posted a video in which he appeared heartbroken, prompting fans to comfort him and attack Lu Chiyan.
• Qian Le told Lu Chiyan that Xie Tongchu’s acting made him difficult to challenge, but Qin Sili showed them new trending topics exposing Xie Tongchu.
• Qin Sili revealed that he had obtained hotel corridor footage, a recording of Yan Shengting’s conversation with Xie Tongchu, and footage of their contract termination meeting.
• The evidence showed that Xie Tongchu had knocked on Yan Shengting’s door late at night and paid for trending topics to frame Lu Chiyan.
• Qin Sili had the evidence posted after Xie Tongchu boarded his flight, leaving him offline as the scandal spread.

After videos exposed Xie Tongchu, online opinion turned against him and Lu Chiyan was cleared of blame. Lu Chiyan headed to the script read-through, while Xie Tongchu arrived to face reporters’ accusations without knowing what had happened.

• Online commenters turned against Xie Tongchu and sympathized with Lu Chiyan after the videos were released.
• Lu Chiyan dismissed the online backlash as fickle, and Qian Le told him the script read-through had been moved to two that afternoon.
• Lu Chiyan got ready to go to work instead of waiting for the production team to find a new male lead.
• Xie Tongchu arrived at the airport expecting to use reporters to pressure the production team into reinstating him.
• Reporters confronted Xie Tongchu with questions about approaching the director, framing Lu Chiyan, and deceiving his fans, leaving him stunned and disheveled.

Xie Tongchu learned that brands were ending contracts and jobs were being canceled after the scandal, while Strange Tales of Luo City prepared to film without a male lead. Lu Chiyan went to Qing City early for work, and Qin Sili decided to follow him there on a supposed business trip.

• Xie Tongchu's assistant escorted him away from the crowd, and Xie Tongchu discovered the scandal on Weibo.
• Brands called Xie Tongchu's assistant to terminate contracts and cancel jobs, leaving Xie Tongchu panicked.
• The director held the Strange Tales of Luo City read-through without a male lead and decided filming would begin on schedule while a replacement was sought.
• Lu Chiyan told Qin Sili he was flying to Qing City early for a brand event and said Qin Sili did not need to see him off.
• Qin Sili canceled his lunch plans, reviewed his schedule with Fang Zhi, and arranged to go to Qing City on a business trip.

Qin Sili rushed to Qing City after missing Lu Chiyan and waited for him at his hotel. After surprising Lu Chiyan with an embrace and a kiss, Qin Sili admitted he had come because he missed him, but their conversation was interrupted by the doorbell.

• Qin Sili landed at Qingcheng Airport in the early morning and told Fang Zhi to take him straight to Lu Chiyan's hotel.
• Qin Sili booked the room next to Lu Chiyan's and waited for him to return from filming a commercial.
• Qin Sili helped the exhausted Lu Chiyan unlock his door, then followed him inside unnoticed.
• Qin Sili startled Lu Chiyan with an embrace, warned him about being careless, and kissed him.
• Qin Sili told Lu Chiyan he had come because he missed him, and the doorbell rang before Lu Chiyan could respond.

Lu Chiyan received roses that he mistook for gifts from Qin Sili, who privately wondered if Fang Zhi had arranged them. The next day, another bouquet arrived, leaving both Lu Chiyan and Qin Sili wondering who had sent the roses.

• A hotel attendant delivered roses to Lu Chiyan with a card addressed to A-Yan, and Lu Chiyan assumed Qin Sili had sent them.
• Lu Chiyan told Qin Sili he preferred white lisianthus, while Qin Sili agreed despite not knowing who had arranged the roses.
• Qin Sili mistakenly credited Fang Zhi with the flowers and promised him a raise, leaving Fang Zhi puzzled but pleased.
• Lu Chiyan was too tired for more than a kiss, so Qin Sili let him rest before the next day’s shoot.
• Qin Sili visited Lu Chiyan’s location shoot with refreshments, where another bouquet of roses arrived and both men realized Qin Sili had not sent either bouquet.

Lu Chiyan finished filming and invited Qin Sili to explore Qing City with him, but Qin Sili grew jealous over the roses sent to Lu Chiyan. When another bouquet arrived at their hotel, Qin Sili threw it away, and Lu Chiyan realized he was jealous even of fans.

• Lu Chiyan dismissed the roses at the film set as a gift from a fan, while Qin Sili questioned Fang Zhi about who had sent them.
• After filming, Lu Chiyan kissed Qin Sili and invited him to a century-old noodle shop in Qing City.
• At the hotel, Qin Sili received another bouquet of roses for Lu Chiyan and learned the hotel staff did not know who had sent it.
• Qin Sili threw the roses into the trash, and Lu Chiyan recognized his jealousy.

Lu Chiyan coaxed Qin Sili out of his jealousy over fan-gifted roses, and the two prepared to go out alone. Their plans were interrupted when Duan Linfeng appeared with another bouquet and declared he would pursue Lu Chiyan again.

• Qin Sili called the roses in the trash garbage, but Lu Chiyan put them on display and persuaded him to smile.
• Lu Chiyan and Qin Sili agreed to go out alone without Qian Le or Fang Zhi.
• When they opened the door, Duan Linfeng stood outside holding roses, and Qin Sili pulled Lu Chiyan behind him.
• Duan Linfeng apologized and said he would pursue Lu Chiyan again, offering him the bouquet.
• Duan Linfeng claimed Lu Chiyan had once promised to forgive him after he sent ninety-nine bouquets, and took Lu Chiyan’s acceptance of earlier roses as a sign he had a chance.

Duan Linfeng promised Lu Chiyan ninety-nine bouquets of roses, but Lu rejected him and threw away his flowers. Qin Sili arranged for the roses to be removed and replaced them with lisianthus, promising to give Lu ninety-nine bouquets every day.

• Duan Linfeng told Lu Chiyan he would give him ninety-nine bouquets of roses, and Qin Sili eyed Lu with suspicion.
• Lu Chiyan told Duan Linfeng their relationship was over, then shut the door and threw the roses into the trash.
• Lu Chiyan lost his appetite and refused to go out, so Qin Sili arranged for the hotel to send them food.
• Qin Sili had a hotel attendant remove the roses, then revealed more than a dozen bouquets of lisianthus and promised Lu ninety-nine bouquets every day.

Lu Chiyan tried to stop Qin Sili from sending him more lisianthus bouquets, then suggested moving to a bigger room. Qin Sili instead brought him to a huge villa in Qing City for him to stay in while filming.

• Lu Chiyan protested that eighteen bouquets were enough and asked Qin Sili not to send the rest of the ninety-nine.
• Qin Sili kissed Lu Chiyan among the flowers, but Lu Chiyan pushed him away because the white bouquets made the room feel creepy.
• Lu Chiyan searched for somewhere to put the bouquets, then asked Qin Sili to find them a bigger room with a balcony.
• Qin Sili agreed and brought Lu Chiyan to a four-story villa in Qing City's Imperial View Villa District.
• Qin Sili offered to arrange a butler, housekeeper, and driver to care for Lu Chiyan while he filmed in Qing City.

Lu Chiyan learned that Wen Zhao had joined the production as the male lead, despite being a top singer-dancer with no acting experience. The casting announcement stunned the public and sent the news trending online.

• Qin Sili told Lu Chiyan he owned many villas and offered him one, while Lu Chiyan admired his wealth and affection.
• Lu Chiyan saw the ninety-nine bouquets Qin Sili had given him displayed under a shelter in the garden.
• The director told Lu Chiyan and Gu Xia'an that a talented rookie would join the cast as the male lead the next day.
• Lu Chiyan and Gu Xia'an discovered that the new male lead was Wen Zhao, a famous singer-dancer trying acting for the first time.
• Wen Zhao greeted Lu Chiyan and Gu Xia'an and formally asked them to guide him.
• Paid photographers posted pictures of Wen Zhao on set, and the production announced him as the male lead, sending the news trending.

Wen Zhao faced online criticism after being cast as the male lead in Strange Tales of Luo City, but he stayed focused on doing the role well. As he began filming opposite Lu Chiyan, proxy photographers gathered on a nearby rooftop.

• Online commenters argued over Wen Zhao's casting and whether he had the acting ability for the male lead.
• Lu Chiyan worried the criticism might affect Wen Zhao and tried to comfort him.
• Wen Zhao said he had expected the backlash and would focus on acting well.
• Wen Zhao joked with Lu Chiyan about seeking his guidance, then fetched him water before Gu Xia'an teased them about a headline.
• Wen Zhao prepared to film his first scene opposite Lu Chiyan as more than a dozen proxy photographers watched from a nearby rooftop.

After an overnight shoot of a fight scene between Lu Chiyan and Wen Zhao, online rumors made it sound as if the actors had fought for real. They could not explain the scene because of production rules, and Pei Zeyan ended by asking if they had fought over Gu Xia'an.

• Lu Chiyan and Wen Zhao filmed a fight scene that took the entire night.
• After wrapping, Lu Chiyan saw trending topics claiming he and Wen Zhao had fought on set.
• Lu Chiyan and Wen Zhao both realized they could not explain that the fight was part of the story, so they left the rumors unanswered.
• Pei Zeyan asked in the group chat whether they had really fought and who had won.
• Pei Zeyan suggested they might have fought over Gu Xia'an, who replied with confusion.

Pei Zeyan joined the production as a cameo, hoping to spend time filming with Wen Zhao, Lu Chiyan, and Gu Xia'an, but his schedule kept him apart from them. At two in the morning, Wen Zhao returned to set and offered to let Pei Zeyan sleep in his RV while he waited for his scenes.

• Pei Zeyan emailed the director to ask for a role, and the director cast him as a key figure in a case with substantial screen time.
• Pei Zeyan arrived on set and told Wen Zhao he had gotten a part, then suggested the four of them play mahjong.
• Gu Xia'an told Pei Zeyan he was booked for scenes that day, including night scenes, while she, Lu Chiyan, and Wen Zhao had none.
• At two in the morning, Pei Zeyan fell asleep on two chairs while waiting to film.
• Wen Zhao woke Pei Zeyan and offered him a place to sleep in his RV, but Pei Zeyan said he still had more filming soon.