Episode Title: A Childhood Friend
Hu Xiu is curious about the relationship between Xiao Zhi Yu and Luna. She secretly goes to the hotel where they are having dinner. Xiao Zhi Yu meets with Luna and congratulates her on her engagement.
(Source: Viu)
- Aired: January 20, 2026
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Love between Lines Episode 23 Reactions
I got hooked in by the murder mystery game and how magical the production was in that world. Getting into the narrative of the show I thought the characters weren't as goofy as in other dramas where I'm constantly cringing and begging for a serious moment. It was very well paced and I felt like we were really given time to settle in with the dynamics between all of the characters. And they made me actually care about the architecture industry for a bit, it takes some dedication to take the professional context of a romance drama that seriously and I appreciated it. I didn't particularly dislike the second LI. The story made it easy to empathize with him, and he really just wanted something to brighten up his life. I liked him as a rival. He definitely wasn't right for the FL though.I didn't care for the secondary romance at all, but power to them. I don't like secondary romances, I find the perspective shift difficult to commit to mentally.I really just dropped it because I didn't like how the FL treated the ML when her parents got to her first about his past. In general I really can't imagine blaming the son for the alleged actions of his (dead) father. Especially like, if she knows who his father is now she knows that he died by suicide and that the ML was young when it happened, hello, don't you love that man and want to comfort him? Plus he's had to keep it secret his whole life to make a living and y'all are just now getting close. I skipped ahead a few episodes to see what they made of all that just to see her crying about him keeping secrets again. Over it.I wish the murder mystery game had been more important to the plot, like if it was a genuine hobby the main characters were committed to and they immersed themselves in that world fully as a pastime, because I liked how they expressed themselves when they were in game and I wish I could've seen more play running tandem with the drama. Also I play role playing games with friends so I'm a bit biased.That being said, the first half or so of the season was so engaging I will watch it again just to experience that. And I still would recommend it, because it was so much fun for a while I was certain I would finish it, and I've never been certain of that with a drama before.
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This episode felt like everything collapsing at once. What began as reassurance and warmth quickly turned into confusion, betrayal, and heartbreak. Xiu searching for answers, Yu trying to protect what they have, and Pei acting out of loneliness all collided in painful ways.The concert tickets and long-awaited kiss felt like a brief moment of peace before reality hit hard. Learning the truth about Yu’s identity, her father’s accident, and Pei’s choice to expose everything made the episode emotionally overwhelming. It left everyone wounded in different ways, and it’s hard not to feel the weight of that loss for all of them.
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Episode 23 is heartbreaking, because the truth finally comes out — the ML’s real identity is exposed, and it becomes painfully clear there’s a deeper connection between the FL’s father’s injury and the ML’s father. The past isn’t just haunting them anymore, it’s actively detonating in the present.
What set off the chain reaction? The Rival Lead (RL). Jealousy, pride, and the inability to accept that the FL chose someone else. He couldn’t stand it, so he had to ruin it. I felt for him up until that point, but the moment he weaponises the truth without thinking about how it will affect the FL, my sympathy evaporates. That’s not love — that’s ego with a bruised pride.
We also learn the RL’s company has been reported for financial fraud. At first it’s hinted that the ML is the one who reported them, but later we find out it was a supplier. And if I’m connecting the dots correctly, that supplier is linked to the ML’s father’s death — the same one who recently asked the RL’s father for help and was turned away. Nothing in this story is random, and the web keeps tightening.
I can’t help thinking the ML should have told the FL sooner about his father. If it had come from him, it wouldn’t have hit like a betrayal, and it would’ve left less room for sneaky people to manipulate the narrative. Instead, the details are dropped on the FL’s parents in the worst possible way, upsetting them and somehow spiralling into the FL’s father being in an accident.
This episode is heavy because it shows how quickly love can be collateral damage when people start playing with truth like it’s a weapon.
The tragedy here isn’t just the secrets — it’s the timing. Waiting too long gave the wrong people control of the story, and now everyone pays the price.
What set off the chain reaction? The Rival Lead (RL). Jealousy, pride, and the inability to accept that the FL chose someone else. He couldn’t stand it, so he had to ruin it. I felt for him up until that point, but the moment he weaponises the truth without thinking about how it will affect the FL, my sympathy evaporates. That’s not love — that’s ego with a bruised pride.
We also learn the RL’s company has been reported for financial fraud. At first it’s hinted that the ML is the one who reported them, but later we find out it was a supplier. And if I’m connecting the dots correctly, that supplier is linked to the ML’s father’s death — the same one who recently asked the RL’s father for help and was turned away. Nothing in this story is random, and the web keeps tightening.
I can’t help thinking the ML should have told the FL sooner about his father. If it had come from him, it wouldn’t have hit like a betrayal, and it would’ve left less room for sneaky people to manipulate the narrative. Instead, the details are dropped on the FL’s parents in the worst possible way, upsetting them and somehow spiralling into the FL’s father being in an accident.
This episode is heavy because it shows how quickly love can be collateral damage when people start playing with truth like it’s a weapon.
The tragedy here isn’t just the secrets — it’s the timing. Waiting too long gave the wrong people control of the story, and now everyone pays the price.
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The writer did well with the engaged friend. 😁 Bet mom was surprised at this news. Gong has spilled the beans and tattled on Yu so of course Xiu investigates. She sees a pretty girl having a nice chat with her bf and isn’t happy. Pei shows up and complicates things and Xiu flees the building to be rescued by Yu. He explains and has two sold out concert tickets to her favorite group. This was a perfect peacemaker. We get the kiss in drama that we’ve been watching for days in comments. 💋😍🫣 Pei leaves the family dinner and heads to Xiu’s apartment wanting a bandaid. Sadly she is the only real source of comfort for him. Xiu’s parents get a mysterious envelope that reveals Yu’s identity. When Xiu returns her dad’s call she is lost in sadness. Yu reminds her of the promise made to get through together no matter what. They are interrupted by a call that her dad is in hospital after being hit by a car. Yu helps from the background but gives the family as much privacy as possible while keeping updated on the dad’s condition. Rehab will determine how well he walks but the surgery itself went fine with no complications. Going to the Pei home the son is already developing the stone face of his father. He tells him that it was a supplier that had told on them . I am sure elder Pei was expecting it to be Yu. What is most bitter is that Pei took it upon himself to reveal Yu’s identity. Even his father was surprised at this. He selfishly wants one thing for himself. That single bandaid will be the last bit of comfort he ever gets from Xiu. Right now, I am thinking she doesn’t want anything to do with either brother. It is now unknown if their project can move forward even after finding a supplier outside of Zhuling influence. What started out as a perfect evening has turned into the biggest heartbreak. I am sad for all of them. 💔
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