Episode Summary
Lu Li and Qin Yuebai stage a relationship to deceive her father, which leads to a tense family dinner where Lu Li recognizes his father, Su Shilun, as the man who killed his parents. Meanwhile, Qin Yuebai confirms through a private investigator that Lu Li is a famous painter and confronts him, leading him to propose an alliance against their common enemy, the Su family.
Spoiler Alert
"Double Fugue" Episode 9 Spoilers
The episode kicks off with Lu Li and Qin Yuebai being secretly photographed. Lu Li's initial suspicion that Qin Yuebai orchestrated the stunt is quickly dispelled. She whispers to him to keep up the act, explaining that if her father believes she's found someone, he'll finally back off with his constant pressure. Relieved it wasn't a scheme against him, Lu Li agrees to play along.
After the photographer leaves, Lu Li notices the gaudy, oversized diamond ring on Qin Yuebai's finger—a gift from Wang Han—and comments on its poor taste. He then pulls out a simple bracelet, offering it as a more meaningful token between them.
As expected, the photos of their "kiss" spread like wildfire. Wang Han gets the picture while partying in a nightclub surrounded by women. He glances at it for a second before dismissing it and returning to the fun. Qin Yuebai's father, Su Shilun, has a much stronger reaction. His plans to align his family with Wang Han's fortune now seem to be in ruins, and he is furious.
Su Shilun has Su Baoyan's stepmother call Qin Yuebai home. Intentionally, Qin Yuebai brings Lu Li along. Showing respect for her, Lu Li even brings a gift for Su Shilun—a collection of fine art pieces. At the house, Qin Yuebai clings to Lu Li's arm, feigning a deeply intimate relationship. Su Shilun is far from impressed. He bluntly tells Lu Li that he has no claim to the family's inheritance and should drop any foolish ideas. Lu Li, refusing to be intimidated, retorts that the only reason he's showing any deference at all is out of respect for Qin Yuebai.
The moment Lu Li saw Su Shilun, he recognized him. This was the man responsible for the car accident years ago that left his parents dead in a pool of blood. Stunned into silence by Lu Li's sharp response, Su Shilun instructs the maid to prepare for dinner.
The family dinner is fraught with tension. Su Baoyan's stepmother, ever the hypocrite, verbally congratulates Qin Yuebai on finding love while secretly seething with jealousy. The simple-minded Su Baoyan doesn't care about her stepsister's love life but openly despises her presence. Witnessing the blatant disrespect Qin Yuebai endures in her own home, Lu Li feels a pang of sympathy. Su Baoyan tries to taunt Qin Yuebai by claiming even her dog dislikes her, but the plan backfires when the pet immediately runs over to wag its tail and sit beside Qin Yuebai. Cornered, Su Baoyan resorts to her usual insult, mocking Qin Yuebai for being an illegitimate daughter trying to climb the social ladder.
Meanwhile, Qin Yuebai hires another private investigator, and this time, she gets a real lead. Her suspicions are confirmed: Lu Li is indeed a famous contemporary painter. This revelation raises more questions than answers. Why would a renowned artist go to such lengths to stay by her side, constantly creating opportunities to get closer? She confronts him directly, but Lu Li remains silent about his true motives. Instead, he pleads with her not to push him away, revealing his artist identity as "L." He points out that they share a common enemy—the Su family—and that keeping him around could be very useful to her.
