Episode Summary
Hu Xiu tracks Qin Xiaoyi to a LARP game where he rescues her character from a horror scenario. Later, in the real world, Qin Xiaoyi unknowingly rents the attic in Hu Xiu's house, solving her financial problems.
Spoiler Alert
Love between Lines Episode 3
The Chase Is On
Hu Xiu thinks she caught a big break. Her best friend calls about a gathering with a famous NPC. Hu Xiu assumes it is Qin Xiaoyi. She rushes over to the party. It turns out to be a total bust. The guest isn't him. She checks her phone notifications. The group chat says the real Qin Xiaoyi is attending a script murder game tonight. She drops everything and runs to the venue.
Into the Game
She gets her role for the night. The mission is specific. She needs to find a warrant and save the old city lord. Then she has to help a new lord take power. She arrived late. That means she can't swap scripts. She doesn't care. Her only goal is to hang around Qin Xiaoyi. She decides she cannot lose this time. She goes hunting for the warrant. She finds a ledger and stabs it with a dagger. The intimidation works perfectly. The other player is too scared to argue.
A Spooky Turn
She heads to an old house to find a secret letter. She hopes to find clues there. The game system warns her about a past murder in the building. The atmosphere gets heavy. Dark clouds float near the ceiling. They make wailing sounds like ghosts. It is genuinely creepy. She finds the letter in a translucent cabinet. She grabs it. But then fear takes over. She freezes up. The wailing clouds hover right over her head. She almost screams.
The Hero Moment
The door opens. A tall figure steps in. It is Qin Xiaoyi. He looks like a total savior. He helps her off the floor. He aims a gun at the dark clouds. He fires. The scary clouds explode into pink flower petals. The vibe shifts instantly. The scene goes from a horror movie to a romance. Hu Xiu isn't scared anymore.
She follows him through the house. He maintains his cool, distant persona. She realizes he only smiles when he is winning. His profile looks great though. She asks him to shoot the other clouds. He obliges. The bullets turn the clouds into butterflies, meteors, and fireflies. It is a dazzling visual display.
Missed Connections and New Beginnings
The game ends. It is raining outside. Hu Xiu sees Qin Xiaoyi at the exit. She wants to give him her umbrella. She hesitates for a second. A waiter steps in and hands him one first. He leaves without saying a word to her.
The Rental Agreement
Qin Xiaoyi wants to move. He needs a new environment. Hu Xiu happens to be renting out her attic. She is posting flyers. Qin Xiaoyi shows up with a friend to inspect the room. The place is very tidy. The friend tries to negotiate a lower price by finding small flaws. Hu Xiu gets annoyed. She hesitates. She thinks about taking it off the market. The friend panics. He says everything is perfect. He pays the full rent upfront. Hu Xiu is currently unemployed. She needs the money to survive. She agrees to the deal.
