LayarHijau – Actress Li Qin once again proves her enduring popularity in Chinese dramas through her latest historical series Fated Hearts (一笑随歌), which premiered on October 2. The drama pairs her with rising star Chen Zheyuan, who gained massive recognition from Hidden Love. The first episode of Fated Hearts immediately caught public attention — not only for its grand visuals but also for a steamy medicinal bath scene featuring Chen Zheyuan’s toned, muscular physique. Within hours, his name was trending on Chinese social media.
In the premiere episode, Chen Zheyuan plays Feng Suige, a prince from a rival kingdom who is severely injured and undergoes recovery in a medicinal pool. The 34-second sequence focuses closely on his upper body — from defined abs to broad shoulders — enhanced by dramatic lighting. Netizens flooded Weibo with playful reactions: “The director really knows how to spoil the audience!” wrote one user, while another joked, “I’m out of breath watching that, I need a medicinal bath too.”
Thanks to that scene, Fated Hearts quickly climbed the Maoyan popularity charts, surpassing two other ongoing dramas, The Journey of Legend starring Cheng Yi and Mobius starring Bai Jingting. The series now ranks second on the daily popularity list, just behind Zhao Lusi’s Love’s Ambition.
Fated Hearts is adapted from Chi Yi Qian Yu’s novel A Smile. The story follows Fu Yixiao (played by Li Qin), the most skilled archer of the Jinxiu Kingdom, who manages to strike down the Crown Prince of Sushu, Feng Suige (Chen Zheyuan), with a single arrow, turning the tide of battle. On her way home, however, Fu Yixiao is ambushed and falls off a cliff. At a healing spring where she washes ashore, she unexpectedly encounters Feng Suige again — both wounded and vulnerable. She has lost her memory, while he is struggling to recover his strength. The two are forced to cooperate for survival, but over time, their fragile alliance evolves into a tangled web of love and vengeance, Upmedia wrote.
The chemistry between Li Qin and Chen Zheyuan has been widely praised since the very first episode. One intense scene that sparked discussion depicts Feng Suige ordering Fu Yixiao to be whipped — only for her to resist by biting his neck. The raw emotion and physical closeness in that moment embody the drama’s signature tension between passion and rivalry, leaving audiences “hurt yet unable to look away.”
Chen Zheyuan’s standout bath scene was not just about looks, but the result of his disciplined physical preparation. Standing at 180 cm and weighing around 62 kg, the actor maintains a strict workout routine and diet regimen. His impressive physique reflects his professionalism and commitment to performing physically demanding scenes authentically.
With polished cinematography, solid performances, and a blend of romance and political intrigue, Fated Hearts is being hailed as one of the most promising costume dramas of late 2025. Many commentators predict it could soon rival Love’s Ambition’s dominance if its soaring popularity continues.
