LayarHijau – The idol drama Love Between Lines, starring Lu Yuxiao and Chen Xingxu, aired its final episode for paid subscribers on January 20. In the finale, the intimate interactions between Xiao Zhiyu (Chen Xingxu) and Hu Xiu (Lu Yuxiao) drew strong attention from viewers. The couple shared up to seven kissing scenes, along with a bed scene that once again became a major talking point. At the same time, Xiao Zhiyu finally uncovered the truth behind a case from 20 years ago, exposing the crimes of his own stepfather, Pei Kanghua (Wang Zhifei), and successfully clearing his biological father’s name—an outcome that was widely praised by audiences.
In the story, Hu Xiu and Xiao Zhiyu first meet through a “scripted murder game” (a role-playing game centered on solving a murder case). For Xiao Zhiyu, the game is not merely a form of entertainment, but a way to release the immense pressure he has carried since childhood. Twenty years earlier, his biological father worked at a construction company and was accused of negligence during a stadium construction project. The accusation led to a steel structure accident that resulted in three deaths and four injuries. His father later died by jumping from a building while bearing allegations that were never proven to be true.
After the tragedy, Xiao Zhiyu’s mother remarried Pei Kanghua. In order to sever ties with the past and for protective reasons, the decision to change the name Qin Xiaoyi was made by his mother together with his stepfather. From that point on, he lived under a new identity as Xiao Zhiyu.
For many years, Xiao Zhiyu believed that his biological father was merely a scapegoat. He continued searching for evidence to uncover the truth. As his relationship with Hu Xiu became more stable, Xiao Zhiyu eventually found the only key witness from the incident 20 years ago—the driver who knew the details of the case—and openly confronted his stepfather.
Pei Kanghua then kidnapped Hu Xiu and took her to a warehouse, intending to trade her safety for information about the driver’s whereabouts. The situation escalated further when he set the warehouse on fire, attempting to kill Hu Xiu. Xiao Zhiyu rushed to rescue her, and amid the chaos, Hu Xiu accidentally discovered a crucial piece of evidence. The truth that Xiao Zhiyu’s father had been forced to take the blame for Pei Kanghua’s crimes had been hidden behind a brick.
After the evidence was secured and handed over to the police, Xiao Zhiyu confronted Pei Kanghua directly to confirm the truth behind his father’s death. Pei Kanghua initially continued to deny everything. However, a final message sent from Xiao Zhiyu’s father’s phone to his wife later came to light. The message contained an apology and a request to raise their child well. Xiao Zhiyu then noticed a critical inconsistency: although Qin Xiaoyi was his official name, his biological father always called him by his childhood nickname, “Xiao Xiao.” This fact confirmed that the message was not written by his father, but was instead sent by Pei Kanghua using his father’s phone. In the end, Pei Kanghua was imprisoned, and Xiao Zhiyu’s father’s name was finally cleared.
Meanwhile, the fate of Pei Zhen, portrayed by Dai Xu, left a deep impression on viewers. Feeling guilty over all of his father’s actions, Pei Zhen chose to leave the company and move to another city to start a new life. In a farewell scene, he takes out the bandage given to him by Hu Xiu that he had kept all this time, gazes at it repeatedly, and then leaves—creating a quiet and poignant moment that moved many viewers.
At the end of the story, Xiao Zhiyu completes the construction of his new building. The first person he brings to the top of the building is Hu Xiu. On the rooftop, with the cityscape spread out before them, the two embrace tightly, bringing Love Between Lines to a close with an ending that viewers considered romantic and satisfying.
