"so Zhi's crush was.. me?" 他喜欢的人...是我

This is the moment we were all waiting for ! Love blooming at bullet train speed !Chinese New Year was back. Jiaxu was driving Sang Zhi to the airport while interrogating her about her crush. She answered with an accurate description. Jiaxu was nonplussed, but admitted in answer to her question that he might accept a girlfriend her age. Sang Zhi was startled. But he still needed help from his friend Qianfei later, to realize who she had been talking about.Qianfei was getting married in Nanwu. At the wedding party, Sang Zhi was surprised by Jiaxu’s unexpected arrival, looking transformed in his business suit and glasses, and playing with the gift she had given to him for his graduation. The rest of the evening was a succession of smooth moves to attract her, separate her from the shield of her elder brother, and have her accept his closeness and his gift of love under the pretext of a New Year’s gift.Did you catch the snippet about the strawberries and did you find where it fit in the episode ? Did you understand what he meant by this present and by the warning he gave her ?CZY and ZLS played perfectly the ballet of flirtation and bewilderment to acceptance, showing with moves and glances, piano playing on the wheel and rapping knuckles on a table, using the glasses to alternatively show a naked face and dressed up appearance. This was preceded by a counterpoint of Sang Yan sporting asymmetrical sunglasses that his sister had given him as New Year’s gift ; only Victor Ma BoQiang could rakishly wear such glasses with a crooked lock falling on them.Notice the song at Qian Fei wedding banquet was the one sung by Zhao Lusi in the Oh! My Emperor OST : "It Seems to Fall Into The Sea of Love" which you can listen to here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJLqLedBsxQThe song they were laughing to in the car during the strawberries moment was "Be Your light", the song by Ma Boqian from the OST, here in lyrics MV : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo8LkKRIOIw===Now to list the series of seductive moves that had you squealing with delight and kicking up your heels :* Sang Zhi was taken aback when she saw Jiaxu stride into the wedding party while he was fingering the necktie to draw her attention.* He played Sang Yan, calling him mockingly « Gege » (as if he was into BL !) so that Sang Zhi’s brother exchanged seats in exasperation, and Jiaxu could sit next to her.* He rapped his knuckles on the table to command her to watch the text message where he demanded why she had not greeted him yet.* He continued his interrogation, ascertaining that she had met her crush at the karaoke, and next baffling her with his remark that Qianfei was a smart guy indeed.* He gained knowledge of her pet name, ZhiZhi, used only by those close to her, and he shook her confidence, when he inquired about why she had him as « Brother no.2 » in her phone directory, making her indirectly aware that this name was now as moot as « little sister » was about herself : both were now acknowledged adults and free to move ahead.* He noticed with a thoughtful expression her frustration when a passing guest snatched the strawberry that she had coveted on the fruit plate. * He let her go first, when she expressed the desire to leave, but followed on her heels shortly after and commandingly showed her the keys to the car that Sang Yan had lent to him.* He was intrusively familiar to her, calling her by her pet name then, doing away with the childishness.* He swiftly purchased a box of heart shaped strawberries at the nearby store, while wearing his business like glasses as if to hide his intent.* While he was driving, he let her feed him a strawberry, pretending (after having taken off the glasses, as though he wanted to draw attention to his naked face) that he could not take his hands off the wheel ; yes, but he could bend his head to her and snatch the strawberry with his lips (as if in symbolic kissing) from her hand with a wicked glance. She blushed in surprise and could not repress a smile. He smiled back knowingly at her.* He was in full mock serious flirtatious mode when he warned her "Don't take advantage of me".* He was wearing the glasses again, when he set her off at the door to her garden, where he gave her the box containing a tenderly chosen gift with a highly symbolic meaning. * Sang Zhi was so surprised that she had to confirm that the initials engraved on the charm were hers. * She raised her head to look directly into his eyes after accepting the gift, and Jiaxu looked immensely satisfied when she agreed, in answer to his slightly ambiguous question 喜欢吗 Xǐhuān ma? ([Do you} like?)... Did he mean only the bracelet or did he mean himself too?* This was like a betrothal present, and a symbol that this previously "lone dog" (a common way of talking about single men, in China) was now "collared and leashed" to her... * He released her, after an exchange of nod, meaningful glances, and a tender gesture of his hand as if his fingers were running ahead.* She looked up the meaning of the wristlet (手环 shǒu huán) and paused when she discovered the symbolism and near homophony with « Love » (喜欢 xǐhuān). Her raptured expression, next, showed that her dream had come true.All the cards were now on the table, and the game could move on to a higher ground, no-holds barred, in the chasing and winning her, hook, line and sinker. The whole episode, in the rapid-fire succession of seductive moves, was a pure delight.

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Maelstrom of conflicted feelings and a revelation

Messy anxiety and anguish colored this episode where drunk Sang Zhi revealed the depth of pain she felt, and her dejection about someone who could only be compared to « central air conditioning » ! Jiaxu was disturbed by her agony, her tears and her pleading that he not be « mean » to her. While she was passed out, Jiaxu voiced his own thoughts about their reaching separately a passage in their lives which he now realized he hopelessly wished to connect. Next morning, when he drove her to the airport, he quizzed her, while blowing bubble gum as if firing a gun. Was the man who Zhi despaired about the 1.95 m tall student he had glimpsed, trying to ingratiate himself with « their » Zhi ? Puzzle : In the car, Jiaxu exchanged a pack of hamburger for a basket of sliced fruit, showing his care in wolfing down the offensive meat, while trying to ease her anxiety. (This snippet is easy to place in the episode). It also shows how much Jiaxu took care of the girl, redirecting his niceness to her only, remembering her allergies and not making fun of her awkward trouble, shame and apologies. Jiang Ming had already lost to him although he did not know it yet : she had remembered Jiaxu’s sound advice about young Fu (back in episode 3), shooting him a tell-tale glance while Jiaxu was watching her guardedly from the car where he was having a cup of coffee, out of earshot, in order to relieve her from pressure.The song that Jiang Ming performed on stage was « I've Liked You Since The First Day I Met You » (words and lyrics by Zhāng Yīháo from the OST of the 2022 c-drama Time and him are just right) Listen to the full song here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTH4dD1lYdINotice: some have spotted the hidden message on Jiaxu's car license plate ; go to episode 14 for full explanation. In this episode, it was perhaps too early to show it... (a small goof?)

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Success and proposal

This was the finale, after Jiaxu moved to Nanwu so his new company would be closer to Zhi's family. She was graduating too, so was now past 21, and had earned an award in design in which Jiaxu recognized some familiar pictures, coming to present the award as a surprise to her. A last surprise was preparing a proposal for Ning Wei on the beach, but Zhi's friend stepped away to let Jiaxu propose to Zhi with the approval of her frineds from university, her parents, and her brother. The roses were lovely, fresh pink, and the ring was beautiful. There is no end snippet puzzle, but on Youku, there is an episode 25.5 with a lot of interesting snippets of jokes, humorous moments, fashion, making-of some scenes, interview, and a sweet message on a folded paper star, that Jiaxu wrote for ZhiZhi, in imitation of her touching ones. Notice: the song playing in the background in the bar where Sang Yan and friends gather is the same that The song that Jiang Ming performed on stage in ep12 « I've Liked You Since The First Day I Met You » (words and lyrics by Zhāng Yīháo from the OST of the 2022 c-drama Time and him are just right) Listen to the full song here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTH4dD1lYdI

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"Sang Zhi, I love you" 桑稚 我愛你

This episode is about deep realizations, commitment, and partings. Zhi's tearful offering of the starred proofs of her long lasting faithfulness shook Jiaxu to the core, and after their coming back from the airport, he confessed his love and his awe that he had not been up to her dedication to him. He had realized that he had treated her too lightly and made her cry, even if she never had other than a great love for him. They kissed and made love that night. She accompanied him to the cemetary to visit his mother's grave. His father had passed away, and Jiaxu could stay in Yihe in a better position, but he preferred to let Li Xun and his wife support his move to set up a subsidiary of the game design company in Nanwu. As he was packing and at the airport, Zhi almost could not let go of Jiaxu ... 2 years without him and the hot kisses they shared would feel so long ! Puzzle : the young couple was at the restaurant and bantered about the e-book that Zhi was reading : Jiaxu wanted a copy too. Did you take note of what it was about, and did you fit it into this episode ? Clue : it is when they came back home from the bike ride.

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"When do you plan to tell her ?" 你打算什么时候跟他摊牌啊？+ love code

This episode had funny moments including cute mirror like behavior : Sang Zhi was holding back, disbelieving that Jiaxu could have feelings for her; luckily she had supportive roommates who gave her funny advise on how to "strike first" at the "enemy" :)) Jiaxu had been worried at her coldness on the way back from Nanwu, but asked likewise Qianfei for advise about how to pursue "his girl". He asked her out to early dinner, but nothing went as expected : he showed up accompanied, and the ensuing embarrassment took a literal toll on Zhi's face ! ----Puzzle piece at the end : Jiaxu was in the office and asked for a favor from his superior to dispel a misunderstanding and save his face... (This piece is easy to place in the episode) It was endearing and funny to see how the actress portrayed the sudden blooming in beauty of the girl in love, with glossy hair and tasty light clothes coordinated to her white and black dress sandals with modest heels. Chen Zheyuan and his outfits and glasses were also like a top model there, with his denim shirt mirroring the color of the azure skies. Notice: the license plate of Jiaxu's car at 28:47 when he is driving away with Zhi reads clearly "宜A D34520" . That's a love code! 34 (sān sì) is almost homophone with Sang Zhi and 520 is the well-known code for "I love you" (Wǔ'èr líng = Wǒ ài nǐ). As for the first 宜A that refers to A, a "provincial capital" and "宜" (Yi) the abbreviation of the provincial name, which must also tie in with fictional Yihe city.And did you notice Jiaxu's wolfish smile and drumming fingers on the wheel before he asked the vocal assistant in his electric car to connect him to Qianfei? That was a neat product placement of the Shenlan SLO3 EV competitor of the Tesla car, launched on 26 July 2022 by Changan Automobile, based in Chongqing. Coincidentally, ShenLan is also a popular pairing (ship) of characters in the Genshin Impact open-world action RPG launched by MiHoYo, Shanghai Miha Touring Film Technology Co., Ltd. on September 28, 2020.

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Even the rain could not beat down their plans

Jiaxu was contemplating a job promotion and granted time off for vacation after the success of the game launch; Zhi had finished her internship. She wanted to camp out under the stars at the beach and had prepared for everything, but the weather turned to rain. They still found a cheap and fun solution, even hoodwinking Zhi's mom into believing her daughter and a (probably female) friend were out enjoying themselves. But later, as she was in Nanwu phoning to Jiaxu, her mom overheard part of her conversation and had a crisis meeting with her dad to check out who Zhi was dating. After Jiaxu flew in from Yihe to tell the parents abot their relationship, she felt awkward when she reminisced about the past and her childhood crush. .-- Puzzle : Jiaxu and Zhi were preparing to go to bed in the sleeping bags, watching the moon and the stars projected on the wall in front of the tent. This sweet snippet is easy to place in the episode.--Notice: When Sang Yan was urging Zhi to prepare driving out to the restaurant in Nanwu where Jiaxu was meeting with them, he hummed playfully some notes from the famous Coco Li song "Di Da Di" - you can watch the clip from the episode here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5A4od491pI and listen to the song here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AALkKSrl2aY

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"I want to be more than just your boyfriend" 我不想只当你男朋友

Jiaxu showed his protective mind in confronting Jiang Ying with the text of the law, when his colleague mentioned that the obsessive one had been seen harassing SZ ;. In the office, SZ still had to fight her own battles to show her worth and fend off wild accusations from XiaoYu. Both Sang Yan and Jiaxu guessed she had trouble at work. Jiaxu wanted to prove that they needed to rely on each other and not hide difficulties, so he set out to move to a new rental apartment . When the a/c broke down in Zhi's dorm. Jiaxu seized the opportunity to have her move in with him. --- Puzzle : This one is easy to place. SZ and JX were having breakfast, using couple's mugs.

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Exposing objections and secrets

In this episode, the parents showed their concern about their daughter perhaps getting too quickly into a relationship, even mentioning she ought to break off. But Sang Zhi felt wounded and when Jiaxu flew back to Yihe, she took the first flight next morning, to join him and show to him the stars that spelled out her most well ,guarded secrets.Her tears and sincerity could have moved a stone ! ---- Puzzle : Jiaxu was sorting out ads including that of the well sized apartment of 118 sqm, he had selected near Yihe university. He was also phoning with a friend who was already there (to help move Jiaxu's stuff). To,find the place of this snippet in episodes, move back to the previous episode 21. Clue : its in the evening before SZ saw him on the balcony.

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"I have to stay one step ahead of a young fox like you" 毕竟我想要对付你这种小狐狸

The flirting continued : Zhi acted cool when she received a surprise with her birthday gift. Not missing a beat, Jiaxu pressed for advantage, but she was playing for time. Two could play at this game : Jiaxu was genuinely busy, and he knew something so was less anxious. Zhi came to regret the roommate's strategic advice. But regrets over past heartaches were also troubling Jiaxu who remembered the traumatic youth experience, that had caused his debts and his mother's death. He suddenly wanted to see her immediately despite the late hour; how should he woo her ? The teasing back and forth continued, but Jiaxu smilingly saw that she was now wearing the bracelet he had given her. The next Saturday, as Zhi was going for a conference in the university, Jiaxu appeared at his most handsome, sat beside her, and while she was catnapping before the lecturer came, Jiaxu played a little trick on her cheek.---- Puzzle : Jiaxu was preparing to go to bed when he received a call from Sang Yan. His friend asked him to keep an eye on his sister because Zhi had a boyfriend. Do you know when this fit in the episode ? [ In the beginning of the episode, Jiaxu playfully sent this text message to Zhi : 毕竟我想要对付你这种小狐狸，还是需要i技高一筹的 ("I have to stay one step ahead of a young fox like you" )]

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"After all, you're not my girlfriend yet" -- question of 名分 (status)

The episode is all in small, physical and mental touches, holding onto arms, supporting in firm and steady grasp, be it the girl or her drink, and playing on warm and cold temperature, of Jiaxu's hand too. They were already speaking together in unison. The build up to establishing relation was progressive and inevitable. Jiaxu was now in full bullet train flirting mode, messing with Zhi's mind to take her to his place, and make his intentions crystal clear in candlelight at her 19th birthday. She was getting used to him, and accepted that he woo her until she could make sure if she liked him! --- "Half-baked" ☺️ Puzzle piece : Jiaxu was learning to bake, with a professional baker, and had to try several times before he could bake the non dairy lemon tart Zhi would prefer. Do you remember why he did so, and where this fit into the episode ? In fact, at the cinema, Jiaxu said 毕竟也没个名分 "after all, there is no status", implying she 还不是 (didn't yet) have the status of his 女朋友 (girlfriend )

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Reunion and honey pot

Two years later. Sang Zhi has earned the right to enter her university of choice in Yihe.Her brother had asked Jiaxu to check on her, but their meeting was not planned, at the karaoke bar where she had gone to celebrate a roommate's birthday in a grop of students. Jiaxu had coincidentally gone to the same karaoke bar with colleagues. They met on the stairs and he berated her like an elder would a wayward adolescent. Insisting that she was old enough now to know what she was doing, she returned to the birthday party. She was grumbling to herself about the "old guy" when she exited to return home early.... Did you catch the snippet of Jiaxu chosing the most expensive honey pot and bringing it back to wait for her when she was still in the karaoke bar ? Did you find where it fit in the episode, before he drove her to the dorm?Did you notice the song playing softly in the karaoke room where Jiaxu was being introduced to a woman by his colleagues? That was the first hit song of Mao Buyi 毛不易 : 《消愁》Xiāo chóu ("Drowning sorrows ") . Although it was released officially on January 1, 2019, he had already performed it at the Chinese singing competition show “The Coming One”, which he won. He had entered the competition in the summer of 2017 just after having graduated from a college where he had majored in Nursing. This was the third song he sang there and he received wide attention for it, with 10 million views online in 24 hours and over 100 million views in a week in China! His career as singer and songwriter was thus established. You can listen to the iconic song as it was performed live, on this YouTube link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHGN3ViWrnsThe second song was Zhao Lusi's song 《好像掉進愛情海裡》"It seems to fall into a sea of love", OST in the drama "Oh! my Emperor!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJLqLedBsxQFun fact, on June 10, 2017, Victor Ma (who plays Sang Yan in Hidden Love) also took part in The Coming One competition, and eventually won second place on September 23, 2017. You can see him briefly showing Mao Buyi in, in the beginning of this other video, where Mao Buyi performed another song after a short interview : 《盛夏》Shèngxià (Midsummer) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T3unhDKXaU ; and watch him rap and perform with Hua Chenyu the song 《差不多先生》Chàbùduō xiānshēng (Mr. So-so) during the competition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLL_cNZuKJ4 * Chinese American Victor Ma BoQian was born in New York and graduated from SoCal before starting his career as singer, songwriter, and actor in China in 2017 ; he has participated in many shows and Hidden Love is the 4th web series he played in.The transformation of Sang Zhi from fringe haired adolescent to young sophisticated woman is striking, but Jiaxu had trouble coming to terms with the fact that she was not a kid anymore and resented being called so. He felt protective about her like he would have been to a sister, and bewildered that she seemed so cold as if he had somehow hurt her. He had believed her fable and thought she just had too much work to spare time from her studies to much communicate with him, although he felt weird that she had ignored his text messages when she reached Yihe.

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Heartaches covered by a fable

Sang Yan inadvertently triggered the crisis whereby Sang Zhi had to suddenly leave everything and travel alone at barely 17. On arrival in Yihe, a mutual misunderstanding caused in part by her cover-up fable, caused her a big heartbreak. But back in Nanwu, her family did not scold her as harshly as she feared.Did you catch the snippet of Sang Yan's care for his sister when he drove her home, and what promise she wanted to check ? Do you remember in which episode that unreasonable promise had been made ? Puppy love and underage dating is frowned upon in China like in many countries, by educators and families alike, because it can cause unreasonable behavior in students and harm the focus on studies, which is the priority before gaokao, the all-important end of high school exam that determines entry into universities according to grades. Online dating is an added risk, since it could be a trap from pedophiles to lure underage girls away from their family. Naturally, Sang Zhi's parents are concerned about their daughter having taken such a risk, even if they are reassured in a way to witness her heartbreak about the "breakup"."The age of consent in mainland China is 14 years old. China's two special administrative regions, Macau and Hong Kong, have their own local age of consent laws. Like China, Macau's age of consent is 14 years old. The age of consent in Hong Kong is 16 years old." But according to the "General Provisions of the Civil Law of the People's Republic of China Art. 17 A natural person attaining the age of eighteen is an adult. A natural person under the age of eighteen is a minor."

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Mother hen, ruffled feathers, claw machines and scaredy tall chicken

Building on previous episode, this one was more about recovery and building a new routine for life.**** Synopsis : After settling down uncomfortably on a folding out arm chair, Sang Zhi had been embarrassed again by her phone playing loud a message from her new suitor, whom she had agreed to meet with the group for a show at the cinema, after her dinner date.Next day, she went to fetch Jiaxu's laptop and fresh clothes for him when he'd be released from hospital. On the way back she brushed shoulders with Jiang Ying but they did not know each other, so went on their different business in opposite directions. Sang Zhi had spent her nights at Jiaxu's bedside, and her days in school.She had learned more about Jiaxu's "debts" from a phone call with her mom who had told her sketchily about the blood price he had been saddled with. Jiaxu's boss was a decent one who preferred that he take enough rest and come back totally healed, but Jiaxu was a workaholic who needed something to do even in hospital. Sang Zhi stayed on, despite the arrival in the room of an old man who teased them by insisting on calling her Jiaxu's wife. Since denials did not stop him, Jiaxu played along his fantasies, but Sang Zhi was annoyed.She wanted to recover her own freedom to study without needing to nurse the sick man, so she prepared a series of post-its as reminders and advice, to help him recover physically and get more attentive to the needs of his body : take care not to sit too long, move about, go to sleep before a certain hour. She was quite thoughtful and admirable in her "motherly care" there.But Jiaxu could tell that something had "ruffled her feathers" and suspected it had to do with the jokes about he and her being a couple, at the hospital. He sought advice from his friends and bosses Li Xun and Jiang Siyun : as an older, more experienced couple, they had constructive criticism to offer, warning Jiaxu to stop making relationship jokes that would make Sang Zhi angry,, or to stop commenting on her age. The universal cure for misunderstandings, Chinese style, was suggested : invite her for dinner and share a good meal.Meanwhile, Jiang Ying acted up again, hounding him on the phone, while Sang Zhi was catching up on the promised cinema outing with the handsome and tall fellow student Jiang Ming, who had eyes only for her, while she almost ignored him until she realized he was scared of the tall chicken in the film ! While he went away briefly in the mall, to wipe his head from the sweat his fear had caused him, her eyes stopped on a claw machine that had small white toys exactly like the one she had received as a kid....---- Puzzle : Did you notice the snippet of Jiaxu working on his laptop through the night in hospital, flanked by the sleeping old man on one side and the sleeping Sang Zhi on the other ? Jiaxu made a pause to readjust his coat, that was sliding off her, while she turned over. Can you guess where that snippet fits into the epîsode ?

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The unbearable lightness of living in the shade of the past

This episode was heavier in tone than the previous one, and loaded with past and present pain.CZY acted all the emotions of exhaustion, quiet exasperation, physical pain and mental torment from his workload and the harassment by Jiang Ying. ZLS was acting correspondingly as a conflicted young woman, still trying to free herself from the remnants of her former puppy love, unable to fit in with her roommates and fellow students' plans, and taking upon herself a sudden responsibility for her former tutor's health troubles. ***** Puzzle : Did you not skip the snippet where she was choosing a pair of tennis shoes instead of formal closed toe sandals with medium heels ? Did you find where it fit into the episode, and did you understand her meaning of making the dinner date casual by not dressing up too much ?Notice: it started out lighthearted with a phone exchange about her long and formal text message, after which Jiaxu playfully asked her if that meant she had him "in her heart", joking about the formal ideograph 您 (formal "you" with a 心heart key under the informal 你 "you") 您 being used to address elder, or unacquainted, people, in respect, such as teachers, directors etc, but not close friends and members of a family.

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Jelly Belly pyramids and naked punches

This episode was all about the unsuccessful attempts by Jiang Ying and Sang Yan to break up the new couple. Jiaxu was ready to endure battles and beatings for his girl, and she was ready to give him all her earnings ... to make down payment for their future home. Jiaxu sent her Jelly Belly pyramids with a packed lunch to cheer her up from what he sensed had worried her, although she had not told him what. Sang Yan arrived unexpectedly and had more than disapproval when he discovered who his sister's bf was. He tried to shame Jiaxu for having known SZ as a kid and being « 25-26 », so much older than he was, but JX gently corrected that he was only 5 years older than SZ and prepared to treat her well for the rest of his life. Jiaxu’s calm and acceptance of his friend’s reaction, SZ standing up for JX, and their obvious warm and happy connection over the shrimps later, finally made Big Brother "da ge" Sang Yan relent. A first battle was won, hands down, by the young couple. ------ Puzzle : Did you find where the snippet about Sang Yan inspecting Jiaxu’s apartment belonged in the timeline, and did you laugh at the « retaliation pact » and the goofing with the ointment before they went to bed, JX in his bedroom, SY on the couch ?

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