Love Crossed Episode 1 Recap
> Love Crossed Recap
People have always yearned for perfect love and ideal partners. While social media has made love seem cheap and fleeting, advancements in technology now promise to fulfill these desires. A tech company has developed virtual lovers, allowing individuals to experience a perfect relationship simply by wearing special glasses. These "LOVE BOYS" are advertised as providing an ideal boyfriend with a handsome appearance, elegant qualities, a brawny physique, and a warm personality, making perfection sweet and exclusivity eternal.
On New Year's Eve, Kele observed women around her talking sweetly to seemingly empty air, which confused her. Soon after, a salesperson stopped her, enthusiastically promoting virtual lover glasses. Kele tried them on and found the experience amazing, but she politely declined, stating that she already had a boyfriend and her love was quite perfect. As Kele headed to her part-time job at a convenience store after buying a gift for her boyfriend, her father called.
He explained that he wouldn't be able to return home for New Year's as promised because his fishing mission was incomplete, requiring him to move to another location for at least two to three more months. He apologized for breaking his promise but mentioned he had sent her a gift. Kele, though disappointed, understood her father’s work. Upon arriving at the convenience store, her boss immediately fired her for being five minutes late, stressing the importance of time management.
Despite Kele’s explanation that she was out buying a computer for her boyfriend, her boss remained unyielding, dismissively throwing expired rice balls at her as her "bonus." Later that evening, Kele met her boyfriend, hoping to spend New Year's Eve watching fireworks by the river. However, he cruelly broke up with her, admitting he had fallen in love with someone else and stating that people and things inevitably change, and nothing lasts forever.
Devastated by losing both her job and her boyfriend on the same day, Kele watched the New Year's fireworks alone. As the countdown to midnight concluded, she silently made three wishes: to reunite with her father soon, to find a good job, and to find a boyfriend who would never change and would stay with her forever. Heartbroken, Kele returned home to find her roommate, Guan Qianya, still out.
She noticed a package on the table and realized it was her father's promised gift. Upon opening it, she discovered it was the same virtual lover glasses the salesperson had tried to sell her earlier. Curious, Kele put on the glasses. Suddenly, her virtual boyfriend, Lu Xiao, appeared, wishing her a Happy New Year. Kele, still upset, told him she was far from happy. Lu Xiao confidently asserted he had a way to make her happy.
To her astonishment, he transported them to the convenience store where she had just been fired. He declared the entire store was hers and instructed her to fire her former boss. Kele reveled in the moment, seizing the expired rice balls back as her "bonus." Next, Lu Xiao took her to her house, which was now filled with a grand feast prepared by her father. Kele tearfully embraced her virtual dad, expressing how much she missed him.
Despite knowing it was all virtual, Kele was genuinely happy to experience her wishes coming true. She then asked Lu Xiao about her third wish. He replied that its fulfillment depended on her willingness to believe in him. Feeling a deep connection, Kele reached out and held Lu Xiao's hand. One year later, Kele had found a new job, but she remained deeply immersed in her virtual relationship with Lu Xiao.
The virtual boyfriend group, LOVE BOYS—also known as Y4—consisted of Lu Xiao, Xu Nian, Su Lie, and Luo Ke. It was the LOVE BOYS' third anniversary, and their company hosted a birthday event that was only accessible to Lavender members. To gain membership, one either had to pay a substantial fee or, like Kele, accumulate points by spending at least two hours a day clicking 50,000 ads in the game.
Excited to attend, Kele was on her way to the event when an elderly woman on a motorcycle nearly collided with her. The woman braked sharply and fell, suffering a right tibia fracture. Kele, after a brief hesitation, chose to take the injured woman to the hospital, paying for her medical bills and leaving her contact information. This selfless act, however, caused Kele to miss the event's admission deadline, which closed ten minutes before the party began.
Meanwhile, Kele's roommate, Guan Qianya, who is the CEO of the dating service Crush On Love, was also struggling with the LOVE BOYS' birthday celebration. She had organized an offline "eight-minute date" event, but it clashed with the virtual boyfriends' anniversary, drawing all single women in the city away from her event. Frustrated by the lack of attendees, she was forced to cancel her event and promised compensation to the few men who showed up.
She expressed her disdain for the LOVE BOYS, vowing they wouldn't survive their fourth anniversary. Later, a despondent Kele was waiting for her subway home, gazing at Lu Xiao's advertisement. She instinctively leaned in to "kiss" the billboard when a man in a black coat suddenly hid behind her. To evade a group of pursuers, he quickly kissed Kele, pretending they were a couple in a passionate embrace. Recovering from her surprise, Kele pushed him away. His hat fell off, revealing that the mysterious man was the real-life Lu Xiao.
