Love in Time Episode 19 Recap
> Love in Time Recap
Reporters aggressively questioned General Manager Kang, probing why he would film late at night with Su Jianan, knowing she was Lu Boyan's wife, and urging him to "avoid suspicion." Another reporter immediately turned to Lu Boyan, raising concerns about Su Jianan's presence on General Manager Kang's film set. Su Jianan took the initiative, announcing that she would "confess" the truth.
She revealed that despite the intense business competition between their companies, she, Lu Boyan, and General Manager Kang had actually developed a profound mutual appreciation, becoming "bosom friends" who often met in private. Lu Boyan and General Manager Kang affirmed her statement, explaining that their close relationship had remained undisclosed due to corporate considerations. Surprised, the reporters requested a joint photo, and the two "brothers" obliged, shaking hands.
Later, Han Ruoxi furiously confronted General Manager Kang, accusing him of betraying her by helping Su Jianan. General Manager Kang dismissed her anger, stating that true affection was about "fulfillment, not possession," something she failed to comprehend. He then sternly warned Han Ruoxi to cease her "despicable methods," declaring that Ruijin Group would not tolerate artists with questionable character.
Although the immediate controversy had subsided, readers' enthusiasm for pre-ordering Su Jianan's novel remained low, with pre-orders significantly below the 100,000-copy threshold required for publication. Lu Boyan initially suggested to President Du that the novel should be published directly, bypassing the usual pre-order requirements. However, Su Jianan expressed confidence in her work and preferred not to alter the established publishing standards.
Lu Boyan's assistant reported that the previous negative publicity had severely impacted sales, and despite various promotional efforts, the numbers were not improving. He also mentioned that President Du had discussed the publishing standard with Su Jianan, but she firmly insisted on maintaining the 100,000-copy target, fearing that failing to meet it would be a major blow. To reignite fan enthusiasm and boost sales, Lu Boyan proposed a live broadcast with Su Jianan.
His assistant questioned the complexity of such an endeavor, but Lu Boyan, with unwavering confidence, stated that there was nothing he couldn't accomplish. Lu Boyan commenced the live broadcast, initially appearing stiff and serious, though viewers found his awkwardness endearing. He welcomed the audience, directing their attention to the pre-order button and explaining that for every 10,000 additional sales, he and Su Jianan would authentically re-enact a sweet scene from her novel.
He then playfully exposed "little monster" Su Jianan's sprawling sleeping habits, humorously demonstrating how she often pushed him to the very edge of the bed. For the first milestone, he announced that once sales increased by 9,000 copies, he would re-enact the novel's scene of the male lead kissing the female lead awake. Viewers eagerly pre-ordered, and as the target was swiftly met, Lu Boyan leaned in to fulfill his promise.
Su Jianan stirred awake, initially disoriented and annoyed, wondering who he was filming. Upon realizing it was a live broadcast, she quickly composed herself, transforming into a poised and charming author. She greeted the audience, introducing herself as "little monster Su Jianan, author of The warm-married New wife called Lu Shao," and encouraged everyone to pre-order and share her novel. Lu Boyan concluded, promising to continue enacting more classic scenes from the book.
Over the following days, Lu Boyan and Su Jianan continued their live stream series, faithfully recreating various romantic scenes from the novel. They visited the famed Lovers' Road, a place known for its romantic encounters, where they fed each other ice cream and engaged in other sweet interactions, eventually being overwhelmed and chased by enthusiastic fans. Back at home, Lu Boyan tenderly washed Su Jianan's feet, acting out a scene where the president husband cares for his weary wife.
He encouraged viewers that more sweet plots awaited them if they purchased the novel. For the grand finale, they announced they would "restore a bed play," which prompted Su Jianan to exclaim, "Lu Boyan, are you crazy?" The intense public interest fueled by these captivating live streams caused the novel's pre-orders to surge dramatically, ultimately surpassing one million copies.
Su Jianan was overjoyed to see her first physical book published, which she learned from Jiang Shaokai would soon be available in bookstores nationwide. Lu Boyan assured her there would be many more books, but Su Jianan cherished this first one especially, noting its title, "The warm-married New wife called Lu Shao," made it uniquely meaningful. Lu Boyan congratulated his "Lu Taitai," who in turn thanked her "Mr. Lu," before he suggested they should celebrate properly.
Jiang Shaokai was diligently handling the printing and distribution of Su Jianan's newly published book, earning high praise from President Du. He even tried to subtly ask for his bonus to be paid into a different account, a request President Du playfully threatened to expose to Luo Xiaoxi, making Jiang Shaokai quickly retract it. Jiang Shaokai returned home late, exhausted from work, complaining to Luo Xiaoxi about his fatigue and asking for "rewards."
Luo Xiaoxi, noting his smell, urged him to shower before heading downstairs to retrieve a package. Moments later, Luo Xiaoxi's father, accompanied by several black-suited bodyguards, dramatically entered the apartment. Jiang Shaokai, initially thinking they were debt collectors, tried to bluff them, claiming the place was his. However, Luo Xiaoxi's father revealed his identity, shocking his daughter, who hadn't seen him in a long time.
He explained that Luo Xiaoxi's mother had a nightmare about her encountering another "scumbag," prompting his visit. When Luo Xiaoxi introduced Jiang Shaokai as her "roommate," Jiang Shaokai, looking flustered, quickly made an excuse about needing to check on the printing factory and fled. Luo Xiaoxi's father, convinced his wife's dream was accurate, expressed his dismay at Jiang Shaokai's apparent lack of commitment, citing his past reputation as a playboy and his "guilty" behavior.
Despite Luo Xiaoxi's earnest assertions that she and Jiang Shaokai were genuinely in love and that he no longer frequented bars, her father declared that Jiang Shaokai's "cowardly" demeanor made him unfit to be his son-in-law. Luo Xiaoxi, anticipating her father's next move, asked if he was planning another "triple test," to which he confirmed he would follow "old rules" to uncover Jiang Shaokai's true character.
Later, Luo Xiaoxi confided her worries to a friend, contemplating Jiang Shaokai's hasty departure and fearing he might revert to his old ways, though her friend assured her that only she could "conquer" him. Jiang Shaokai was unexpectedly apprehended and brought to a KTV, where Luo Xiaoxi's father was waiting. Luo's father sternly questioned his relationship with Luo Xiaoxi. Jiang Shaokai, now composed, firmly stated that he was Luo Xiaoxi's boyfriend.
Luo's father brought up Jiang Shaokai's past as "Kai Shao," known for frequenting bars and pursuing women. Jiang Shaokai insisted that his wild days were behind him and that he had severed ties with his old companions since becoming involved with Luo Xiaoxi. Luo's father then pressed him on why he had denied their relationship the other night.
Jiang Shaokai explained that he had been caught off guard, unaware of his identity, and, being improperly dressed, had chosen to lie to avoid leaving a poor first impression. To atone for his perceived misstep, he self-punished by downing several drinks, which Luo's father acknowledged as "savvy." Jiang Shaokai proposed a toast as an official introduction. Luo Xiaoxi interjected that he had admitted their relationship and that was enough.
However, Luo's father continued to push for more drinks, intent on "measuring" Jiang Shaokai's worth. Jiang Shaokai continued to flatter Luo's father, praising his drinking prowess and Luo Xiaoxi's beauty. As the night progressed and more drinks were consumed, Luo's father's demeanor visibly softened. He then casually mentioned that Luo Xiaoyu, Luo Xiaoxi's cousin, would be visiting Taoran the next day, expecting Luo Xiaoxi to take good care of her.
Jiang Shaokai awoke with a start, finding a smiling Luo Xiaoyu beside him and frantically calling out for Luo Xiaoxi. Luo Xiaoxi entered, chiding him for drinking too much, and introduced Luo Xiaoyu as her cousin, a recent college graduate visiting Taoran. Luo Xiaoxi then informed Jiang Shaokai that his task for the day was to accompany Luo Xiaoyu and tidy up the apartment, as she had plans with her father.
Luo Xiaoyu offered Jiang Shaokai honey water, and they set out. They visited an arcade, where Luo Xiaoyu enthusiastically praised Jiang Shaokai as a "doll-clipping master" and her "male god" for his skill. Jiang Shaokai, however, promptly gave all the clipped dolls to Luo Xiaoxi.
Later, while helping with household chores, Luo Xiaoyu subtly began to badmouth Luo Xiaoxi, mentioning her temper, her frequent visits to bars, and her many male acquaintances, even recalling how Luo Xiaoxi used to bully her as a child. Despite these negative remarks, Jiang Shaokai steadfastly defended Luo Xiaoxi, asserting that he liked her precisely for who she was, flaws and all, and that their relationship, though sometimes argumentative, was deeply meaningful to him.
Luo Xiaoyu later reported her findings to Luo Xiaoxi's father, confirming that despite her attempts to highlight Luo Xiaoxi's shortcomings, Jiang Shaokai perceived them as virtues, a clear sign of his genuine affection. Luo Xiaoxi's father, satisfied, paid Luo Xiaoyu and declared it was time for the "second step" of his test. Luo Xiaoxi, unaware of the full extent of the test, expressed confusion, believing Luo Xiaoyu had simply left.
Her father, however, stated that Jiang Shaokai's lack of temptation by Luo Xiaoyu proved he wasn't interested in that "type," making the upcoming test even more crucial for Luo Xiaoxi's happiness. The ultimate test arrived as Qin Wei unexpectedly appeared, introducing himself as Luo Xiaoxi's fiancé. Luo Xiaoxi, stunned, quickly stated she already had a boyfriend.
Qin Wei, unfazed, displayed a "wedding letter" as proof of a pre-arranged "finger-sworn marriage" between their families, asserting that Luo Xiaoxi was bound to marry him regardless of her current feelings. He brazenly told Jiang Shaokai to "play with her" for now and then "roll away," promising to collect Luo Xiaoxi in three days.
Jiang Shaokai argued that such an ancient "wedding letter" held no legal standing in modern times, but Qin Wei countered that it was valid as long as both parents acknowledged it. Furious, Jiang Shaokai immediately dragged Luo Xiaoxi to confront her father. Luo Xiaoxi explained to Jiang Shaokai that this was a childhood "baby marriage" arrangement she hadn't known Qin Wei took seriously.
She reiterated her love for Jiang Shaokai but cautioned that Qin Wei's family was highly influential in Yong'an City, so powerful that even her father was wary, meaning they would need the Qin family's consent to annul the marriage. Jiang Shaokai, determined not to yield to feudal forces, decided to seek advice from Lu Boyan and Su Jianan, while Luo Xiaoxi went to plead with her father.
Lu Boyan confirmed that the Qin family was a major power in Yong'an City. He also clarified that while the "marriage contract" held no legal power, its practical effect would depend entirely on Luo Xiaoxi's father's stance, especially since the Luo and Qin families were old friends and Luo's father would likely favor Qin Wei. Lu Boyan advised Jiang Shaokai that his priority should be to gain Luo Xiaoxi's father's support and secure the Luo family's acceptance.
Later, Luo Xiaoxi's father declared his intention to take Luo Xiaoxi back to marry Qin Wei. Jiang Shaokai passionately intervened, arguing that he couldn't force Luo Xiaoxi into a marriage she didn't want, as it concerned her lifelong happiness. He professed his deep love for Luo Xiaoxi, emphasizing their shared experiences and unwavering commitment to each other, promising her a lifetime of happiness that transcended wealth. He implored Luo Xiaoxi's father not to disregard her feelings.
Moved by Jiang Shaokai's heartfelt plea and sincere declaration of love, Luo Xiaoxi's father finally relented. He agreed to personally negotiate with the Qin family for his daughter's happiness, albeit with a hint of trepidation, hoping to avoid any "bloody disaster."
