Love in Time Episode 3 Recap
> Love in Time Recap
At a social event, President Du, clearly annoyed by Su Jianan, curtly dismissed her, urging her to leave quickly. Su Jianan quietly retreated, allowing President Du to shift his focus to Lu Boyan, eagerly discussing investment. President Du mentioned he had complied with Lu Boyan's request to cut male frequency novels and and asked if they could proceed with the contract based on their valuation.
Lu Boyan then revealed his deep interest in "Lin Nan Murder," stating he had been "addicted" to it. He confirmed the author was part of Tao ran Literature Network and, considering them "very potential" due to their broad appeal across genres, offered to invest at the original agreed valuation if the author remained. President Du was surprised by Lu Boyan's unusual interest in the author but agreed to cooperate, planning to retain Su Jianan later.
Outside, a dejected Su Jianan reflected on her writing career, feeling like a failure after President Du's contract termination. She questioned if she should abandon her long-standing dream. Lu Boyan approached her, challenging her self-doubt. He reminded her that her eyes "shine" when she creates, signifying her passion and enjoyment, and that he could feel the "temperature of the text" in her work, connecting it to her "Role generation creation method."
He advised her against letting others' opinions define her, recalling his own experience of being underestimated when he took over his company. He emboldened her by reminding her that since she "dared to marry me" for writing, she shouldn't be afraid to start over, simply writing another book if this one was stopped.
Just as Lu Boyan anticipated, Su Jianan received a call from President Du, who apologized for his earlier demeanor and suggested they "continue to cooperate," inviting her for a detailed discussion at the company the following day. Later, Lu Boyan successfully finalized the investment in Tao ran Literature Network. While discussing Su Jianan's potential with President Du, Lu Boyan commended her talent, creativity, and writing style, highlighting the promising future of female-oriented works, particularly for film and TV adaptations.
He then subtly advised President Du to encourage Su Jianan to "try some romance-themed" works, suggesting she "find inspiration from people around you, like me," which he believed would significantly aid her writing. President Du understood Lu Boyan's "old-fashioned tricks" and agreed, with Lu Boyan emphasizing that his investment in the literature network must be kept a "secret" from Su Jianan. As Lu Boyan left the Tao ran Literature Network, he encountered Su Jianan, who was arriving.
Shen Yuechuan, also present, greeted Su Jianan as "sister-in-law," prompting a flustered Lu Boyan to make a quick exit, claiming he had other matters to attend to. Shen Yuechuan teasingly questioned if Lu Boyan now intended to be Su Jianan's "creative consultant for romance novels," noting that Lu Boyan's "routines are definitely very, very deep." Inside Tao ran Literature Network, President Du greeted Su Jianan effusively, praising her writing as "brilliant" and "outstanding" after having thoroughly read her work.
He apologized for their earlier misunderstanding and expressed his intention to "focus on cultivating" her, encouraging her to diversify into new styles and themes. He confidently asserted her potential, citing a specific detailed passage from her previous novel about the description of women's intimate wear as proof of her ability to handle delicate descriptions, and promised her entity book publication if she performed well enough to be in the company's top ten female authors.
Su Jianan selected a project titled "Overbearing President's Warm-Married New Wife." She began writing with initial determination, but her confidence soon waned as she struggled with the "sweet pet style" and "ambiguous" scenes, a stark contrast to her usual suspense novels. Overwhelmed, Su Jianan desperately called her friends, Luo Xiaoxi and Jiang Shaokai, for help. She expressed her struggle with writing romance, especially "overbearing president" and "little wife" narratives, given her lack of dating experience.
Luo Xiaoxi suggested she draw inspiration from her own life and use Lu Boyan as a "ready-made character prototype." Su Jianan immediately rejected this, citing her contractual marriage to Lu Boyan and her refusal to be a "mistress," pointing out Han Ruoxi as his "official match." Jiang Shaokai then proposed a clichéd opening scene involving a collision and an apology, which Su Jianan deemed "old-fashioned" and "clichéd."
After some playful bickering about his "actual combat experience" and Luo Xiaoxi calling him a "scumbag," Jiang Shaokai acted out a "sweet pet" scenario: he, as "General Manager Jiang," had coffee spilled on him by "secretary" Luo Xiaoxi. Instead of anger, he confessed his desire to "fall in love with you" and offered her coffee.
Luo Xiaoxi took the scene to a more "shameful" level, leading to a heated argument between the two friends about the appropriateness of office romance, with each calling the other a "disaster." Ultimately, Su Jianan found their suggestions unhelpful. Mrs. Tang called Lu Boyan, inviting him to bring Su Jianan home for dinner. Lu Boyan readily agreed.
Shen Yuechuan, having observed Su Jianan with her friend Jiang Shaokai earlier, offered to pick her up, but Lu Boyan went to collect her himself. Meanwhile, Han Ruoxi, who had made reservations at Lu Boyan's favorite restaurant three days in advance, was frustrated when he canceled their dinner, stating he had "something to do tonight." Undeterred, Han Ruoxi then approached Shen Yuechuan and invited him to dinner instead, to which he, despite his initial surprise, promptly agreed.
At Lu Boyan's villa, Su Jianan was engrossed in a BA Zong drama on his bed, muttering lines like "Darling. . . We had an agreement. . . You'd better leave. . ." Lu Boyan entered, initially finding her seemingly occupied with something else. He attempted to catch her in the act multiple times, but each time she appeared to be innocently reading. He wondered if she was now writing a BA Zong novel and then left.
Su Jianan, alone, then went into his wardrobe, observing his collection of suits and thinking they were "boring" but of good quality. Inspired, she recalled Stanislavski's method of "true seeing, true listening, true feeling" and decided to "borrow" his clothes. She donned his shirt and tie, then immersed herself in a role-playing scene, delivering dramatic lines about dominance and emotional control. Lu Boyan suddenly re-entered, catching her in the act.
He teasingly questioned her "hobby" and instructed her to "take off your clothes," initially alarming her until he clarified they were going to his mother's house. At Mrs. Tang's house, Su Jianan was welcomed and encouraged to call her "Mom." Mrs. Tang fondly recalled Su Jianan's childhood visits, noting how many things around the house remained unchanged from her youth.
Lu Boyan led Su Jianan to explore, and she discovered a Transformer she had broken as a child, now repaired, and a small, mysterious box that Lu Boyan had always forbidden her from touching. Curiosity piqued, Su Jianan suddenly lunged for the box, inadvertently stumbling and falling directly into Lu Boyan's embrace. He teased her, asking if she was "taking the initiative to give a hug," and held her close, suggesting that his mother would "be happy to see it."
Dinner at Mrs. Tang's was a heartwarming affair, with the familiar aroma filling the air. Su Jianan savored every bite, declaring the dishes, particularly the potato stewed beef, to be her childhood favorites, just as delicious as she remembered. Lu Boyan watched her eat heartily, a faint smile playing on his lips. Amidst the pleasant meal, Mrs. Tang broached the topic of grandchildren, asking them when they planned to have children and mentioning she already had names chosen.
Su Jianan was visibly startled, choking on her water. Lu Boyan quickly intervened, assuring his mother that he and Su Jianan had already discussed it and had a plan, albeit vaguely recalling a past disagreement about wanting a boy or a girl. Mrs. Tang reassured Su Jianan, advising her to prioritize her health and not to feel rushed, while also gently reminding Lu Boyan to be more attentive to his wife.
Mrs. Tang led Lu Boyan and Su Jianan to their shared room for the night. Su Jianan questioned why he was undressing, and Lu Boyan playfully explained he was showering and that sleeping separately would arouse his mother's suspicion. He teased her for being "impatient" before subtly mocking her "low IQ."
After Lu Boyan showered, Su Jianan prepared for her turn, finding the pajamas Mrs. Tang left, which were a new model from her father's company, a detail that surprised her. While in the bathroom, President Du called, reminding her of the impending manuscript deadline.
Su Jianan experienced an internal struggle: one voice, like a "devil," urged her to "get inspiration" from Lu Boyan, who was now in the same room, to create authentic "sweet pet" content, arguing that "without the determination to sacrifice oneself for art, how can one write a good work?" and calling Lu Boyan a "devil." The other voice, like an "angel," reminded her of their agreement for "no physical contact within one year."
Despite her apprehension, the "devil" voice warned of the consequences of not meeting the deadline. Su Jianan ultimately resolved to take the risk, metaphorically deciding to "go into the tiger's den to catch the tiger cub" for the sake of her novel.
