Mysterious Love Episode 5 Recap
> Mysterious Love Recap
Ruan Nianchu desperately ran, trying to escape from an attacker who pursued her. She pleaded with him to let her go, warning him that she belonged to Li Teng. The man dismissed her warning, questioning if she truly believed she was Li Teng's woman just because he had slept with her. As he lunged at Ruan Nianchu, Li Teng arrived, stepping on the assailant's hand and demanding to know which hand he had used to grab her.
Furious, the attacker accused Li Teng of betraying their long-standing bond for a woman. After subduing the man, Li Teng found Ruan Nianchu and urged her not to move, claiming she was in a minefield and would die if she lifted her foot. When she expressed fear, he instructed her to keep her foot firmly planted. Ruan Nianchu complained her foot was getting numb and suggested he find a stone to hold her place, but he was only teasing her.
He revealed the truth: they were being watched, and her only chance of survival was to stay with him, as the entire jungle was Tuva's territory, filled with roadblocks and constantly patrolled by drones. Li Teng then gently fixed her disheveled hair. Li Teng did not kiss Ruan Nianchu after taking her home, his mind in turmoil.
He decided that leaving her was the only way to protect her, determined to prevent any tragic outcomes like those that befell Xia Xingxing and He Lihua. Meanwhile, backstage at the Morninglight Troupe, Qiao Yufei visited Ruan Nianchu, vowing to find her "parking lot prince charming," Jiang Hao, no matter where he was. Ruan Nianchu confided in Qiao Yufei about Li Teng suddenly stopping their kiss the previous night.
Qiao Yufei bluntly wondered if Li Teng might be gay, a notion Ruan Nianchu quickly dismissed, though she admitted he seemed burdened whenever they were together. Qiao Yufei then offered Ruan Nianchu a step-by-step plan for their next date to test his interest: create a romantic atmosphere, initiate subtle physical contact, gaze at him with affection, and finally, close her eyes naturally.
Preoccupied with thoughts of Ruan Nianchu, Li Teng confirmed his decision to separate from her in a phone call with Jiang Hao. Jiang Hao couldn't attend Ruan Nianchu's performance because he was home caring for a sick Xingxing, who was upset about a previously unfulfilled promise for a crown. Jiang Hao promised to buy her one after she took her medicine.
He then asked Li Teng if he truly intended to end things with Ruan Nianchu once he retrieved the coin from the theater, and Li Teng reaffirmed that it was for her protection. At the theater, Li Teng approached the troupe leader, Mr. Zhao, asking for an item hidden in a forget-me-not pot.
As Mr. Zhao retrieved a silver coin, a mysterious woman who had also infiltrated the office caused him to fumble and drop it, seizing the opportunity to surreptitiously swap the real coin with a fake one. After Ruan Nianchu's play, "Li Ke Chu Lian," concluded successfully, Li Teng received the swapped, fake coin from Mr. Zhao.
After the performance, Li Xiaoyan confronted Ruan Nianchu backstage but was put in her place by a sharp exchange involving Li Teng and Qiao Yufei. Li Teng made it clear to Li Xiaoyan they would not work together again. Seeing the tension, Li Teng suggested he and Ruan Nianchu celebrate the successful show. Qiao Yufei, declining to be a "third wheel," left to find her "prince charming."
Li Teng then took Ruan Nianchu to a special place, explaining that he was grateful to Li Xiaoyan, as her difficult demands five years ago led to their first meeting in Tai City. They arrived at a snack street Ruan Nianchu had mentioned back then, and Li Teng's excellent memory impressed her. Following Qiao Yufei's advice for a potential kiss, Ruan Nianchu refused to eat pungent foods like stinky tofu and durian pancakes.
When her attempts at casual physical contact failed, she changed tactics and asked Li Teng to teach her self-defense for her own peace of mind, as she often rehearsed late. Elsewhere, after arranging for Xingxing's care, Jiang Hao left to buy the promised crown. At the same time, Qiao Yufei was at a hotel trying to find him, and the two narrowly missed crossing paths. Later, Li Teng led Ruan Nianchu to his practice spot to teach her self-defense.
He demonstrated a move, embracing her to show her how to exert force to escape. The close contact made Ruan Nianchu incredibly nervous, and when it was her turn to practice by hugging him, Li Teng also felt a hint of nervousness. Despite the perfect atmosphere, he controlled himself and did not kiss her. As they stood up, Ruan Nianchu tentatively asked Li Teng if he had wanted to kiss her the previous night. Before she could finish, Li Teng, unable to hold back any longer, pulled her close and kissed her deeply.
