Resumo do episódio 3 de About Love
> Resumos de About Love
After Xiu returns from reporting his whereabouts to his wife over the phone, the group’s conversation turns toward the complexities of marriage and friendship. Luan Luan defends her close bond with Xiu, labeling him her "soulmate" despite his marriage, claiming they share a unique resonance. Li Xiaoxi remains skeptical, arguing that if one truly loves their partner, they shouldn't need a separate soulmate.
Sen intervenes to explain Xiu’s predicament, describing his wife as a domineering career woman who views Xiu as unambitious and dislikes his circle of friends—especially Gong, whom she considers a slacker. Gong cynically observes that many stay in unhappy marriages simply to avoid the hassle of splitting assets, viewing relationships more as calculated business deals than acts of love.
When pressed on his definition of pure love, Gong explains it isn't about personality or looks, but a specific, perfect moment, such as seeing someone in a white shirt on a beautiful sunny day. This conversation triggers a memory for Li Xiaoxi of a past mission involving Gong. Years ago, a woman named Yu He hired her to investigate her boyfriend, a cartoonist using the pen name "Deep in the Alley." Yu He suspected him of cheating but lacked proof.
She provided Li Xiaoxi with a USB drive of his work to help her get close to him. Adopting the alias Jiang Yifan, Li Xiaoxi reached out to the artist as a devoted fan. When they met, she successfully charmed him by analyzing his art as the reflection of a pessimistic idealist craving simple love and freedom. Gong was genuinely startled that someone could peer so deeply into his soul.
Li Xiaoxi boldly confessed that she had fallen in love with him through his work. Although Gong admitted he had a girlfriend, he didn't stop Li Xiaoxi from pursuing him. They began dating, and Li Xiaoxi played the role of a jealous lover, eventually insisting on seeing him work at his home. This was the trap Yu He had been waiting for. She arrived at the apartment to catch them together, but Gong had deadbolted the door.
As Yu He hammered on the door, Li Xiaoxi pretended to be panicked, but Gong remained eerily calm. He revealed that he knew "Jiang Yifan" was a fabrication. He pointed out a fatal flaw in her story: the work she claimed was her favorite, "The Selling Madame", had never been released to the public. Despite knowing it was a setup, Gong used the moment to cruelly break up with Yu He the moment he opened the door.
He claimed he no longer loved her and was now in love with the perfect woman Li Xiaoxi had portrayed, even mockingly thanking Yu He for the introduction. Li Xiaoxi was repulsed by his behavior, telling him that his display of "love" while his girlfriend suffered was sickening. She walked away, leaving a devastated Yu He behind.
Back in the present, the group reflects on Gong’s past and how his own experiences with heartbreak transformed him into the man he is today. As the dinner concludes, Xiao Bei prepares to take Li Xiaoxi home while offering Sen a ride as well. Gong decides to head back alone to finish his drafts. Before they part, Sen asks why he changed his pen name to "Mud Buddha." Gong cynically replies that it is because he is full of rot inside, yet people still choose to revere him.
