Love Game in Eastern Fantasy- Mini Recap Episodes 1-4

Episode 1 Recap:

Ling Miao Miao (played by Yu Shu Xin) cherishes her Saturdays—typically filled with peaceful hours spent watching fish. But today, she’s got something extra exciting planned: diving into her favorite author Fu Zhou’s latest novel, Catching Daemons. She's been a superfan for a decade!

And yet, the book… sucks.

Here’s why: the female lead is a naive “saint-in-training,” blinded to the red flags all around her. She’s devoted to a male lead destined to betray her, a “second male lead” with a hidden cruel streak, and a scheming rival—all of whom spell out her downfall. Ling Miao Miao is not a fan of these choices. Why include such frustrating characters? Readers, can’t we relate?

Then things get weird. Ling Miao Miao literally gets “sucked” into the book, transforming into Lin Yu, the story’s villainous second female lead. Now, she’s tasked with two missions: survive the story’s chaotic end and help defeat the demon boss, Lady Resentment. But there’s a personal mission too, revealed only if she finishes her “tutorial” tasks.

First tutorial task? Fake-marry Liu Fu Yi (played by Yang Shi Ze) and… “consummate.” Cue her screaming escape—only to get struck by lightning. And that’s only 10 minutes into the episode. We’re in for a ride!

Collecting a few “death badges” along the way, Ling Miao Miao finally surrenders and accepts her fate, facing her “marriage” as just another adventure.

The Marriage Twist and the Mirror Daemon

The fake marriage turns out to be a ploy to lure out the Mirror Demon—a demon with serious resentment issues, especially against grooms. Chen Du Ling plays this gleaming golden demon in style, even sporting gold-tinted skin! (Now that’s commitment to the role.)

Enter Mu Sheng (played by Ding Yu Xi), with a rock-music entrance that screams intensity. He couldn’t care less about Ling Miao Miao’s welfare, but we get a hint that he might have spared her life on a whim. As the Mirror Demon reveals her hatred for unfaithful grooms, Mu Sheng gives a loaded glance at Liu Fu Yi. Ling Miao Miao, meanwhile, is captivated by the high-budget CGI effects and wonders if her company could afford to match it.

After the Mirror Demon is sealed, Liu Fu Yi quizzes Ling Miao Miao on her knowledge of the demon’s weakness. Our savvy heroine, who can’t reveal her future knowledge, credits her “observational skills”—while Mu Sheng listens in, mildly amused by her creative storytelling.

Emotional Moments and Father-Daughter Feels

Ling Miao Miao, as Lin Yu, finds herself overcome with tears, though she tries to play it off as “happy tears” over the main couple’s love story. But Mu Sheng isn’t fooled—avoiding him isn’t going to be easy!

In a heart-wrenching moment, Ling Miao Miao’s “game-dad,” who looks like her real father (who passed away), nearly gets run over by a carriage. Overcome with emotion, she clings to him, sobbing into his shoulder. Cue the waterworks!A touching father-daughter moment for the ages.

Episode 2 Recap:

Our clever heroine, Ling Miao Miao, is quick on her feet! To dodge Mu Sheng’s suspicions, she slips away for an "emergency hair spa," ensuring the stray hair he found is now a mismatch. Smooth move, Ling!

Tutorial #2: Her next task? Alter Mu Yao’s medicine to extend her life (and Liu Fu Yi’s) for just a bit longer. But this “simple” task quickly becomes a hilarious death loop.

Ling Miao Miao can’t believe the absurdity of it all. How on earth is she supposed to tamper with the medicine and deliver it without getting herself killed? Smart as ever, she tries various tricks, but Mu Yao always reacts badly—cue the inevitable coughing fits—and Mu Sheng, ever dutiful, slashes Ling down every time.

In one attempt, she insists she didn’t change the medicine. Mu Sheng isn’t buying it:

• Mu Sheng: “What do you mean you didn’t change it?”
• Ling Miao Miao (exasperated): “No one mentioned it before? Haha…”

She dies. Again.

She tries another variation, only for Mu Yao to still react with coughing. This time, she tries asking Mu Sheng to go easy on her, but before she can finish her plea… slash. RIP.

By the Bizillionth try (give or take), Ling Miao Miao realizes the medicine is just water. She’s convinced this game is rigged. “This isn’t scientific,” she sighs. 😂

Then, a revelation strikes her: it’s not the water—it’s the pot. Mu Yao’s allergic to the pot! Finally understanding, Ling begs Mu Sheng to put her out of her misery to reset this endless loop of death. He obliges.

On the 1,627,374th attempt, Mu Yao miraculously drinks the medicine without issue. Hallelujah! Success at last.

Episode 3 Recap:

Ling Miao Miao and Mu Yao have a heartfelt chat about their mothers. Ling shares that her mom is alive and well back home, while Mu Yao’s mother has passed away. They bond over their shared experiences, but Ling Miao Miao can’t help but feel for her sweet, naive “sister” Mu Yao, who trusts people she absolutely shouldn’t—like the “green tea” (sly manipulator) Lin Yu, the “black lotus” (dark and devious) Mu Sheng, and the “Central AC” (master flirt) Liu Fu Yi. Poor Mu Yao has no idea what she's gotten herself into!

A Sweet Taste of Revenge

Ling Miao Miao decides it’s time for a little payback on Mu Sheng, who has killed her more times than she can count. Her plan? Make him peel grapes for her, one after another. And, to everyone’s surprise, he actually does it—probably because Mu Yao is always by his side, dabbing at invisible tears to guilt-trip him. Ling Miao Miao can't help but laugh. Mu Yao is clueless, lol.

Tutorial #3: Burn the Map!

Next up, Ling Miao Miao’s mission is to sneak into Mu Yao’s room and burn her map—a key tool in the quest to defeat Lady Resentment. But, of course, things can’t be that simple.

Ling Miao Miao grumbles about the glaring plot holes—why is this important map just lying around for anyone to burn? And how do these powerful demon hunters not notice her eavesdropping? But she steels herself and burns the map… only for it to disintegrate way too fast, leaving a single fragment behind. Oops.

Enter Mu Sheng, who catches her red-handed. It’s game over, and Ling Miao Miao is back to square one, adding yet another “death badge” to her collection.

After countless attempts, she realizes Mu Sheng is out to kill her whether there’s proof or not. If there’s proof, he kills her. If there’s no proof… he still kills her. Sigh.

On the fourth try, she goes for a bold move: she confesses her love for him. It works!

As Mu Sheng finally walks away, he vigorously shakes her hand, as if trying to rid himself of any pesky feelings she might have stirred up. Resistance is futile, Mu Sheng!

Episode 4 Recap:

Things are heating up! Mu Yao suspects her brother, Mu Sheng, of burning the map. She accuses him of trying to stop her from dueling Lady Resentment, claiming she’s coldly committed to her revenge because their parents aren’t her biological family. Ouch. Mu Sheng, hurt by this accusation, can only stand there, wounded, as she questions his loyalty and even compares him to the very daemons she despises.

Enter Ling Miao Miao, who crashes the tense sibling showdown with her usual bubbly energy, ready to confess her “crime” of burning the map. After all, what’s another death by Mu Sheng at this point? But just as she’s about to spill the truth, the System chimes in with a harsh reality check: her days of “unlimited lives” are over. If she dies now, it’s game over for real. Thinking fast, she swaps out her confession for a casual offer of food instead. “Anyone hungry?” she asks, trying to cut through the tension. Silence. Classic Miao Miao!

Enter the Black Lotus

So here’s the twist: the System reveals that Miao Miao’s new mission isn’t just to beat Lady Resentment—she also has to seduce Mu Sheng, the “Black Lotus” himself. A direct path to romance! The only catch? Right now, Mu Sheng’s feelings for her are at a whopping -200%.

Ling Miao Miao’s attempts to warm his heart start with flowers, but Mu Sheng promptly crushes them in her face. (To be fair, he was staring at flowers right before she showed up, so hey, they’re on the same wavelength!) Then he ups the ante, flashing his knife. Nothing like a little danger to spice up the romance, right? Despite the setbacks, she takes a new approach: she plays peacekeeper, helping Mu Yao and Mu Sheng work through their issues. She even lets Mu Sheng overhear Mu Yao admit she’ll always consider him family. But somehow… his feelings are still stuck at -200%. Seriously, what gives?

The Lantern Festival Plot Twist

Back in the original story, things take a dark turn during the Lantern Festival. A fire breaks out at the city’s food bank, exposing a sinister truth—Ling Miao Miao’s father, once the mayor, was involved in embezzlement and faced execution. The fire’s source? Mu Sheng’s jealousy, which literally ignites into flames through his magic abilities. Ling Miao Miao is determined to stop the fire this time, and she has a plan: keep Mu Sheng’s jealousy in check by stealing Liu Fu Yi from Mu Yao. (Besides, Liu Fu Yi isn’t worth the trouble anyway.)

But even with all her efforts, Mu Sheng can’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy… over Ling Miao Miao herself. Mission: sort of accomplished?

DramaZen's Opinion

As a huge fan of the manga, I’m thrilled with how well they’ve adapted it into a drama! 🥰

The leads have incredible chemistry, and the actors have really brought the characters to life. The playful push-and-pull between Mu Sheng and Ling Miao Miao is spot on— their love/hate dynamic is irresistibly cute and fluffy, keeping me hooked with every scene.

I’m especially enjoying Mu Sheng’s hilariously misplaced jealousy over Ling Miao Miao’s interactions with his sister, Mu Yao. It’s so endearing how much he cares for Mu Yao, given their strong sibling bond. They’ve always had each other’s backs, so seeing him get riled up over nothing adds an adorable layer to his character.

And then there’s Mu Yao, who clearly has a soft spot for Ling Miao Miao. Every time Miao Miao tries to talk to Mu Sheng, Mu Yao subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) steers her away, as if trying to protect her brother from… his own feelings? It’s so funny how oblivious they all are when it comes to romance!

On a more emotional note, one of my favorite moments was when Miao Miao got to reunite with her father inside the novel. That scene was so heartfelt and touching—she hugged him tight, unwilling to let go. 😢 It was a beautiful, tear-jerking moment that gave the story an extra layer of depth.