Original subtitles

[Love Between Lines]

[Episode 5]

I...

Dad, Mom, actually,

I forgot my keys today.

Why didn't you say so earlier?

I brought the spare key.

You did?

L-Let me.

Let me.

Which key is it? There are so many.

You don't even recognize the key to your own house?

This short one.

Dad! Mom!

I'm opening the door!

What's this about?

We haven't gone deaf, alright?

I-I'm opening it!

Well...

What are you doing?

I dropped the key.

I'll get you slippers.

Why's it so hard to open the door?

Dad, your slippers.

Xiu.

Isn't this coat a bit too large for you?

Oversize is in right now.

I know what oversize is,

but this is a bit too oversized, isn't it?

Well, I'll go return it tomorrow.

You bought another coffee machine?

Coffee machine?

This coffee machine

was a gift from Zhao.

It's an old one she retired from her shop.

This... This

must be quite expensive, isn't it?

It's not expensive.

Just entry-level.

It's really nice.

Mom, why are you going to the balcony?

I want to open the window. It's too stuffy in here.

Let me. Let me.

Let me do it.

Here.

This.

I've got it ready for you.

Dad, Mom, how about

we go out to eat instead?

It'll be ready soon.

Yeah, everything's ready-made.

Why go out?

My phone's dead.

Can this bowl hold it all?

This one seems even smaller.

Xiu.

Do you have a bigger soup bowl?

Yes. I'll get it for you.

Felix.

You've looked over the new

instance dungeon design proposal, right?

Yes.

It's been handed over to the 3D team

for modeling and rendering.

Alright, let's touch base again when needed.

Okay, bye-bye.

You really are acting like a hands-off boss, aren't you?

I told you

I'm only responsible for the design part.

[Missed call from Hu Xiu]

Wait.

Haven't you talked things out

with Hu Xiu?

Why is she still calling me?

Maybe

you two are just close.

Bro, even so, that's no reason

to call me a dozen times, right?

Hello,

the subscriber you dialed cannot be connected for the moment.

Please try again later.

I'll head back.

By the way,

give Hu Xiu my contact info.

That way, she won't keep bothering you anymore.

Have a try.

Not bad.

Add some more salt.

More salt?

[Please do not enter]

Xiu?

What's wrong?

Can you go buy a bottle of cooking wine at the lane entrance?

Cooking wine is one of those things you can skip, isn't it?

H-How about I go?

Dad, I was just kidding.

Don't bother. I'll go.

My phone.

Ms. Hu, this is the tenant's phone number.

Move, move.

What are you doing?

What's happening?

Here's the thing:

my parents are here to visit me.

They're in there right now.

I didn't tell them I'd rented the place out.

So could you find somewhere nearby

to wait for a bit?

I promise

it won't take long.

Mom.

This is...

My colleague.

How should I address you?

Uncle, Auntie.

Just call me Yu.

Mom, actually,

Yu's already eaten.

Right?

Yeah.

Auntie, I've already eaten.

But I'm hungry again.

Then hurry up and start eating.

Yu, right?

Yes.

Here,

try this.

See if it suits your taste.

Thank you, Auntie.

Come on, eat.

Xiu.

Why

haven't I heard you

mention this colleague before?

Well, we've just become colleagues. We're not very close.

If you're not close,

why would he come to your place?

He's here for a very important document.

What document?

A leasing contract.

I left my leasing contract with Hu Xiu.

Our company mentioned a housing allowance,

so I asked Hu Xiu to help me apply for it.

So you live in a rented place, huh?

I was just curious.

Go ahead, go ahead.

I just got something stuck in throat.

Renting is quite nice.

Yes,

I also think renting is pretty good.

If I could have a nice landlord,

that would be even better.

Dad, Mom, I'm full.

We're both done eating.

Come on.

I'll see him off,

just in case he doesn't know the way.

But we've only just started eating.

You haven't finished yet.

We're done. We're full.

At least finish your meal before leaving.

We ate plenty.

Let's go.

Why such a rush?

Go on, tell me—

how do you plan to resolve this?

They'll definitely leave

within 2 hours.

If you don't want to wait,

I can put you up in a hotel.

Forget the hotel.

But we must sign a new leasing contract.

Hello, Ms. Hu.

This is

Dynamism

Design Studio.

Dynamism?

Yes.

I'd like to know if you have time tomorrow

to come to our studio for an interview.

I-Is it really

Dynamism?

Yes.

I tried to call you this afternoon, but you didn't answer.

Wait, I-I'm sorry.

♪ Under the streetlight, I grow increasingly weary ♪

I missed it.

You...

H-Hold on.

So you

received my resume, right?

♪ A few specks of dust drift by in the wind ♪

What position am I interviewing for?

We've reviewed your information.

You're interviewing for a position in the design department.

♪ The girl who once basked in the sunlight ♪

The interview is scheduled for 2 p.m. tomorrow.

I'll send the address to your email shortly.

♪ Where did she go to play? ♪

Okay, no problem. I'll definitely be there.

♪ I don't understand either ♪

Thank you.

Thank you.

♪ Flicking through old chat logs ♪

♪ I just realized the replies were somewhat delayed ♪

It's just an interview notification, not a job offer.

Is it really worth getting this excited?

♪ At the crossroads of choices, amidst the bustling crowd ♪

You don't understand.

Even though I've been telling my parents

all kinds of nonsense,

♪ Who hasn't paid the price and still fallen short? ♪

deep down, I've actually been a bit nervous.

I was worried I'd chosen the wrong path.

♪ Stand with me tonight, look at the starlight ♪

Because

this isn't just an interview opportunity—

it's recognition from

♪ Even if the plot is changed dramatically by fate again ♪

my favorite studio.

It's worth celebrating.

Ms. Cai,

a piece of "good -luck" persimmon cake please.

♪ I know the dark clouds will still come ♪

Make it two.

Having dessert this late at night?

♪ But in this world, there will always be someone ♪

♪ Who looks forward with the same hope as me ♪

The winners of the new Global Architecture & Design Awards

for Architectural Design Consultants have been announced.

D Design Studio has once again made the list.

At the award ceremony,

the designer still did not make a public appearance.

We boldly speculate

that this refusal of public exposure

reflects the designer's philosophy

of letting the work speak for itself.

Hello, I'm here for an interview.

What's your name, please?

Hu Xiu.

Please come with me.

I've told you this design won't work.

That's because of your lack of ability.

How many times have I given you instructions?

What kind of mess is this revision?

I've already revised it 3 times.

What's wrong with my ability?

I won't waste words on you. Come on.

I'll draw it out for you. Look.

It's alright, Ms. Hu.

When they're working on creative projects,

they tend to be quite temperamental.

They'll make up in no time.

Please wait here for a moment.

Someone will come out to guide you inside shortly.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Mr. Xiao never used to attend initial interviews.

Why is he making an exception today?

I'm not sure either.

Mr. Xiao only notified me last night

that he would attend the interview today.

Everyone's here.

Let's begin.

Hu Xiu, please come in.

♪ Life lays out the outline of my scenes ♪

♪ The last act was a monologue in a dream ♪

♪ And in the next, I wander through the city's noise ♪

Why is it him?

♪ So many arrivals that turned out to be nothing ♪

Please sit down.

♪ I'm counting the beats of the clock ♪

♪ I can't tell which platform is for leaving or returning ♪

♪ Until you walk toward me ♪

Hello, Ms. Hu.

I'm Dong Qi, the HR Director.

These two are partners at our studio.

♪ And my breath softens ♪

That's Ms. Zhou, Zhou Yan.

And this is the founder of

Dynamism,

Mr. Xiao, Xiao Zhiyu.

♪ I forget every absurd line ♪

Founder?

♪ Because of you ♪

Ms. Hu?

♪ All those postures, it turns out you were not part of my story ♪

Hello, everyone.

Please introduce yourself first.

My name is Hu Xiu.

I majored in architecture as an undergraduate.

After graduating,

I worked as a GM assistant at Shiyuan Real Estate.

I resigned recently

am now looking for a job related to architectural design.

Ms. Hu,

I see that in your previous job,

you became a GM assistant in less than 3 years,

which shows you were highly valued.

Your salary and benefits must have been quite generous.

So why did you choose to resign?

I chose Shiyuan Real Estate before

due to certain practical factors.

But now,

I want to make a change

and do what I truly enjoy.

But

architecture is a highly specialized profession.

How do you plan to make up for the three-year gap

and lag in your professional skills,

and how can you prove

that you're qualified for this position?

I haven't had any project practice

over the past 3 years,

but I've never stopped learning.

If that's the case,

do you mind

answering a few questions

related to your profession?

Not at all.

Regarding the criteria for selecting building structures,

under what circumstances do you think

frame structures would be preferred?

For commercial buildings that require

a relatively high level of spatial flexibility—

such as shopping malls, office buildings,

and art centers—

frame structures are usually the preferred choice.

This is because within frame structures,

non-load-bearing infill walls or partitions

can be relatively easily modified or removed.

In your opinion,

what's the role of sustainability

in architectural design?

Actually,

sustainable development is a core principle

of contemporary architectural design.

By integrating those eco-technologies and green innovations,

like photovoltaic generation systems

or water recycling systems in our commercial projects.

We not only mitigate the environmental impact,

but also significantly save the general cost for our customers.

Well answered.

Tell me about this.

This is a project I worked on

for the UIA-HYP Cup Competition during college.

It's a beautiful design.

It's quite nice indeed.

Following the design style of traditional Jiangnan courtyards,

reading in the corridors

not only creates a unique atmosphere,

but also brings people closer together.

However, in architecture,

beauty and ambience alone aren't enough.

Do you know there's a fatal flaw

in your design?

I do.

In a frame structure,

beams and columns

are the most important load-bearing components.

In pursuit of a sense of openness,

I failed to reserve sufficient load-bearing components

to carry the additional loads.

As a result, once any one of them fails,

the axial compression ratio of the structural system

would exceed the limit,

leading to a progressive collapse of the entire structure.

I used to believe

that the most important thing in architecture

was personality

and style.

As long as they were strong enough,

they'd be able to catch people's attention.

Now I see that's not the case.

In this industry,

the most important thing is and will always be

safety.

According to preliminary investigation,

the collapse of the Xincheng Sports Stadium

was caused by non-compliant project drawing reviews.

The contractor unauthorizedly used substandard steel,

resulting in a partial collapse.

Besides the load-bearing beams and columns,

I would also replace the materials of the building's exterior facade

to add texture,

so that when sunlight filters in,

the spatial layers will be more nuanced.

For areas like the reading zone,

I'd make the space more open and transparent,

so readers can enjoy better lighting

while reading.

The core of architecture

is always people.

Very well, Ms. Hu.

That concludes today's interview.

We'll inform you of the interview result within 3 days.

Please remember to check your email.

Thank you.

Thanks.

What's this?

It's just a painting.

So he's here for inspiration.

It's painted quite nicely.

You can tell it's a bookstore?

So I'm the real clown here.

Mr. Xiao.

What are you looking at?

Nothing.

The next interview is in 20 minutes.

Got it.

Anything else?

I received your email.

You've signed up for

the Lyman Hotel project competition?

Yes.

So this is what you've been busy with lately.

I know what you're worried about.

I've always supported your decisions,

but

Lyman has always worked with

publicly listed companies like Zhuling.

Our studio has only been established for less than 5 years.

You think my design isn't good enough?

Using lane elements to create

a landmark hotel that is both retro and rich in multicultural character—

the design and concept are both excellent.

I have no doubt about that.

Lyman has abundant funding

and offers great creative freedom.

The project allows architects to fully express themselves.

That's exactly why

every one of their projects

wins international awards.

Securing an award of that caliber

would be a major boost

for Dynamism.

That's an odd thing to say.

You're not entering the competition just to win awards, are you?

Why not?

I do architecture to win awards and make a name for myself.

I have a question:

has

Dynamism

Architectural Design Studio

ever changed its founder?

Usually they don't change founders.

Any gossip?

No, just letting my imagination run a bit.

What kind of question was that?

Zhao,

I have a question for you.

Do you think those successful people

have any little quirks

in their private lives

that no one knows about?

Quirks?

What's wrong?

You've come to the right person.

Come here.

I'm asking about legal quirks.

Legal ones?

There are plenty of those too.

I heard that chain gym's founder

has a quirk—

he likes washing dishes.

The dirtier and more disgusting the dishes are,

the more satisfaction he gets from cleaning them.

The dirtier, the better.

Anything else?

There's an internet-famous restaurant on the street behind us,

and their staff told me

their boss likes to collect hats.

What's so special about collecting hats?

The ones he collects

aren't ordinary hats.

Also,

that tea house we often visit,

the owner with all those muscles, remember?

Do you know what his favorite exercise is?

Exercise?

Weightlifting?

Dancing.

There's one that's even more shocking.

That guy who's always on TV,

that super masculine big shot,

what's his name again?

He's one of my husband's clients.

-You know, he... -Alright, alright.

I don't really want to know

the secrets of those successful people anymore.

You know, those successful people

are in high positions with lots of pressure,

so having some strange hobbies

is actually understandable.

Why are you suddenly asking me a question like this?

Did you get to know some successful person or something?

Who is it?

Hello.

When are we going to sign the new leasing contract?

Just a moment.

That concludes today's interview.

We'll inform you of the result within 3 days.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you.

Follow me. I'll show you out.

This last candidate was decent.

Good education, with overseas study experience.

It's just his salary expectations are way too high.

Judging by his attitude,

it'll be hard to negotiate within our budget.

Then there's that one named Hu Xiu...

I'll bring the contract over tonight.

My questions were a bit tricky,

but she answered them well.

It's just a pity that

she hasn't accumulated any experience these years.

Not sure whether she'll be able to adapt

after transferring to this role.

So,

Mr. Xiao,

what's your opinion on these two candidates?

Mr. Xiao.

[House Leasing Contract]

I've made some minor revisions

to this contract.

Please check if there are any issues.

During the lease term,

the landlord promises to provide the tenant with

the most pleasant service,

meeting all the tenant's needs,

respecting all of the tenant's privacy and...

Quirks?

And commit to keeping them confidential unconditionally and indefinitely,

including after the lease term ends.

I'm fine with that.

However,

I don't want any more

unexpected situations to occur.

I'm sorry.

My parents came unexpectedly last time.

But don't worry.

I'll try my best

to keep them from coming here.

Try your best?

You still haven't told them that you've rented the place out?

When Chen Dabao caused trouble before,

so many neighbors saw it.

They could tell your parents anytime.

They won't.

My father had an accident years ago

and injured his leg.

Since then,

he hasn't really liked interacting with the people in this lane.

Maybe he doesn't want them to pity him.

But I have no obligation

to hide things from your parents for you.

You dare not confess to them

because in fact, you don't believe

you can succeed in architectural design.

If you're just temporarily unemployed

and need to rent out the place as a stopgap,

what's so hard about telling them that?

The night your parents came, you mentioned

you were worried that you might've chosen the wrong path.

Well, I need to tell you, Ms. Hu,

it's hard for a job candidate who's still doubting themselves

to convince others to give them a chance.

Mr. Xiao.

I only said those things to you that day

because I considered you a friend.

I didn't expect it to become my weakness

and your reason to reject me.

But I still want to say

that I've never doubted myself.

From the day I quit without another job lined up,

I've made up my mind

that no matter how difficult the road ahead is,

I would never give up.

The reason why

I've kept it from them is that

I've been dealing with

a lot of frustrating things lately,

and I don't want them to worry

about me changing jobs.

That's all.

But anyway,

my request

was indeed abrupt.

I'm sorry.

Mr. Xiao.

I won't bother you any further.

Goodbye.

Zhao, want to come out for dinner?

Zhao.

I messed up another interview.

Where are you?

What?

So that difficult tenant you mentioned last time

is the boss of Dynamism?

They're not the same person.

But in a way, they are.

I was planning

to have a good talk with him today.

He's a designer I've always admired, you know?

If this were in the past,

I'd have been so happy

and excited to get to know him.

But now, just thinking that

as soon as I got to know him,

he rejected me—

I feel like I'd have been better off not knowing him at all.

Thank you.

Xiu.

From my point of view,

you two crossing paths at all

is a kind of fate.

He may have rejected you now,

but he might acknowledge you in the future.

No, no, no.

There's no future between us.

There are many details you don't know.

Now that I think about it,

every word I said

and every move I made

foreshadowed

the outcome of today's interview.

Zhao.

What I'm drinking is juice, right?

Yes, it is juice. What's wrong?

Then why am I hallucinating?

So, Mr. Xiao,

what's your opinion on these two candidates?

Recruitment is always a two-way choice.

At least I didn't sense

that the person just now

had any expectations of Dynamism.

So,

you mean...

Let's pick Hu Xiu.

Although she has a three-year gap,

her fundamentals are solid.

People like her

are less likely to be constrained by routine or inertia.

Do you know what "negative space" in architecture

is usually meant to emphasize?

It's openness

and flow.

And openness and flow

bring limitless possibilities.

Alright, stop checking it.

You're not dreaming.

How will you get back? It's raining.

I brought an umbrella,

and the coffee shop is just nearby.

-I can walk back. -Okay.

What about you?

How will you get a taxi in this rain?

Me?

My husband is coming to pick me up.

I'll wait with you for a bit.

No need.

Aren't you starting work next Monday?

Go home early and get ready.

Don't show any weakness.

Go now.

I'm off then.

Go on.

Bye-bye.

Why isn't he picking up his phone?

I wonder what he's busy with.

Hello, I'm here to report for work today.

I'm Hu Xiu.

Hu Xiu, right?

Come with me.

What's wrong?

I-Is there something wrong with my makeup?

No.

I'm just happy for you.

When I saw your resume,

I felt our work experiences were similar.

I was also halfway down a promising career path

when I took a detour here to Shanghai.

So do you regret it now?

What do you think?

Let's go. I'll show you around.

This is Ms. Zhou's office,

and Mr. Xiao's office is on the second floor to the left.

This is the conference room.

Remember to book in advance if you need to use it.

This is the materials section.

And this is the modeling area.

The main office area is up ahead.

Come on, I'll show you to your workstation.

Everyone, may I have your attention please?

I'd like to introduce our new colleague.

This is Hu Xiu,

our new assistant designer.

She'll be working with us starting today.

Hello everyone, I'm Hu Xiu.

I'm very happy to be working with all of you.

I look forward to your guidance and support.

Welcome, welcome.

This is your workstation.

Let me introduce you to everyone.

This is Jiang Tianyi,

our lead architectural designer.

This is Sun Yifei,

senior architect.

If you have any questions, you can ask them.

Of course, you can also ask me.

Here are some forms you need to fill out for your onboarding.

Give them back to me once you're done.

Got it. Thanks for your help.

Mr. Jiang.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

You just graduated from graduate school, right?

Which overseas university did you attend for your master's degree?

I...

I only have a bachelor's degree from a domestic university.

I graduated several years ago.

Bachelor's degree is good.

In our architecture industry,

what matters is accumulating work experience.

While others were studying for their master's,

you were already getting practical experience.

That's much better than theoretical knowledge.

After graduation,

I worked as a GM assistant at a real estate company.

I only recently decided to return to architectural design.

So strictly speaking,

I don't have much practical experience.

Hu... Xiu?

Hu Xiu?

Don't be nervous.

Our company doesn't have that

"everyone stand up when the boss arrives"

kind of rule.

Relax.

Take it easy.

Actually,

Mr. Xiao and I

had some minor conflicts before.

I'm wondering if I should apologize to him.

Didn't you just start today?

So did you somehow upset him during your interview?

Something like that.

I think

you should go apologize to him.

Because

the assistant designer position

was created specifically for Mr. Xiao this time.

Your first project

will definitely be under Mr. Xiao's supervision.

If there are issues

that aren't clearly addressed,

leaving things awkward,

h-how can you work well together, right?

Hu Xiu.

Come up here.

Mr. Xiao.

You wanted to see me?

Come in and have a seat.

This is the project we're currently working on.

Take these materials and review them carefully.

Within a week,

compile your thoughts and give them to me.

[Lyman Group]

Keep these materials confidential.

Understood.

Any other questions?

Mr. Xiao.

Hu Xiu, you're here too.

Ms. Zhou.

Perfect timing.

Do you have any plans

after work today?

No. Is there some work to do?

Not work. It's a dinner gathering.

According to Dynamism's tradition,

whenever a new employee joins,

we treat everyone to dinner.

Right, Mr. Xiao?

You choose the place.

Thank you, Boss.

Are you done talking?

Yes, I'll head down first.

What on earth could he be busy with?

Here we are.

Thank you all for your hard work this year.

I hope that each of us

can successfully complete

our ongoing projects

and achieve good results

with the projects we're pursuing.

Hear, hear!

And now, for today's highlight:

let's welcome our new colleague, Hu Xiu.

I hope everyone can get along well with her

and make progress together.

Welcome.

Welcome.

Here, a toast to you all.

Come on.

Cheers!

Cheers!

Newbie, aren't you joining us for a drink?

We're all drinking alcohol.

Yeah, have a drink.

Today is the welcome party.

You should at least have a drink too.

Mr. Xiao. Ms. Zhou.

I'd like to toast you both,

and everyone else.

Okay. Come on.

Cheers.

It's okay.

I'll drive her home later.

By the way, has she filled out her onboarding form?

Yes, she has.

Is her home address on it?

No. 27, Lane 9, Yanhua Road.

No. 27, Lane 9.

Isn't this Mr. Xiao's coat?

Aren't these Mr. Xiao's shoes?

This...

This is Mr. Xiao's model.

So Hu Xiu and Mr. Xiao...

Live together?

I'll give her a ride.

It's on my way home.

It does seem to be on the way.

Fortunately, she looks like

the type who just falls asleep

when drunk, not the troublesome kind.

Where do you live?

I'll drive you home.

I live...

I live...

I live on Yanhua Road.

What?

No. 27, Lane 9, Yanhua Road.

Let's go.

Don't touch me.

Don't pull me! I said don't!

Don't move around!

I...

Who took my command token?

Who took my...

Who's so wicked?

I just want a command token.

Here you are.

I am the mayor!

Yes, you are.

You are.

My command token.

My token.

Alright.

We're here. Get off.

Hu Xiu.

Hu Xiu?

Your mayor's command token is gone.

What?