“You should never trust a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Because the only thing the wolf will ever want to do is break you”- Rachel E. Carter

This thought might resonate with Lu Xiaofan, because for the entirety of this show, he hides his claws and acts like a docile man, living under the shadows of his in-laws. Adapted from the web novel “Jia Ru Gao Men De Nan Ren” (嫁入高门的男人) by Che Ye Liu Xiang (彻夜流香), the show introduces the fresh pairing of Zhou Ning Jia & Guan Yue. Their chemistry is so natural, that they have already bagged another project which might be premiere next time. This might be the first time in the history of Chinese BL, that an onscreen pairing would return to silver screens again, bidding their time against Chinese censorship & societal prejudices. The storytelling isn’t for the faint hearted. Guan Yue is relegated to play a character who faces constant humiliation and emotional abuse at the hands of his own family members. His own wife and in-laws treat him like an outcast. You might be disappointed at his choices but at the end of the day, all he does is for survival.

Storyline & Chemistry-

Lu Xiao Fan’s (Guan Yue) life takes an unexpected turn when he leaves his rural roots to marry into a prominent, wealthy Beijing family, the only glitch being that his so-called wife is already pregnant and treats him like second-hand trash. At home, he has a dysfunctional family where his mother’s desire to climb the social ladder & secure a better future for her other children pushes Xiao Fan into this unfortunate situation. Even though his wife Bei Luxin (Li Jue Xuan) or even the maid in that house doesn’t respect him, Guan Ye slowly grows closer to his brother-in-law, Bei Luqing (Zhou Ning Jia). Luqing is secretly gay, and his social circumstances don’t allow him the freedom to explore his sexuality. As such, he uses Lu Xiao Fan dependence to pull into an illicit relationship. Their romance ebbs and flows. Luqing uses Xioa Fan as an outlet for his sexual desire and Xiao Fan secures a bright future for his greedy brother in exchange. Unbeknownst to him, Lu Xiao Fan has been slowly amassing a fortune while he suffers constant humiliation because of his family members or at the ends of his wife. Bei Luqing hides his emotions well, bidding time so he could escape his mother’s clutches. Because he chooses to never explain his situation, Lu Xiao Fan develops a love- hate relationship with him. His tricks at trade deal a huge blow to Bei Luqing as he seeks divorce & flies abroad. They reunite and Xiao Fan chooses to forget everything when Luqing proposes marriage.

Luqing & Xiao Fan have a rather uncomfortable yet dangerously addictive relationship. They make regretful choices, but that doesn’t dampen their longing for each other. Zhou Ning Jia & Guan Yue have an insanely sensual chemistry. I understand why they were chosen for their next project!

Final Impressions

Bei Luqing & Xiao Fan grow up dependent on each other. Xiao Fan provides a homely environment that Luqing never had, while Luqing provides him with social security. The only issue with their relationship is Luqing’s inability to communicate openly and Xiao Fan’s inherently submissive nature. They don’t communicate, and it leads to major misunderstandings that tear their relationship apart. You feel frustrated watching them dance around each other, but at the end of the day, they somehow find their way back to each other!

Rating- 4 out of 5

Streaming on- Gagaoolala