September 6, 2024

We All Lie | Recap and Review

A scriptwriter retaliates against her cheating, coattail-riding husband and his mistress.
Notable Actors/Actresses
Li Zi Feng: Zhang Shu Heng
Chinese Title
婚姻攻略
Year2024
Episodes: 16

RecapperFanFanX
Recap Grade: B/C
First Impression: -


Jump to: Remarks | Comments
Recaps: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]  


Cast



He Hong Shan:
Su Li
Li Zi Feng:
Zhang Shu Heng
Zheng Nan Xi:
Chen Ying Ying

Tan Yan Yan:
Wang Gang Gang
Chen Mu Yang:
Shen Cha Ren
Wan Yi Zhou:
Wang Wei Du
Zhao Meng Shu:
Zhao Wen



Romcom / Romance Checklist



How much of the plot is angst/romance?
0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
The ML
Cold–Lukewarm–Warm / Timid / Falls in Love First / Noble Idiot / CEO / General /
The FL
Bold / Cute / Cool & Independent / Falls in Love First / Better than ML / Noble Idiot / 
Describe the Relationship (the tropes):
Annoying Love Rival (F)+++ / Bickering Start / Childhood Connection / Cohabitation / Contract Marriage or Fake Couple / Enemies to Lovers / Hidden Identity / School to Adulthood / Love Triangle / Married Couple (Real) / Secretly in Love (F/ML) / Star-Crossed Lovers / 
Relationship Progress (officially togetherfirst (official) kiss; breakup*):
Ep 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16  
# of CPs (including main CP):
0 / 1 / 2 / 3
Ending:
Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / Bad



FanFanX: Less [eps] is more. Now let's kick those bad husbands to the curb! 🦵


Mini Recaps



[Ep1[Jump to: Top | CommentsL'Ultima Cena
  1. Reknowned scriptwriter Su Li is married to actor Zhang Shu Heng, who is a doting husband. But... I seriously don't trust his face! 
  2. Late at night, Su Li sees a suspicious text message on his phone. He says it was from Mr. Wu who missed him... as a drinking buddy. She also finds a receipt for a pair of women's shoes. But they're not in her size.
  3. Her bestie and fledgling actress, Chen Ying Ying's secret boyfriend is none other than... Zhang Shu Heng. (~30:00) What a frenemy.
    Burst pipe.
  4. At this dinner gathering, Su Li receives an anonymous message telling her that her husband is cheating on her with someone at this table. 
    Ep's Title.
[Ep2[Jump to: Top | CommentsCatch Me If You Can
  1. Su Li shares her worries of Shu Heng's infidelities and how she won't just let him go but keep him around and torment him until he'd wish he was dead. 
  2. Su Li learns from Shu Heng's assistant, Wang Gang Gang, about the extra space added between names on his phone, decoy v. real. Su Li later finds the two Mr. Wus on his phone, and all of the messages between him and "Mr.  Wu." 
  3. He's made dinner for her, and then drugged her drink so he can leave to meet his mistress later. She drinks it but manages to use the bathroom to expel it. 
  4. He leaves the house and she secretly follows him to the club, where she sees him being intimate with Ying Ying, alongside Zhao Wen (his manager) and Mr. Wu. 
  5. Afterwards, she follows them to their hotel room. So she calls the police to report them for prostitution. xD
[Ep3[Jump to: Top | CommentsSteal A March
  1. Flashback: For his proposal, he fell off the balcony. (~2:00) Ridic.
  2. In the present, the two are arrested, as Su Li takes photos of them from her car. Proof! 
  3. At the police station, Ying Ying denies being a prostitute, and says they're in a relationship. Meanwhile, Shu Heng says that they’re having a secret affair. 
  4. Su Li wants a divorce but he has no assets. So he’ll be able to take half of everything of hers as marital property. 
  5. The next morning, he wakes up to her holding a knife directly over him. (~9:45) She laughs and says it’s just for research for her next script about a cheating spouse. 
  6. Su Li knows that Gang Gang is the one who warned her about Shu Heng. 
  7. Later, at auditions, Su Li makes it well known that she and Chen Ying Ying are besties, so she'll get preferential treatment. Afterwards, she makes her the replacement lead for the teleplay.
  8. Ying Ying hates Su Li for having everything, so she employs the oldest trick in the book – using a tampered condom. 
  9. Su Li anonymously sends Shu Heng the hotel photos from that night, and demands 5M yuan within 24 hours or she’ll sell the photo to the high bidder.  
  10. He gets the money from Su Li and then drops it off at the meeting spot. But when he returns to catch the blackmailer, he finds out that the bag has already been swapped – filled with papers. While going through security earlier, Su Li, our masked security guard had swapped his bag. Now the cold hard cash is all hers. She then releases the photos to the press as she drives away with Gang Gang. 
[Ep4[Jump to: Top | Comments] Exposed to the Sun
  1. Shu Heng and Ying Ying's affair has made the headlines. They're dealing with angry director and investors. 
  2. Su Li goes on livestream, and “learns” about the affair while on air. She has many supporters. So she breaks down on camera. 
  3. In person, Su Li puts on a show…to show her support for her husband. So the three of them will have a press conference to clear up the misunderstanding. 
  4. Ying Ying suspects that Su Li is the one who exposed them. 
  5. Ultimate revenge of a scorned wife: Shu Heng has to drink her extra nasty soup. xD She did it on purpose!  
  6. Press conference: Ying Ying has the gall to try to touch his hand under the table here. Su Li announces that Ying Ying wants to bow with her apology. (~24:00) *snort*
  7. Gang Gang is married to Shen Cha Ren who seems to be is a narcissistic jerk. (~26:25) 
  8. Mr. Wu pressures Gang Gang in person, and then text messages her to spend the night with him, so she asks Su Li for help. The latter sends his message to his wife. Guess who gets beaten up in the hotel room? Noted, nothing good will come from hotel meetings. xD
[Ep5[Jump to: Top | Comments] Dilemma
  1. Ying Ying feels neglected by Shu Heng, so she pretends to be injured and he comes running. 
  2. Su Li gets some herbal medication for Shu Heng’s inflammation [libido]. Side effects include drowsiness and more prone to crying. xD 
  3. Su Li helps Gang Gang with the contract termination with Mr. Wu – power suit, makeup and staying firm.   
  4. Ying Ying thinks she’s pregnant so she shows up unannounced while Su Li is away.
[Ep6[Jump to: Top | Comments] Dangerous
  1. Su Li returns home and acts like the gracious hostess to Ying Ying.
  2. Then Ying Ying tells them that she’s pregnant and wants Su Li to be the baby’s godmother. *puke*
  3. Shu Heng spends time with Ying Ying, and Su Li spends his money on Gang Gang. 👌 Fair.
  4. In front of his colleagues, Cha Ren hits her and he just walks away like nothing happened. 
  5. At a charitable event, Su Li purchases a 2M yuan diamond, as a gift from Shu Heng, symbolizing their love and it'll help with their current PR mess. (But she's engineered this as a clearly gifted jewelry is not considered marital property.)
  6. Shu Heng saves her from getting run over by a car, and he ends up with a leg injury. 
  7. Ying Ying isn’t actually pregnant. She also lets Shu Heng know that Su Li is filing for divorce, and busy with transferring property. Now he knows she's out for revenge.
[Ep7[Jump to: Top | Comments] Who Makes The Rules?
  1. Shu Heng plans a third anniversary surprise for her. He even says the sweetest things to her face. And then there's this calculating smile when they hug. 😬
  2. Later he tries to sell her jewelry but finds out that it's all fake and worth only 300 yuan, instead of millions. Su Li was even more suspicious because of his recent attitude change. 
  3. He confronts her and then tries to blame her for his infidelity. She tells him to repay her for the stolen jewelry which is worth 4M yuan, or else she'll call the police on him. 
  4. Cha Ren gets drunk and forces Gang Gang to come out to the bar at night, but it's just for his turn of Truth or Dare. Ick. Both husbands need to get punted into the gutter.
  5. Su Li has bought overseas property. But then she finds out that she's pregnant. (~28:00) Nooo.
[Ep8[Jump to: Top | Comments] Achilles' Heel
  1. Shu Heng is in a historical drama as second lead, and displeased to deal with this fussy first lead. He Both guys look terrible in costume. xD! So the horrible duo ruin this actor's career by leaking a buried past scandal.
  2. Gang Gang accompanies Su Li for her pregnancy checkup. 
  3. Shu Heng steals Su Li's manuscript and now has confirmation that Gang Gang is helping her. 
  4. He demands equal division of the property, and a divorce without any mention of his infidelity. Ying Ying even asks for compensation for their losses.
  5. Gang Gang asks who will compensate Su Li for her abortion. *facepalm*
  6. Now Su Li removes the gloves and says she’s not afraid to go all out. She’s also taking Gang Gang as her assistant now.
  7. Gang Gang insists on getting a divorce as "clinging to something meaningless is toxic in any relationship." Cha Ren angrily signs the document before leaving their home. Kbai!
[Ep9[Jump to: Top | Comments] Turn Around In Time
  1. Everyone wants Su Li to get rid of the baby, especially Chen Ying Ying, as it could destroy Shu Heng’s future, thereby her own future. 
  2. He tells Su Li that he wants them to get back together because of the pregnancy. 
  3. Her conditions: Still divorce and he gets nothing, but they can remarry later. If they do remarry in the future, he can’t use her name or her help for his own gains. Nothing for him, so he goes.
  4. After much consideration and reflection, Su Li decides to keep the baby and starts setting up her nursery. 
  5. Chen Ying Ying continues badgering Shu Heng about taking care of the ticking bomb [baby]. 
  6. Later, a drunk Gang Gang gives her husband a piece of her mind, and even tries to beat him up. Su Li quickly takes her inside.  
  7. After yet another confrontation, Chen Ying Ying angrily shoves Su Li down the stairs.  
[Ep10[Jump to: Top | Comments] Monster Kill
  1. When Su Li wakes up, Gang Gang has to tell her the devastating news.   
  2. Later, she returns home to the nursery that torments her.
  3. Later she visits Zhao Wen and blackmails her into helping her take down Shu Heng or else she'll report her to her boss about the kickbacks. So Shu Heng gets screwed out of money and future projects. 
  4. He confronts Su Li, who calls him a spineless coward as he's been living off of her, and getting work because of her. Without her, he’s nothing. 
  5. He angrily flings her into a table. With her bleeding head, the curtains open and now there are witnesses to their altercation. She pitifully asks for help. 
  6. At the police station, she brings up that the baby is gone. And she’ll let the world know that he beat her up. He says he doesn't know anything about the baby. 
  7. A contrite Cha Ren resurfaces so Gang Gang forgives him. No!
  8. Su Li publicly talks about Shu Heng's betrayal and his affair with Chen Ying Ying. 
  9. His agency terminates his contract and plans to sue him for damages and compensation.
  10. Hate comments come in for Chen Ying Ying, who is threatened and ridiculed at home and in public. So she breaks up with Shu Heng. He asks her about Su Li and baby, but she says he still believes Su Li. She’s done with him. 
[Ep11[Jump to: Top | Comments] [No Title]
  1. Ying Ying attempts suicide at home. Then she sets the stage at Su Li’s company: she performs as the pitiful victim right before the crowd of reporters she’s brought with her. 
  2. In turn, Su Li unravels her bandage and reveals that it's a fake wrist wound, and then her to deal with the mob of reporters. 
  3. Gang Gang finds out her husband owes 5M yuan to a bunch of loan sharks. She later gives him her savings. *facepalm*
  4. Su Li won’t let Gang Gang be used as a bargaining chip for a work contract with Mr. Chen. Clueless Gang Gang hears something else different from him: Su Li won’t let her advance in her career. 
  5. Cha Ren says he'll agree to the divorce as he doesn't want to be a burden to her any longer and should figure out the solution for himself. Trust him as far as I can throw him. 
  6. Gang Gang asks to borrow money from Su Li, who won't allow it as he's been lying to Gang Gang the entire time. 
  7. Wang Wei De, the guy who complained about Su Li's script work, later helps her with her broken heel – by breaking off the other one. <_< 
  8. The loan sharks now show up at Su Li’s office. Unfortunately, Gang Gang overhears Su Li being dismissive of their relationship [as a way to get rid of them]. 
  9. Her garbage husband manipulates her into believing that Su Li isn’t her true friend. 
[Ep12[Jump to: Top | Comments] The Abyss of Despair
  1. Now Gang Gang draws the line between herself and Su Li. She also starts accepting kickbacks.
  2. Wei De continues pursuing Su Li, who repeatedly tells him that she's not interested nor ready for another relationship. So he applies to be her backup assistant.
  3. Cha Ren continues depleting his wife’s funds. 
  4. Shu Heng gets out of jail but can't find any trace of Chen Ying Ying.  
  5. At home, Su Li receives a nasty surprise – snake. Then at work, she receives a bloodied package. 
  6. Meanwhile, Shu Heng has also intercepted the latest screenplay that Gang Gang sent out for delivery. 
[Ep13[Jump to: Top | Comments] Trouble Brewing
  1. Gang Gang transfers the funds to Shu Heng instead of the publisher. And she lies to Su Li about this.  
  2. Now Shu Heng wants the diamond, so Gang Gang is forced to give him the safe key.
  3. He tries to take more, and Su Li appears. Dundundun. Gang Gang already came clean to Su Li, who has forgiven her. 
  4. After brandishing a knife, he runs out of her house…and gets hit by a car and stays unconscious in the hospital. 
  5. Gang Gang begins feeling insecure about Su Li taking the Wei De with her on assignments instead of her. 
  6. Su Li’s script gets leaked in advance of this meeting with the director. She suspects there’s a mole in the company. Duh.
  7. Wei De was hired by Chen Ying Ying…as he's the one who leaked her work.
[Ep14[Jump to: Top | Comments] The Sting
  1. Su Li ends up getting drunk with Wei De, who has been ordered to take intimate pictures with her. 
  2. Ying Ying then releases these photos, alleging that Su Li is the one who cheated on Shu Heng, who is in the hospital now. 
  3. In reality, Wei De had actually been unable to take photos of her. A sober Su Li had confronted him about this. So they’d released actually edited photos from the teleplay, with their faces superimposed over the actors'. The secret Weibo account that released said photos links back to Ying Ying’s IP address. 
  4. When Ying Ying taunts her about the miscarriage, Su Li says she’s going to get charged for slandering her. Ying Yung then tries to stab Su Li with a pair of scissors, and Wei De blocks the attack. 
[Ep15[Jump to: Top | Comments] Miss Su
  1. Wei De discharges from the hospital and returns to work. 
  2. Gang Gang makes plans to leave with Cha Ren. So she presents a proposal to Su Li, with a request for 1M in cash. 
  3. Su Li releases the cash to her, which includes funds from her personal account. She already knows that something’s wrong. 
  4. Wei De tries to cheer her up, with the hopes of getting another chance to pursue her. Ugh. Boys be boys.
  5. Gang Gang entrusts the cash case to Cha Ren, who, of course, disappears! Duh. She'd known he would but she's still heartbroken over this. Su Li pops up and consoles her.
  6. Su Li had known she’d been acting different, accepting kickbacks, and finally this odd all-cash request. And ever since she’d reconciled with Cha Ren, she’d seemed happier but… 
[Ep16[Jump to: Top | Comments] The Sun Also Rises
  1. Gang Gang vacates her place, and gives a bankcard to Su Li along with her resignation. 
  2. Knowing she has no backup plans, Su Li refuses to accept her resignation. She’s also giving her a 20% pay raise to help her with repayment of the stolen funds. 
  3. Shu Heng finally gains consciousness, and he's contrite. Let bygones be bygones, and the two return to being strangers.
  4. Su Li spends New Year’s eve alone. 
  5. Eventually she calls Wei De, who’s directly behind her as he’s been waiting for her. Not a fan of this forced pairing as she's inheriting a potential future Shu Heng. 
  6. Ying Ying leaves prison and finds Su Li waiting her outside. But she's not here to pick her up, but to deliver a letter and a bankcard from Shu Heng. Before leaving, Su Li gives her the pair of shoes she bought on her way here – utilitarian white sneakers for her steps towards the right path. *snort* Her hair [wig?]. 
  7. Later, Su Li and Gang Gang attend a colleague's wedding, and Su Li notices the groom's eyes lingering on the wedding planner. Dundundun. S2?

The End.

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Remarks

by FanFanX


Trigger Warning: Assault, Violence

[First Impression (Ep1-)] Started this for the dogblood, but stayed for the sismance: Su Li + Gang Gang. 

[Cast & Crew] The most loathsome ML is back... and I don't hate him any less here. 

→ He Hong Shan: Su Li
→ Li Zi Feng: Zhang Shu Heng
→ Zheng Nan Xi: Chen Ying Ying
→ Tan Yan Yan: Wang Gang Gang
Chen Mu Yang: Shen Cha Ren
Wang Yi Zhou: Wang Wei De
Zhao Meng Shu: Zhao Wen

Cameo: Ep16. Wen Sheng as cheating groom, prelude to S2. 


[Ending] Happy.

[Review & Rating]
Quick watch at 16eps so don’t expect anything too deep. This started off very strong because FL is smart, stands her ground and gets a sismance. Eventually she hits a wall, and starts losing brain cells and common sense. Revenge became secondary with the forced romance in the last few eps. FL became a doormat. Rating dropped because of this. Just skip this!

Random Recommendation

Rating: 1/5




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