
2026 is kicking off right for Chinese actors Chen Xing Xu and Lu Yu Xiao who star in the soon-to-be-released C-drama Love Between Lines.
A drama that, according to iQIYI social media accounts this week, is getting a January 9th release.
And is it just me who’s itching to shove ‘the‘ between ‘Between‘ and ‘Lines’??? – Man, these English language titles for Chinese dramas. Wish they would try harder.
Yep, that means we only have three days to wait to see two of Chinese best young actors pair up in yet another historical romance.
And, while we have not had this pairing before, I am excited for it as Chen Xing Xu was a big draw for me in the 2021 drama The Glory of Youth (finally watched it a few months ago, so it’s still fresh in my mind).
RELATED: C-drama Love Between Lines wraps up its filming, drops cast photos and smouldering posters
Meanwhile, Lu Yu Xiao’s amazing performance as the autistic sister Shao Yao was one of the many reasons why I loved Blossoms in Adversity.
Love Between Lines January 9th premiere announced by iQIYI
The January 9th premiere of the upcoming Chinese historical mystery thriller was announced by iQIYI this week, along with a poster of Chen Xing Xu as Xiao Zhi Yu and Lu Yu Xiao as Hu Xiu, but in contemporary clothes, along with the message:
Romance is written into every embrace, heart-fluttering moments guaranteed!
iQIYI also dropped a poster of the drama’s main cast, and confirmed main cast members. They are — leads Chen Xing Xu and Lu Yu Xiao, who star with Dai Xu, Kido Ma, Li Ting Ting, and Ren You Lun.

The C-drama itself looks like it is set in Republic China, but that is only the murder mystery game world the two leads meet in as the setting itself is contemporary.
And yep, they meet in a game, and then meet again outside the game world.
We then get to see the narrative unfolding during two timelines — one that covers the murder mystery game, while the other follows the pair in real life.
Intriguing, right?
Enjoy the cool Love Between Lines posters, and look out for the 28-episodes Chinese drama streaming on iQIYI beginning on January 9th.
As someone who loves a good mystery drama, with its superb cast and intriguing plot, this one ticks all my boxes.
In fact, my guess is, with the stellar cast and, especially the two main leads (Chen Xing Xu has been going gangbusters lately and, after initially always seeming “creepy” to me, has become one of my faves), Love Between Lines may just end up as one of the big romance hits of 2026.
