After Tagging the Wrong Account on the App

Lin Xing is a university student who identifies as gay but has not yet found a romantic partner. He shares a close, platonic bond with his childhood friend Xi Jiajia, with whom he discusses men and shares daily life updates. When Xi Jiajia departs for a month-long volunteer program in a remote area, she installs a short-video application called D on Lin Xing’s phone and provides her account ID for him to follow. Unbeknownst to Lin Xing, Xi Jiajia makes a typo when sending the ID, omitting a single digit. This error causes Lin Xing to follow and tag the account of Chi Tong, a handsome and popular influencer with over ten million followers, rather than his friend. For the entire summer, Lin Xing sends Chi Tong hundreds of messages, tagging him in videos of cute animals, food, and borderline inappropriate content, often using affectionate terms like "baby" and "bestie." Lin Xing assumes he is messaging Xi Jiajia and feels no suspicion despite the lack of replies.

Chi Tong, who had recently lost his mother and felt disconnected from life, had initially considered deleting his D account. However, he noticed Lin Xing’s persistent and cheerful notifications. The messages, filled with warmth and ordinary daily joys, provided a strange sense of comfort. Chi Tong began to look forward to the daily updates, viewing the account as a bright spot in his otherwise gloomy existence. He did not realize the messages were intended for someone else until Lin Xing suddenly stopped tagging him. When Chi Tong discovered that Lin Xing had unfollowed him, he felt a sense of loss. In a moment of impulse, he commented on a video where Lin Xing was tagging the correct account, asking, "Don't you love me anymore?" This comment sparked immediate curiosity among fans and led to a viral gossip post accusing Chi Tong of being in a secret relationship.

Lin Xing discovers the truth when Xi Jiajia returns and reveals the typo. He is horrified to learn that he had been harassing a stranger for months. The situation escalates when the gossip about Chi Tong’s comment spreads online, dragging Lin Xing’s account into the spotlight. Netizens flood his profile, speculating about his identity and intentions. Lin Xing panics, fearing social ruin and potential legal consequences for his inappropriate messages. He considers issuing a public clarification but is hesitant to expose his private comments. Meanwhile, Chi Tong releases a video to address the controversy. In the video, he clarifies that the misunderstanding was accidental and that he and Lin Xing have no romantic relationship. He carefully edits the video to show only innocent comments, protecting Lin Xing’s privacy and preventing further harassment.

The incident forces Lin Xing to confront his feelings and the reality of his connection with Chi Tong. He attempts to thank Chi Tong via direct message but is blocked after sending three messages, leaving him unable to explain himself further. The story shifts focus to Chi Tong’s complex family background. He comes from a wealthy and influential family with deep-seated conflicts. His father died under mysterious circumstances, and his mother suffers from mental illness. Chi Tong was raised by his grandfather, the family patriarch, who favors him over his own son, Chi Guangxu. This favoritism has created resentment between Chi Tong and his uncle, as well as between Chi Tong and his cousin, Chi Yu. Chi Yu harbors a deep hatred for Chi Tong, blaming him for his father’s lack of inheritance and status. Chi Yu once attempted to drown Chi Tong as a child, an event that left both boys traumatized. Despite the family tension, Chi Tong maintains a calm and detached demeanor, navigating the hostile environment with quiet resilience. The narrative sets the stage for a developing relationship between Lin Xing and Chi Tong, complicated by their differing social statuses and the lingering shadows of Chi Tong’s family drama.