His Red Box

Li Zhuo is a struggling live streamer who relies on his physical appearance to attract viewers, living in a cramped apartment with his roommate Xu Lie. After a night of eating spicy hot pot, Li Zhuo ends up in the emergency room with severe gastrointestinal distress. The on-call doctor treating him is Gu Yongge, his ex-boyfriend from five years prior. Their past relationship was intense but ended abruptly during Gu Yongge’s most vulnerable period. Li Zhuo assumes Gu Yongge is cold and resentful, while Gu Yongge treats him with a mix of professional detachment and sharp sarcasm. The situation escalates when a nurse secretly records Gu Yongge performing a medical procedure on Li Zhuo. The video goes viral, exposing Li Zhuo’s identity and drawing unwanted public attention to his private life.

The viral fame brings immediate consequences. Xu Lie, Li Zhuo’s roommate and fellow streamer, exploits the situation for his own gain. During a live broadcast, Xu Lie reveals Li Zhuo’s sexual orientation and mocks their past relationship to boost his viewer count. Li Zhuo confronts Xu Lie, leading to a physical altercation where Xu Lie rips off Li Zhuo’s mask, exposing his face to the internet. Li Zhuo leaves the apartment, homeless and defeated, only to be found by Gu Yongge. Gu Yongge offers Li Zhuo a place to stay in his spacious home, a offer Li Zhuo accepts out of necessity. Moving in with his ex forces both men to confront their unresolved feelings and the painful memories of their breakup.

As Li Zhuo settles into Gu Yongge’s life, he begins a new live stream to address the public fallout. He openly discusses his sexuality, delivering a speech about the universality of love that resonates with his audience. Gu Yongge interrupts the stream, leading to a heated argument about their past. Gu Yongge accuses Li Zhuo of abandoning him when he was at his lowest. Li Zhuo finally reveals the truth he had kept hidden for years: his parents were responsible for the anonymous reports that ruined Gu Yongge’s graduate school applications. His father, disapproving of Li Zhuo’s homosexuality, sabotaged Gu Yongge’s career to force them apart. Li Zhuo had cut off contact to protect Gu Yongge from his family’s harassment and to spare him the pain of knowing the source of his misfortunes.

The revelation shifts the dynamic between them. Gu Yongge, initially consumed by anger and feelings of betrayal, softens upon understanding the sacrifice Li Zhuo made. He had believed Li Zhuo left him because he was tired of him, not realizing Li Zhuo was protecting him from his own family. The two reconcile, acknowledging their lingering love and the pain they caused each other through silence. Gu Yongge supports Li Zhuo’s streaming career and encourages him to return to university to complete his degree. Their relationship rebuilds on a foundation of honesty and mutual support, moving from a toxic separation to a healthy partnership.

The final conflict arises when Li Zhuo’s parents appear at Gu Yongge’s hospital. They have been watching Li Zhuo’s streams and realize the happiness he finds with Gu Yongge. Acknowledging their past mistakes, they apologize for sabotaging Gu Yongge’s career and forcing Li Zhuo into conversion therapy. Gu Yongge confronts them, asserting his role as Li Zhuo’s partner and demanding they stop interfering. The parents leave, and Gu Yongge advises Li Zhuo to forgive them, not for their sake, but for his own peace of mind. Gu Yongge shares that he was an orphan who felt he had to please others, but Li Zhuo taught him to live authentically. The story concludes with Li Zhuo and Gu Yongge planning to marry and move abroad, symbolizing their escape from past trauma and their commitment to a future together under the rainbow flag.