Kiss Him, Play Cute—The Ascetic Prince of Beijing's Elite Can't Escape

Yu Yang is a successful actress in Jiangcheng who leads a relatively quiet professional life until the premiere of her film, Lost, brings her into an unexpected collision with her past. She had ended a relationship six years prior with Pei Yu, a man she now knows as Pei Yuheng, founder of O.Star Entertainment and the new head of the powerful Pei family in the capital. At the time of their breakup, Yu Yang had been cruel, throwing money at him and declaring he was merely a gamble. The reunion occurs at a dinner where Pei Yuheng, now a dazzling and intimidating figure, is revealed to be the direct superior of Yu Yang’s agency, Tianxing Entertainment. This professional entanglement forces Yu Yang to confront the man she once dismissed, creating immediate tension as she fears his vengeful nature.

The situation escalates when a mentally unstable woman begins harassing Yu Yang in public, claiming to be her mother and insisting that Yu Yang is their biological daughter. This chaos attracts the attention of Pei Yucheng, a member of the Pei family who identifies himself as Yu Yang’s father. A paternity test confirms the biological link, revealing that Yu Yang is the long-lost daughter of Pei Yucheng. Consequently, Pei Yuheng, who is Pei Yucheng’s son, becomes Yu Yang’s uncle. This revelation traps Yu Yang in a web of family politics she never sought, forcing her to navigate the cold and calculating environment of the Pei ancestral home in Kyoto while maintaining her career in the entertainment industry.

Yu Yang attempts to keep her distance from the Pei family, particularly Pei Yuheng, whose engagement to a woman named He Fuyi is a constant source of distress for her. Despite her efforts to remain professional, Pei Yuheng’s presence looms over her work. He secretly invests in her drama production, Splendid Beauty, and intervenes in her career matters, such as helping her friend Su Ni resolve a marital crisis involving her husband, Xie Huaili. Yu Yang is unaware that Pei Yuheng is the true power behind her company and the one orchestrating these interventions, leading to misunderstandings about who is helping her.

As filming continues, Yu Yang faces professional challenges and personal insecurities. She bonds with her co-stars, including Su Ni and a rookie actress named Li Wanqing, while dealing with the lingering trauma of her past and the complex dynamics with her new family. Pei Yuheng’s feelings for her remain hidden beneath his cold exterior, though his jealousy and protectiveness are evident in his actions. The narrative explores the power imbalance between them, as Yu Yang struggles to assert her independence while being drawn back into Pei Yuheng’s orbit through both familial ties and professional dependency.

The story reaches a critical point when Yu Yang’s past begins to resurface in dangerous ways. During a filming break, she is held hostage in her hotel room by a deranged intruder, an incident that highlights the vulnerabilities she faces despite her fame. Meanwhile, Pei Yuheng’s involvement in her life becomes more pronounced as he monitors her safety and career from the shadows. The narrative sets the stage for further conflict within the Pei family, particularly regarding the old master’s expectations and the secret history involving Pei Yuheng’s mother. Yu Yang must decide whether to embrace her new identity as a Pei family member or fight to maintain her autonomy against the forces that seek to control her destiny.