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| Zhao Lusi’s “Almost Lover” Resurfaces With New Episode Count – What Really Happened Behind the Scenes? |
Zhao Lusi’s comeback drama Almost Lover with Peng Guanying has taken an unexpected turn. Originally planned as a 24-episode romance, the Youku project has now been trimmed down to just 14 episodes — and quietly submitted for review.
This comes after a long production freeze due to Zhao Lusi’s health scare in late 2024 and a swirl of behind-the-scenes drama that’s left fans frustrated and industry insiders raising eyebrows.
Let’s rewind a bit.
What’s Almost Lover About?
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Set across nearly a decade, Almost Lover follows Ruan Yu (Zhao Lusi), a sharp uni graduate trying to make it in the big city, and Teng Yi (Peng Guanying), a rebellious heir desperate to break free from family expectations. A chance tutoring job brings their worlds together, sparking a youthful romance that’s cut short by Ruan Yu’s personal tragedy.
Years pass. They meet again, once during a college sports league — reconnecting through work and ambition — and again four years later, now as mature individuals at an industry summit. The pair finally get their timing right and choose love over regret. Sweet, right? But real life behind the scenes was far less dreamy.
Why Was Filming Stalled?
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In early 2025, word spread that Zhao Lusi had paused all activity due to serious health issues — including reported speech difficulties (aphasia) and fatigue brought on by stress. Filming had already started, but momentum was lost as Lusi stepped away for recovery. By March, there were whispers she might return to set — but then, silence.
Sources later spilled that the production had faced major script issues — what fans now call a “yin-yang script” problem. Reportedly, the lines given to cast members were completely different from the ones in the master script. Lusi had to freestyle roughly 70% of her lines on set. That kind of on-the-fly acting, without a solid script to anchor her performance, understandably worsened her mental and physical state.
To salvage the project, the production team proposed major changes: swapping out the director, rewriting the script, and reworking Ruan Yu’s character arc. Sounds fair, but not enough to bring Lusi back. Industry murmurs say she wanted out — not out of laziness, but exhaustion. Plus, contractual obligations allegedly left her with little choice but to push through… until now.
From 24 to 14: What’s Left of the Drama?
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| Zhao Lusi Drama Almost Lover Shortened from 24 to 14 Episodes Due to Production Woes |
Rather than do an entire reshoot, Youku seems to be going for a “rescue edit” strategy. With two-thirds of the drama already shot, it’s financially risky to scrap everything. So, they’ve opted to re-cut the existing footage into a tighter, 14-episode arc and submit it for broadcast approval.
Will it work? Some fans are hopeful this compact version could still deliver. Others feel like it’s a rushed patch job that might compromise the original vision.
What’s worse, the production team has kept mum for months, failing to address fan concerns — especially around the script scandal and Lusi’s well-being. The silence has only added fuel to the fire, with hashtags like #ProtectZhaoLusi trending more than once on Weibo.
Fans Caught Between Disappointment and Hope
While many feel let down, others argue it’s better for Lusi to prioritise her health and walk away from a toxic project. There's also a group still holding out for a surprise hit — one that proves quality can come from a messy journey, as long as heart and effort are still in the final cut.
Meanwhile, Zhao Lusi still has one more drama waiting in the wings — Love’s Ambition, where she stars opposite Hong Kong actor William Chan. No official air date yet, but fans are crossing fingers it gets a smoother release.
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TLDR:
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Almost Lover, Zhao Lusi & Peng Guanying’s drama, cut from 24 to 14 episodes.
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Filming halted due to Lusi’s illness in late 2024.
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Production plagued by “yin-yang script” issue — actors got different scripts than crew.
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Lusi reportedly had to improvise 70% of her dialogue.
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Attempts to rewrite and salvage the drama weren’t enough to bring her back.
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Final product now edited from existing footage, submitted for review.
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Mixed fan reactions: hope vs frustration.
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Zhao Lusi’s next drama Love’s Ambition still pending release.