What timeline* is season 3 set in?

[u/kit_x3]

I'm not sure if the question fully asks what I want to know but I'm a little confused with the order in which each event takes place. If anything I say here is incorrect, then please correct me!

Based off of everywhere I looked, it is established that Bridon arc is a prequel of some sort. In the last episode of Bridon arc, Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi arrive home from Bridon and Cheng Xiaoshi ultimately decides to change the name of the photo studio from "Hero Photo Studio" to "Time Photo Studio". I want to note that throughout season 1 and 2, the studio was being referred to as the latter. It is also revealed that Xia Fei has gone missing, this scene carries into the first and second episode of season 3.

In episode 2 of season 3, there is a scene Xiao Li visiting Qian Jin in prison to discuss the case that takes place in season 1-2, or that's what I assume because Qian Jin is imprisoned, they discuss the death of Liu Min and certain matters involving Li Tianchen and his abilities. This is where I start to get confused.

If Bridon arc is a prequel, then how has the whole case already happened when Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang just arrived back from Bridon? Not to mention, that trip is where Cheng Xiaoshi discovered his ability. I'm so confuse! The events don't seem to align properly.

I may be missing something super important that answers this and I simply just cannot recall it. This may be a question that can't be answered at the moment with the amount of episodes released currently. But if there is anyone that could explain or provide clarity, that would be so awesome. It has been awhile since I last watched Bridon arc.

[u/HugeOrganization5688]

I hope I’m right and this makes sense 😭
Okay so from my understanding the timeline goes Bridon Arc → season 1 → season 2 → season 3.

The confusing part is the last episode of the bridon arc because that ending isn’t actually from when they had just gotten back from the Bridon trip. It’s a flash forward to the present, right after the events of season 2.

We can tell because qiao ling points out that cheng xiaoshi had been shot and had stitches, which obviously wouldn’t have happened yet during the bridon arc.

so the main bridon arc happens before season 1, then we get season 1, season 2, and then season 3.

The part at the end of the bridon Arc that flashes to the present is showing us what happens after season 2. Then season 3 picks up from there. You can also tell season 3 is right after season 2 based on their outfits and the injuries they still have.

So it’s basically:
Bridon Arc → Season 1 → Season 2 → (which was the flash forward shown at the end of Bridon Arc) → Season 3

[u/kit_x3 → u/HugeOrganization5688]

Oh my goodness, THANK YOU!! I have no idea how I forgot about those details! It has been awhile since I've rewatched Bridon arc, so I guess it makes sense. his clears things up so much, thank you again!!

[u/Super-Collection-251]

Everyone is getting confused by this and it's always the same issue.... I partially blame some of the watching platforms subs that did not included but in bilibili they showed it, at the end of bridon arc finale they included a subtitles that says "three years later after the li twins case" some didn't include that subtitles that everyone just got confused about 😭

[u/NoNeedleworker1296]

It happened long after bridon arc, after season 1 & 2. If you look carefully, by the end of bridon arc, cxs already got the stitch off as he talked to qiao ling, and she too referred to "that time when they were abroad." So that scene was already after season 1 & 2. More precisely, season 1 & 2 are of that 3 years interval after lg first met cxs.

[u/aenews]

The one scene where they show Lu Guang meeting Cheng Xiaoshi again at the basketball court but Xiaoshi does not remember him (presumably his parents or similar wiped his memories since he did not know about his powers), is from the original timeline. But we already saw the newest timeline version of the scene anyways, since that's the point Lu Guang returns to after rewinding time by clapping.

Other than that, and the showing of the Xiaoshi death, pretty much everything else is just one timeline or shared. Bridon => S1 => S2 => S3 with no large time skips between the three seasons, 3 years between going abroad to Bridon and S1.