Xi Jin

Biodata

Background

Xi Jin was born to save his older brother, Xi Song. According to Liu Meili, their parents neglected Xi Jin even after Xi Song recovered. At six, Xi Jin was trapped in a fire by his mother, Hua Jinfang, who spoke of dying together to join Xi Song 18 20.

He met Nan Xingyu when she was seven and living with her mother, a gardener at Xi Family Manor. When other boys frightened her, Xi Jin drove them away with a toy gun; his first words to her were a warning to stay away from his territory 3.

After an argument with his father during Nan Xingyu’s high-school years, Xi Jin left the manor and sat on an overpass railing. Nan Xingyu found him and pulled him away, fearing he would fall 20 21.

Appearance

Xi Jin is tall and muscular, with pale skin and a clean-cut, youthful face. His composed public appearance contrasts with the threatening side Nan Xingyu sees in private 1 6.

• Eyes and hair: Dark eyes and black hair 3 24.
• Build: Broad shoulders, a defined waist and abdominal muscles 23 33.
• Tattoo: Lettering on his ribs below his heart represents Nan Xingyu’s name 33.

Personality

In public, Xi Jin is polite, composed and often distant. Teachers and admirers regard him as an accomplished student and athlete, while he maintains a refined manner around elders 1 10 12.

With Nan Xingyu, he is possessive, jealous and controlling. His fear that she will leave drives him to monitor her, restrict her choices and threaten her. He also shows tenderness and concern for her, but his declarations of love do not prevent him from disregarding her wishes or using violence 17 30 31 37.

Abilities & Skills

Shooting

Xi Jin is a world-champion pistol shooter known as a sharpshooting genius 1.

• Won the men’s 10-meter air pistol crown again at the world championships; a televised shot scored 10.9 1.
• Taught Nan Xingyu shooting fundamentals, though his patience gave way to threats when she repeatedly missed 12.
• Is coached by Jiang Yu’s father 14.

Business and finance

A top finance student, Xi Jin also takes an active role in Xi Group projects 1 20.

• Prepared a proposal to redirect investment toward areas including wellness, elder care, urban renewal, overseas operations and new-energy equipment 20.
• Completed a project with Jiang Group and later worked on a project in Shenzhen 33 44.

Basketball

Xi Jin is a skilled basketball player, though Nan Xingyu says he had not previously played in front of others 33.

• Substituted in a teachers-versus-students game, scored multiple baskets and used his back to block a ball headed toward Nan Xingyu 33.

Relationships

• Nan Xingyu — Childhood acquaintance and secret girlfriend. Xi Jin wants to marry her, while she repeatedly tries to end their relationship and escape his control 4 17 26.
• Xi Kun — His father and frequent adversary. Xi Kun opposes his relationship with Nan Xingyu and pushes a marriage alliance with Jiang Yuexi 18 44.
• Hua Jinfang — His estranged mother. Xi Jin remembers her trapping him in a fire when he was six; they meet again at his grandfather’s mourning hall after years apart 18 45.
• Xi Song — His late older brother. Xi Kun and Xi Zhan suspect Xi Jin was responsible for his death, an accusation Xi Jin’s family has not put behind them 5 45.
• Jiang Yu — His friend and the son of his shooting coach. Xi Jin becomes jealous of Jiang Yu’s connection to Nan Xingyu, whose internship Jiang Yu supervised 14 15.
• Jiang Yuexi — The woman Xi Kun wants him to marry. Xi Jin is distant during their blind date and refuses his father’s demand that he marry her 12 44.
• Song Shuchen — Jiang Yuexi’s uncle. Xi Jin resents his attention to Nan Xingyu; Song later intervenes when Xi Jin threatens her by a lake 27 36.

Story Role

Secret relationship and family opposition

Nan Xingyu asks Xi Jin to break up, fearing the consequences their secret relationship could have for her mother. Xi Jin instead offers to make it public and later asks her to elope; she refuses both proposals 4 6 9.

Xi Jin confronts Xi Kun over the proposed marriage alliance, presents a business plan and takes responsibility when his father accuses Nan Xingyu of seducing him. He tells Jiang Yu that he intends to marry her despite his father’s opposition 20 26.

Escalating control

After seeing Nan Xingyu with Jiang Yu, Xi Jin takes her home, douses her with cold water and interrogates her. When she again asks to break up, he threatens to expose their relationship and forcibly assaults her 15 17.

Xi Jin withdraws Nan Xingyu’s school-transfer application. After a bug and tracker are found in her phone, he confronts her about their removal; their argument ends with him driving toward a river and stopping only after she promises not to leave 30 31.

New Year and the Xi Family inheritance

Xi Jin joins Nan Xingyu’s family for New Year’s Eve. At the lakeside, he shows her a sky lantern bearing her name and says she is his wish. They later exchange declarations of love, although he continues to threaten her when she raises the possibility of leaving 42 43 44.

Following his grandfather’s death, Xi Jin represents the grandchildren at the memorial. The will names him the group’s next-generation heir, but Xi Zhan accuses him of involvement in both Xi Song’s and their grandfather’s deaths 45.

After Hua Jinyao insults Nan Xingyu, Xi Jin beats him until hotel staff intervene. Xi Kun again demands that he leave her and points to a condition requiring him to marry before inheriting the family business; Xi Jin refuses 48.

Nan Xingyu’s diagnosis

After Nan Xingyu suffers severe bleeding and undergoes surgery, a doctor tells Xi Jin that her chances of becoming pregnant are nearly zero. He secretly confirms that he is fertile and conceals her diagnosis from her, later pretending to dislike children despite remembering her hopes for a family 49.

Notable Quotes

“Whether you love me or not, you're mine.” 10

“I love you so much I feel like I'm going mad!” 31

“She isn't a scourge. She's my life.” 48