Xie Jianyuan

Biodata

Background

Xie Jianyuan grew up under his mother’s strict expectations and excelled at school before studying abroad. There, he met Jiang Xiuyan, whose family was of similar standing. Although others expected Xie to enter the family business, he chose to become an actor; his mother reluctantly accepted the decision after his father intervened 2 118.

His debut in a popular costume drama brought him a large following, and he promoted himself as “Little Xu Chun.” Jiang Xiuyan secretly loved Xie for years and sought out Xu Chun, whose face resembled Xie’s, as a substitute 1 2 4.

Appearance

Xie Jianyuan is tall and slender, with handsome, deeply defined features and a strong resemblance to Xu Chun. He is at least half a head taller than Xu Chun 2 8.

• Eyes: Dark; his gaze can appear cold or intimidating when he is not smiling 8 61.
• Build: Broad-shouldered, with a narrow back and well-defined, proportionate muscles 44 57.
• Voice: Deep and magnetic 2.
• Smile: Makes him appear warm and approachable, in contrast to his more forbidding unsmiling expression 51.

Personality

Xie Jianyuan usually smiles, appears easygoing, and takes care to consider other people’s feelings. He also feels a responsibility to protect those he sees as weak, as shown when he intervenes for newcomer Lu Xian 3 10 51.

Beneath that pleasant manner, he is competitive and capable of concealing anger or manipulating situations. Xu Chun’s criticism of his attitude toward acting initially makes him determined to surpass him. Xie later recognizes that, unlike previous rivals, he wants to catch up to Xu Chun and stand beside him rather than defeat him 8 27.

His affection for Xu Chun is attentive but also jealous and possessive. He comforts Xu Chun during a storm and notices when he loses weight, yet admits that he struggles with jealousy and wishes he could keep Xu Chun out of others’ sight 39 76 146.

Career

Early in his career, a paid false claim that a woman had dated him contributed to online abuse and lost endorsements. Evidence later established that they had never dated 101.

Rumors later accused him of being kept by a wealthy woman. Xu Chun supported the company’s denial, and a blogger revealed that Xie was the Xie Group’s only son and had purchased his own luxury cars and homes 140.

Abilities & Skills

Acting

• Xu Chun initially criticizes Xie’s indifferent attitude toward acting, prompting Xie to promise to change his opinion 8.
• Director Chu praises his ability to enter character and his performances alongside Xu Chun 46 47.
• Xie credits observation and time spent around Xu Chun with helping him identify shortcomings and improve 123.
• He has basic prior training that helps him perform action scenes 123.

Gaming

• In a team game with Xu Chun and Wei Jiahe, Xie defeats other players to obtain supplies for Xu Chun 96.
• He demonstrates long-range shooting and controlled automatic fire, adjusting his scope’s magnification to steady recoil 97 99.

Other skills

• Cooking: Xu Chun praises his cooking and later becomes a frequent dinner guest 10 39.
• Wood carving: He carves small objects for pleasure; Xu Chun later carries a wooden phone charm resembling one of his characters 139.
• Competition: After asking a club president to teach him, Xie defeats him in a tournament a few months later 10.

Relationships

• Xu Chun — Fellow actor, former neighbor, and romantic partner. Xie initially approaches him competitively, but falls in love; the two later publicly acknowledge their relationship 9 27 180.
• Jiang Xiuyan — Former classmate who secretly loved Xie for years. Their relationship becomes strained over Xu Chun, and Xie warns Jiang to leave Xu alone 2 27.
• Wei Jiahe — Longtime friend and fellow entertainer. He teases Xie about Xu Chun and temporarily cares for Zora when the couple are busy 24 165.
• Xie Qianqian — A younger relative who calls him “Brother” and saves her allowance for his birthday 49 118.
• Mother and Father Xie — His parents. His mother was strict during his upbringing, while his father helped persuade her to accept his acting career 118.
• Lu Xian — A newcomer Xie defends after Lu enters Xu Chun’s dressing room by mistake 3.
• Chen Ya — His manager, who encourages him to put effort into his film role 10.
• Zora — Xie’s white cat, given to him by a classmate 9 10.

Story Role

• Meeting Xu Chun: Xie mistakes Xu Chun for a senior bullying Lu Xian. After Xu Chun criticizes his attitude toward acting, Xie vows to change his opinion; the two subsequently become neighbors and co-stars 3 8 9 10.
• Growing closer: Xu Chun offers to help Xie prepare for their production. During a mountain shoot, Xie kisses him in a blackout and claims afterward that he slipped 21 28.
• Conflict with Jiang Xiuyan: Xie warns Jiang away from Xu Chun and later punches him when Jiang tries to hold Xu Chun against his will 27 71.
• Confession: After kissing Xu Chun in the rain and revealing that he likes him, Xie visits him in the hospital and says he can take time to decide how he feels 131 132.
• Relationship: Once they are together, Xie admits that he fears Xu Chun will leave him. Xu Chun reassures him that he has chosen to stay 149.
• Xu Chun’s past: Xie gives blood to reassure Xu Chun during paternity testing and accompanies him to the welfare home where he once lived. They also discover they had met as children 153 157.
• Going public: After a photograph of Xie kissing Xu Chun’s forehead is taken secretly, Xie tells Xu Chun’s family they are together. Xu Chun later confirms the relationship publicly online 177 179 180.