Zou Yuxing

Biodata

Background

Zou Yuxing comes from a wealthy, prominent family that has been friends with Su Shangting’s family for generations. Despite their families’ ties, the two disliked each other from childhood and became rivals after entering the entertainment industry 5 36.

As a child, Zou Yuxing disliked sitting still for piano lessons. He said his parents once glued him to a chair and had a butler carry him to dinner still attached to it 122. Despite his later reputation for foolishness, he was a quick learner and ranked near the top at school 200.

Appearance

Zou Yuxing is described as handsome, with blond hair and a lean, muscular build 24 42 83.

• He works out and has notably hard biceps 40.
• At the racetrack, he wears a red-and-black racing suit 71.

Personality

Zou Yuxing is sunny, outgoing and talkative. He makes friends readily and often pulls Wen Feiran into activities, sometimes without noticing his discomfort. His enthusiasm can also make him oblivious to tension between other people 18 21 22.

He is competitive and enjoys showing off, particularly when Su Shangting is involved. Although he is frequently teased for poor judgment, he can be warmhearted and protective: he reassures Guan Yunning when he appears afraid of water and tells Wen Feiran to come to him if he is wronged 36 71 191.

Skills

Athletics

Zou Yuxing has considerable strength, stamina and agility.

• He uses his muscles to swing himself across a river after becoming stranded on a rope 39 40.
• He breaks ground with a single swing of a hoe during a treasure hunt 44.
• His powerful volleyball play leaves other participants reluctant to face him 126 127.
• He knows how to race and offers to take Wen Feiran for a ride at a racetrack 71 73.

Castle game ability

During the castle game, Zou Yuxing’s assigned ability is described as obtaining memories connected to objects by touching them. Wen Feiran believes Zou missed the hint and never realized he had the ability 107.

• His game health total is unusually high: even after Meng Zizheng absorbs health from him, he has 100 points left 105.
• He offers to let Meng Zizheng absorb more of his health 105.

Relationships

• Wen Feiran — A close friend whom Zou enthusiastically treats as his “good brother.” He frequently seeks Wen Feiran’s help with puzzles and promises to stand up for him 21 71 82 108.
• Su Shangting — His childhood acquaintance and entertainment-industry rival. They constantly bicker and wrestle, though Zou protects him during a team fight in a video game 5 26 133.
• Gu Suian — Someone Zou admires but also finds intimidating. His parents compared him to Gu as a model child, and Zou is wary of disturbing him 124 150.
• Nie Lixin — A friend and coworker whom Zou repeatedly invites to visit Cloud Dream Inn 157.
• Meng Zizheng — A fellow participant whom Zou helps when a rising step threatens to trap his foot. Later, Zou offers to help with Meng’s business project 96 190.

Story Role

Early filming and wilderness tasks

During a wilderness exploration, Zou goes east after being told to head west, accidentally encounters Wen Feiran and forms an alliance with him. They take a shortcut and reach the finish line first 17.

While staying in a freezing cabin, Zou catches a bird he mistakes for a pheasant. Wen Feiran identifies it as a protected animal nicknamed the “Life-Sentence Chicken,” leaving Zou terrified of going to prison. The incident ultimately brings him praise and his first appearance on the news 28 30.

In a later treasure hunt, Zou and Wen Feiran find supplies and tackle checkpoints together. Zou retrieves a chest from a tree, crosses a river by rope and helps uncover a seal buried underground 39 40 44.

Hospitalization and castle game

After eating Su Shangting’s cooking, Zou develops acute gastroenteritis from food poisoning. His accusation that Su poisoned him is overheard by paparazzi and becomes an online scandal. He recovers quickly and resumes filming the next day 61 62.

During the castle game, Zou leads the group through dark corridors and repeatedly finds locked doors for Wen Feiran to solve. While searching for the missing Meng Jingxiu, he and Meng Zizheng are separated from the others by a rising step 82 86 89 96.

Cloud Dream Inn and the grassland

At Cloud Dream Inn, Zou is assigned to welcome guests because he is the most outgoing member of the group. He later takes pride in the 3,000 yuan he has earned through the inn’s work 152 160.

On the grassland, Zou befriends local herders, who invite the group to an important celebration. He explains the custom of finding a Divine Flower for admission, then reunites with Wen Feiran after losing his way during the search. Although he cannot understand the herders’ language, he communicates with them through gestures and invented words 194 195 197.

After filming

After Forward All the Way ends, Zou’s career rises and he becomes a top star among singing and dancing performers. Inspired by Su Shangting, he takes acting lessons but decides not to accept roles until he has learned the craft 198.