Fatty Liao

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	David Liao
Alias(es)	Fatty Liao (廖胖子); Young Master Liao
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Ethnicity/Nationality	Chinese American 1
Affiliation	Clever Hands Channel; Fu Man Lou; Vantas Public Middle School 2
Occupation/Role	Kraft Lee's sales and channel-operations partner; middle-school student
First Appearance	1

Background / History

David Liao is the son of Fu Man Lou's owners and attends Vantas Public Middle School alongside Kraft Lee. He became Kraft's business partner after Kraft began selling small dream-inspired gadgets: Kraft handled production, while David marketed and sold the products through his connections and business sense. Their work later expanded into the Clever Hands Channel, where David manages the account, editing, promotion, customer discussions, and sales arrangements 1 2 3.

David initially pushes Kraft to keep producing marketable items because he needs money to recover magazines confiscated by his parents. His enthusiasm for sales helps turn Kraft's inventions into popular products at nearby schools and online 1 2.

When Kraft's Go-for-broke Treadmill Set video goes viral following Tony Stark's comment, David is thrilled by the attention but becomes more cautious after receiving dubious partnership offers. He handles the sale of Stark's order, later regretting that he did not quote a higher price 3.

David and Kraft are in seventh grade when their partnership and channel are introduced. Meals at Fu Man Lou during Martin's absences further strengthen their friendship 2 8.

Although Kraft later has Dream Toy Company as another source of income, David continues to rely on the Clever Hands Channel for his own earnings. Kraft initially offers him all of the channel's revenue, but David refuses, describing that refusal as a shrewd businessman's bottom line. His eventual share is sufficient for comfortable student spending, though the expense of dating a new girlfriend prompts him to request more practical, commercially appealing inventions 26.

Personality

David is shamelessly persistent, excitable, and commercially minded. He frequently pressures Kraft to make new products, invokes their friendship when Kraft considers leaving the channel, and quickly changes moods when he gets what he wants 1 5 17.

He is food-loving and repeatedly claims he will lose weight without following through. During a shooting at the music festival, he vows to diet after struggling to hide behind cover; soon afterward, Kraft finds him eating pancakes and abandoning the plan 28 30.

Despite his antics, David is a loyal friend. He worries when Kraft isolates himself in the studio, visits to check whether he is safe, helps with school matters, and remains at Kraft's side during dangerous situations 9 15 16.

His commercial opportunism has limits: he declines Kraft's offer to surrender all of the channel's revenue to him rather than accept an arrangement he considers inconsistent with his business principles 26.

David is enthusiastic about romance and resents Kraft's indifference to it. When female classmates approach Kraft because of his connection to Dream Toy Company, David explains the source of their interest with visible envy. Kraft's refusal to date because he would rather spend time in his laboratory leaves David almost speechless with frustration 35.

He also encourages Kraft to relax rather than spend all his time working, suggesting a music festival after a weekend of filming new inventions 26.

Skills

Sales and Channel Management

David handles the business side of Kraft's inventions and manages the Clever Hands Channel after Kraft supplies the products.

• Edits and operates the channel's uploads 3.
• Promotes and sells Kraft's inventions to other students and online customers 1 2.
• Negotiates custom orders for large products before Kraft begins production 3.
• Appears on camera to demonstrate the Go-for-broke Treadmill and Diet Fitness Fridge Lock 3.
• Films material for channel videos with his handheld camera 25 26 27.
• Evaluates products' sales appeal, noting that the solar-powered flashlight and shoe-shaped razor attract few buyers despite being entertaining inventions 26.
• Assists Kraft during product launches, including at the Dream Toy Company exhibition 30.

Networking

As the young master of Fu Man Lou, David has access to local connections and uses them to increase the reach of Kraft's products 2.

His family's restaurant background also makes him a source of advice when Kraft plans to buy kitchenware for Aunt May's birthday 8.

Equipment / Items

• Handheld camera — Used to record content for the Clever Hands Channel and at public events 25 27.
• Basic gaming AI — Kraft agrees to create him a simplified version of Haro intended primarily to help with games; it lacks Haro's advanced capabilities 17. Its planned main use is helping David cheat at games 17.
• Solar-powered skateboard — Received from Kraft, but rarely uses it because of his physique 27. He rides it home once and subsequently leaves it gathering dust 27.

Relationships

• Kraft Lee — Best friend and business partner. David sells and promotes Kraft's inventions, while Kraft supplies the products; their friendship survives frequent bickering, demands, and dangerous incidents 1 2 5 15 16. Kraft grants David automatic clearance in his workshop's surveillance system, disabling its defenses when he approaches 15. David encourages him to take breaks from laboratory work, but is frequently frustrated by his lack of interest in dating 26 35.
• Alice Lee — David is immediately infatuated with Alice and repeatedly asks Kraft to build him a robot maid. After learning that Alice is sentient, he is forced to confront Kraft's view of her as family rather than property 15 16 17 26. He learns that she is a robot during the studio attack, before the later discussion of Kraft's responsibilities toward her 16 26. After becoming more familiar with her, he begins calling her “sister,” though his attraction and envy persist 26 27.
• Martin Lee — Kraft's adoptive father, who arranges for Kraft to eat at Fu Man Lou while away and indirectly supports David's continued partnership with Kraft 8.
• Quinn and Bea — David discovers that Kraft's dog and cat can speak, which causes him considerable shock 26.
• Parents — Fu Man Lou's owners. They confiscate David's magazine collection after his mother discovers it during spring cleaning, then agree to let him redeem it at its original purchase price 1.
• May Parker — David knows her as “Aunt May” and greets her politely when he and Kraft deliver treadmill sets to the FEAST Homeless Shelter 4.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Clever Hands Partnership

David recruits himself as Kraft's sales partner after recognizing the commercial value of Kraft's mechanism locks and gadgets. He later urges Kraft to produce the Go-for-broke Treadmill Set and helps turn its demonstration video into a viral upload 1 2 3.

He also serves as the on-camera test subject for the treadmill and refrigerator lock, leaving Kraft free to concentrate on inventing while he handles editing and account management 3.

Viral Fame and Channel Crisis

After Tony Stark comments on the treadmill video, David shares in the sudden attention surrounding Kraft's work. When Kraft considers abandoning the Clever Hands Channel because of the unwanted publicity and orders, David dramatically convinces him to continue supplying videos and inventions 3 5.

During this period, David accompanies Kraft to deliver Martin's ordered treadmill sets to FEAST, where they meet Aunt May 4.

Studio Attack

David visits Kraft's studio shortly before armed gangsters arrive, inadvertently being used to lead them there. He tries to protect Alice but panics once Kraft's automated defenses, Haro, and Alice's riot shield engage the intruders 16.

After the attackers are subdued, David admires Haro and learns that Alice is a robot. He then requests a girl robot of his own. Kraft refuses, but agrees to make a simplified gaming Haro instead, which quickly distracts David from his demand for a robot maid 16 17.

Alice's Secret

David discovers Alice's robotic nature and the talking abilities of Quinn and Bea. He envies Kraft's relationship with Alice and calls her a “robot maid,” but Kraft firmly corrects him: Alice is his sister, and Kraft considers himself responsible for her well-being 26.

His arrival was arranged for an overnight visit to film new Clever Hands Channel material, but he interrupts Alice's body upgrade and initially misinterprets what he sees 25 26. After Kraft explains the situation, the two spend the weekend filming practical gadgets and producing additional stock for David to sell. David then suggests attending a music festival to help Kraft unwind 26.

Music Festival and Exhibition

David joins Kraft and Alice at a music festival, where a shooting forces them to take cover. He later assists at Dream Toy Company's exhibition and is found eating pancakes despite claiming to be dieting 27 28 30.

David and Kraft escape injury during the festival shooting, with Alice also helping protect them from the panicked crowd 28. At the exhibition, David readily agrees to assist with Kraft's stage presentation and reminds him who Felim Jones is when Kraft fails to recognize their former acquaintance 30.

School Life and Kraft's Popularity

When female classmates use Alice as a reason to approach Kraft, David explains that Kraft's position as Dream Toy Company's owner makes him attractive to them. He reacts with envy to this attention and frustration when Kraft declines their invitations in favor of spending more time in his laboratory 35.

Trivia

• David collects issues of Playboy featuring cover girls he personally approves of; his parents confiscated the collection and allowed him to buy it back at its original price 1.
• He has been dumped five times in one year, with a sixth breakup occurring on New Year's Day of the following year 26.
• Kraft regards David as reliable in business despite frequently being annoyed by him 3.
• Kraft tests his strength-enhancing wristbands by lifting David with one hand 7.
• The author describes David as a supporting character intended to highlight the protagonist, comparing his role to Ned alongside Spider-Man, Fatty Wang alongside Hu Bayi, and Zhu Bajie alongside Sun Wukong. The author also states that writing him is an exercise in developing distinct personalities and that his appearances will become less frequent once the main plot begins 29.

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