Biodata
| Feature | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Zhao Yu (赵宇) |
| Alias(es) | Old Zhao 9 10 |
| Gender | Male |
| Affiliation | Works for a former associate of his father after his release from juvenile detention 9 |
| Occupation/Role | Li Xiaotian's childhood friend; pursues a business-based revenge campaign against Zhang You 9 |
| Status | Active 9 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 9 |
Background / History
During junior high school, Zhao Yu repeatedly protected the smaller, frequently bullied Li Xiaotian. Their friendship became especially close after Zhao Yu injured an older student while defending him; the other student's influential family sought Zhao Yu's expulsion, prompting Zhao Yu's father to move the family to another city. 10
Zhao Yu's father expanded his building-materials business after the move, but a wealthy local rival, Zhang You, repeatedly suppressed the business. Zhao Yu's father ultimately went bankrupt and died by suicide; Zhao Yu's mother died not long afterward. 9
As a teenager, Zhao Yu attempted to kill Zhang You but only wounded one of Zhang's bodyguards. Although initially expected to serve less than a year in juvenile detention, Zhang You's influence kept him imprisoned from age fifteen to eighteen. A former friend of Zhao Yu's father helped look after him, and Zhao Yu worked for that man after his release. 9
While detained, Zhao Yu studied books and law, moving away from his earlier impulsiveness. He later returned to Li Xiaotian's city, where Zhang You's family had relocated their building-materials operation and opened City Mood Bar as part of an expansion into entertainment. 9
Appearance
Zhao Yu is a burly man whose formerly roguish good looks have been replaced by a hardened, weathered appearance. At his reunion with Li Xiaotian, he appears to have a long scar on one cheek and a shorter scar on the other. 9
- The apparent facial scars are removable prosthetics used as part of a disguise. 9
- The makeup was obtained through the family of a criminal acquaintance Zhao Yu met in detention. 9
- His physical build and darkened, toughened appearance contrast with the boy Li Xiaotian remembered. 9 10
Personality
Zhao Yu is fiercely loyal and protective. His defense of Li Xiaotian in school, even at serious personal cost, established the “life-and-death friendship” between them. 10
The deaths of his parents leave him focused on vengeance against Zhang You, but he insists on defeating Zhang through business rather than murder. His time in detention made him more deliberate: he studies, prepares extensively, and refuses to involve Li Xiaotian in illegal actions. 9
Despite his grim circumstances, Zhao Yu retains an easy, teasing manner with Li Xiaotian, greeting him warmly and joking about his knowledge of his friend's return. 9
Methods & Resources
Disguise and Infiltration
Zhao Yu conceals his identity with realistic false scars and makeup, allowing him to enter City Mood Bar—owned by Zhang You's family—without expecting recognition. 9
- Uses prosthetic facial scars supplied through a criminal contact's family. 9
- Claims to have investigated the bar well enough to know Zhang You's regular people are not present there. 9
- Chooses the bar as a meeting point for an unnamed person he describes as a benefactor. 9
Business Retaliation
Zhao Yu intends to make Zhang You “pay” through legitimate commercial competition rather than physical violence. 9
- Studied law while imprisoned to prepare for a more calculated campaign. 9
- Tracks Zhang You's family's relocation, building-materials interests, and expansion into entertainment. 9
- Seeks Li Xiaotian's assistance only on the condition that it remains lawful. 9
Relationships
- Li Xiaotian — Childhood friend whom Zhao Yu protected from bullies in junior high school; Zhao Yu reunites with him after more than a decade and may seek his help in his campaign against Zhang You. 9 10
- Zhao Yu's father — A building-materials businessman whose conflict with Zhang You led to bankruptcy and death. 9
- Zhao Yu's mother — Died shortly after Zhao Yu's father. 9
- Zhang You — The wealthy rival Zhao Yu holds responsible for his parents' ruin; Zhao Yu's principal target for revenge. 9
- Father's former friend — Helped protect Zhao Yu during detention and later employed him after his release. 9
- Unnamed benefactor — A woman Zhao Yu arranges to meet at City Mood Bar; their exact connection is not disclosed. 9
Story Role / Major Arcs
Reunion with Li Xiaotian
Zhao Yu contacts Li Xiaotian after years apart and arranges a meeting at City Mood Bar. Their reunion reveals both the depth of their old friendship and the hardships Zhao Yu endured after leaving the city. 9 10
Vow Against Zhang You
At the bar, Zhao Yu recounts his parents' deaths, his failed teenage attack on Zhang You, and his imprisonment. He declares that his revenge will be pursued through business and law rather than another violent attempt. 9
Notable Quotes
“I do want revenge, but I'm going to take him down head-on through business.” 9
“I'm not that impulsive anymore. I'm an adult now. I'll make him suffer properly!” 9