Cao Guangyu

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Cao Guangyu (曹广宇)
Alias(es)	Young Master Cao; Lao Cao; Ordinary Young Master Cao
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Linchuan University, Financial Class 3; Dormitory 302; Qian Zhuo
Occupation/Role	Entrepreneur; owner and host of Qian Zhuo; former controversial forum Big V
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 30

Background / History

Cao Guangyu enrolls at Linchuan University as Jiang Qin’s roommate in Dormitory 302, alongside Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao. From the beginning, he presents himself as a wealthy young master: he wears branded clothing, boasts that his father owns a company, and eagerly seeks opportunities to impress classmates. However, Jiang Qin’s appearance and effortless manner repeatedly make Cao feel overshadowed. 30 31

He is sensitive about his height—stated to be no more than 1.72 meters—and insists on receiving a size-180 military-training uniform when girls are nearby. During training, he quickly gives up under the heat, undergoes circumcision to obtain leave, and later regrets missing chances to interact with female classmates. 31 40 64

Before dating Ding Xue, Cao admits that he has never had a girlfriend and once held feelings for Hong Yan. He later becomes fixated on the unresponsive forum user “Beautiful Weiwei,” repeatedly messaging her despite Jiang Qin’s warnings. 36 60

Although his classmates initially treat his rich-second-generation claims as exaggerations, his background is genuine. His family lives in a Hangcheng villa, uses a chauffeured stretched Lincoln, and operates a transportation business. 341 342

Appearance

Cao Guangyu is a comparatively short young man, at most 1.72 meters tall, who places great importance on looking affluent and impressive. 31

• Frequently wears full branded outfits and carefully styled formalwear. 30 341 377
• Often uses sunglasses, suits, and exaggerated poses to cultivate a “young master” image. 341
• His attempts at appearing imposing are regularly undercut by Jiang Qin and his roommates. 377 503

Personality

Cao is flamboyant, proud, and intensely fond of showing off. He particularly values being recognized as a genuine rich second generation, making his peers’ disbelief more frustrating than the wealth itself. Even when he tries to act modest, his body language—especially his puffed-out chest—gives away his delight at receiving attention. 95 341 641

He is highly competitive with Jiang Qin but remains a loyal friend. Jiang Qin’s achievements repeatedly leave him jealous, envious, or speechless; nevertheless, Cao continues to support him, spend time with him, and take pride in their shared history. 207 363 471 711

Despite his vanity, Cao can be sincere and kind. When asked to use his forum influence to help an elderly woman on South Street, he agrees even though it might harm his online image. That post changes his reputation from a controversial Big V into a charitable one. 108 135

Forum Persona

Cao becomes a prominent but controversial forum user through extravagant posts about his supposed rich-second-generation life and romances with school belles. Many details are fictionalized or borrowed from Jiang Qin’s experiences, though Cao uses his real name because he believes showing off requires “immersion.” 50 95 106

His posts draw persistent ridicule, led by the troll “Three Characters.” After he publishes a post supporting the South Street fruit-selling elderly woman, his detractors begin to view him more favorably. 108 135

• Writes series such as My Five School Belle Girlfriends, Entangled School Belle Ex-Girlfriend, and Two School Belles Fight Over Me in the Street. 95 378
• Is briefly ranked first in the Campus Hunk Competition through his traffic as a funny Big V. 599
• Later turns his and Jiang Qin’s college stories into a live storytelling attraction at Qian Zhuo. 711

Relationships

• Jiang Qin — Roommate, close friend, and constant rival. Cao envies Jiang Qin’s success and repeatedly gets outdone in their contests of wealth, romance, and status, but their shared college history becomes central to Cao’s business. 30 341 711
• Ding Xue — Former troll and later Cao’s girlfriend and wife. She initially led online criticism against him as “Three Characters,” but their in-person meeting develops into an affectionate relationship. 135 391 758
• Cao Ba — Father and transportation-business owner. Cao Ba is strict with Cao Guangyu and later pushes him to learn business after being impressed by Jiang Qin’s abilities. 342 516
• Ren Ziqiang — Dormitory roommate and friend who frequently punctures Cao’s attempts at self-aggrandizement. 31 88 641
• Zhou Chao — Dormitory roommate and friend. Zhou often recognizes Jiang Qin’s schemes before Cao does and tries to warn him. 207 711
• Feng Nanshu — Jiang Qin’s partner and a subject of Cao’s storytelling. Cao uses her presence to embarrass Ding Xue’s hostile roommates and later recounts her first meeting with Jiang Qin at Qian Zhuo. 160 711

Business Career

Venture / Development	Chapter	Notes
Initial entrepreneurial capital	660	Cao Ba gives Cao Guangyu 2 million yuan to gain practical business experience, accepting that he may lose it.
Qian Zhuo	660	Opens a profitable youth-oriented venue combining a bar, pool hall, lounge, restaurant, and internet cafe.
Expansion plans	661 674	Plans to take over the neighboring storefront and opens an internet cafe, choosing to stay in Linchuan during Spring Festival to oversee it.
Storytelling program	711	Uses stories about himself and Jiang Qin’s university years as a recurring Qian Zhuo attraction, drawing customers after competing venues copy its model.
Wedding	758	Marries Ding Xue; Jiang Qin attends the wedding.

Cao’s business approach is straightforward: he listens to suggestions from customers, classmates, employees, and partners, then adapts the venue accordingly. His success surprises both Ding Xue and his parents, who had expected the venture to be a difficult learning experience rather than immediately profitable. 660 661

At Qian Zhuo, Cao eventually realizes that his most effective competitive advantage is his connection to Jiang Qin. He markets their shared past through photos, live anecdotes, and stories of Jiang Qin’s early entrepreneurship and relationship with Feng Nanshu. 711

Trivia

• Cao once insisted that Rolex watches were for nouveau riche and claimed to prefer Patek Philippe, only for Jiang Qin to later use an actual Patek Philippe to silence him. 50 377
• He buys “Rich Second Generation” certificates from shops near the pedestrian street and keeps a stack of them in his cabinet. 574
• He was briefly willing to enter the Campus Hunk Competition but was upset when his popularity did not secure him the top position. 599
• Jiang Qin’s public thanks at Qian Zhuo’s year-end party is enough to make Cao bask in the attention, even though Jiang Qin uses it to obtain a meal for his team. 666