Liu Shishi

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Liu Shishi (刘诗施)
Alias(es)	Sister Shishi; Shi Shi; Young Master Shi; “Xianyu Si”
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Tangren actress; intends to join Zhang Yang's Chenhai Entertainment after her Tangren contract ends 98 119
Occupation/Role	Actress; Tangren's Top Sister 8 87
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 5

Background

Liu Shishi joined Tangren after Zhang Yang, making him technically her senior brother within the company. By the events surrounding Xuan Yuan Sword: Scar of Heaven, she is Tangren's undisputed Top Sister, whose presence alone makes Cai Yinong more cautious in negotiations 8 87.

Rather than accept the female lead, she chooses the second female lead, Dugu Ningke. She wants to challenge herself with a villainous character of greater individuality after repeatedly being cast as obedient or lively girls, while also respecting Tang Yan's wish to play Tuoba Yu'er 8 9.

She and Zhang Yang later found Xianyu Gate, an informal partnership built around their shared preference for a relaxed approach to fame, work, and competition 11.

Dugu Ningke's Dreams

While working on Xuan Yuan Sword: Scar of Heaven, Liu Shishi dreams of living as Dugu Ningke, the Western Demon General. In the dream, she experiences Ningke's life, love, and marriage with Yuwen Tuo, portrayed by Zhang Yang 67.

The experience profoundly affects her feelings toward Zhang Yang. She later recognizes that her unusual trust and reliance on him resemble Ningke's faith in Yuwen Tuo, though she initially tries to separate those emotions from reality 91 93. Learning calligraphy from Zhang Yang further intensifies her sense that the dreams may have been more than dreams 92.

Personality

Liu Shishi is quiet around unfamiliar people but playful and talkative with those she trusts. She teases Zhang Yang and Hu Ge freely, while maintaining a composed public demeanor 8 10.

She values meaningful roles as much as popularity. Although she initially wanted fame when she debuted, she later decides that being remembered for a good role and leaving something behind matters more than simply becoming popular 11.

Despite her laid-back reputation, she is decisive about her career and increasingly assertive in her personal life. She dislikes intrigue and industry socializing, prefers straightforward support over scheming, and becomes openly competitive when Liu Yifei or other actresses challenge her position with Zhang Yang 98 244 270.

She rejects comparisons to Liu Yifei and wants recognition as Liu Shishi in her own right, rather than as “Little Liu Yifei” 119 290.

Career

Project / Milestone	Role / Result	Notes
Xuan Yuan Sword: Scar of Heaven	Dugu Ningke	Chose the second female lead specifically to portray a distinctive villain; signed with Tangren alongside Zhang Yang 9. Her performance opposite Zhang Yang as Yuwen Tuo earns Director Li Guoli's approval 66.
Scarlet Heart	Lead actress	The drama becomes a major success and elevates her to A-list status 85 87.
Cold War	Offered an important role	Jiang Zhiqiang offers her a role through Zhang Yang, though Cai Yinong questions whether Liu Shishi is suited to the senior Hong Kong official role initially discussed 102 103.
Mango TV New Year's Eve Gala	Performs “Little Luck” with Zhang Yang	Their duet becomes one of the gala's most anticipated performances and fuels public discussion of their relationship 244.
She's Strange	Cameo as Liu Lijun's granddaughter	Her appearance lets her jokingly embrace the “Little Liu Yifei” comparison within the film itself 317.
Monster Hunt	Female lead	Zhang Yang's influence secures her the lead role, strengthening her confidence and ambition 364.
Huabiao Awards	Best Actress	Wins Best Actress and publicly declares her love for Zhang Yang during her acceptance speech 409 410.

Acting

Character Range and Immersion

Liu Shishi deliberately seeks roles that challenge her established image.

• Chose Dugu Ningke to move beyond her usual “obedient girl” and “lively girl” roles 8.
• Successfully performs emotionally complex scenes with Zhang Yang as Dugu Ningke and Yuwen Tuo 66.
• Wants to use dream-based character experience to strengthen her understanding of Lu Zhen for Female Prime Minister 101.
• Gains confidence from Zhang Yang's guidance and from observing senior actors while filming 1942 172.

Dance and Physical Training

Liu Shishi maintains her physical conditioning and takes pride in improving her dance ability, fitness, and chess skills 98 270.

• Shows Zhang Yang her toned arms and abdominal strength after improving her training routine 270.
• Practices yoga with Liu Yifei during their period of uneasy reconciliation 291.

Relationships

• Zhang Yang — Senior brother at Tangren, co-founder of Xianyu Gate, acting partner, and boyfriend. Their bond shifts after Liu Shishi's Dugu Ningke dreams; she later identifies herself publicly as his girlfriend and declares her love onstage after winning Best Actress 11 93 245 409.
• Cai Yinong — President of Tangren and Liu Shishi's manager. Cai values Liu Shishi as the company's Top Sister, though Liu Shishi does not always follow Cai's preferred career plans 8 97.
• Liu Yifei — Career peer, romantic rival, and eventual uneasy ally. Their conflict escalates when they discover that both are involved with Zhang Yang, but they continue to compete while maintaining a complicated friendship 245 291 364.
• Yang Mi — Former close friend whose use of agency connections to take The Happiness of Angels strains their relationship. Liu Shishi later turns to Yang Mi for advice during her conflict with Liu Yifei 91 245.
• Nazha — Fellow Tangren actress and rival for Zhang Yang's affection. The two remain outwardly cordial while aware of each other's relationship with him 79 184.
• Tang Yan — Fellow Xuan Yuan Sword: Scar of Heaven cast member. Liu Shishi chooses Dugu Ningke partly to leave Tang Yan the role of Tuoba Yu'er 8.

Story Role and Major Arcs

*Xuan Yuan Sword: Scar of Heaven*

Liu Shishi's decision to play Dugu Ningke establishes her as an actress willing to prioritize artistic range over a more conventionally advantageous leading role. Her dream experiences as Ningke become the foundation of her unusually intense connection with Zhang Yang 8 67.

Rise to A-List Status

The success of Scarlet Heart makes Liu Shishi an A-list actress. As her standing grows, she receives more major opportunities, including an invitation from Mingdao Studio and a potential role in Cold War 85 88 102.

Zhang Yang and Chenhai Entertainment

Liu Shishi strongly supports Zhang Yang's plans to establish Chenhai Entertainment. She helps convince Cai Yinong to consider Female Prime Minister and agrees to join Zhang Yang after her Tangren contract expires 97 98 119.

Rivalry with Liu Yifei

Liu Shishi's rivalry with Liu Yifei centers on both career comparison and their shared relationship with Zhang Yang. After their mutual deception is exposed, Liu Shishi initially insists on her status as Zhang Yang's girlfriend, then struggles to reconcile that certainty with the reality of his other relationships 245 247.

Their competition becomes increasingly public through performances, social-media attention, mutual taunts, and competing claims over songs and projects. Even so, they are capable of cooperating and supporting each other when needed 244 270 291.

Public Declaration

At the Huabiao Awards, Liu Shishi wins Best Actress and uses her acceptance speech to credit Zhang Yang's impact on her career and openly confess her love for him. The declaration causes widespread online uproar and prompts Liu Yifei to make a similar confession during her own speech 409 410.

Notable Quotes

“I think being recognized for a role and becoming popular are equally important to me.” 11

“Now, after experiencing more, I feel that popularity isn’t that important. Instead, playing a good role and leaving something behind in this world feels pretty good.” 11

Trivia

• Liu Shishi's birthday is March 9, which she celebrates through a fan meeting attended by Zhang Yang in disguise 268 269.
• Her “Xianyu Si” nickname reflects her genuinely relaxed, low-conflict outlook on fame and competition 11.
• She strongly dislikes the “Little Liu Yifei” label created through Tangren's past publicity strategy 119 290.