Chen Xi

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Chen Xi (陈曦)
Alias(es)	Teacher Chen; Assistant Chen
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Zhengfa University (formerly); Henglong Group
Occupation/Role	Former university counselor; Zhao Chen's private advisor and executive assistant; Henglong Board Director
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 27

Background / History

In Zhao Chen's previous life, Chen Xi was his right-hand aide at Henglong. She supported him through legal disputes, corporate work, and his eventual imprisonment, telling him that she would face the crisis with him. Zhao remembers that she ultimately fell into ruin alongside him. 27

Before becoming Zhao Chen's counselor at Zhengfa University, Chen Xi had undergone an unpleasant work experience. Su Wantang—her close friend and former Peking University junior—asked her to watch over Zhao Chen at school, fearing that he would be bullied or take the wrong path. Chen Xi accepted the promise. 28

She first confronts Zhao Chen over his prolonged class absences. Their guarded exchange gives way to trust once she explains Su Wantang's request and Zhao recognizes her importance from his previous life. 27 28

When Zhao Chen begins taking control of Henglong, Chen Xi resigns from the university to become his private advisor. She later establishes clear workplace boundaries, asking him to address her as “Assistant Chen” or “Chen Xi” rather than “Teacher Chen.” 39 42

Appearance

Chen Xi usually presents herself with restrained professionalism, but her off-duty appearance is softer and more relaxed. 70 150

• Often wears professional suits while representing Henglong. 150
• Wears glasses and frequently adjusts them while thinking or speaking. 39 42
• Has long hair; she is seen wearing it loose in private and tied into a ponytail at work. 70 342
• Wore an off-white knit sweater during an informal tea-house meeting with Zhao Chen. 70

Personality

Chen Xi is disciplined, direct, and highly protective of professional boundaries. Upon joining Henglong, she immediately separates her former identity as Zhao Chen's counselor from her new role as his assistant, prioritizing hierarchy and efficiency over familiarity. 42

She is observant and politically astute. Chen Xi reads hidden motives in financial reports, boardroom behavior, public opinion, and the personal incentives that shape corporate loyalty. Her analysis of Song Zhongping identifies both his professional frustrations under Lin Wanqing and his practical need for stability before retirement. 59 158

Despite her composure, Chen Xi is emotionally perceptive and caring. She notices Zhao Chen's exhaustion, looks after him during business trips, and considers Su Wantang's need for purpose and emotional security. 59 154 244

Chen Xi values independence and refuses to abandon her career to meet her former boyfriend's expectations of becoming a full-time homemaker. After their conflict ends in a breakup, she remains content with her independence. 71 252

Abilities & Skills

Executive Coordination and Intelligence Gathering

Chen Xi serves as Zhao Chen's central operational coordinator, turning broad instructions into monitored tasks, reports, and execution plans.

• Established financial-monitoring channels and prepared communication priorities for suppliers and banks during Henglong's early crisis. 42
• Tracks public sentiment, market movements, internal finance, and hostile factions within Henglong. 44 52 83
• Investigated Lin Wanqing's links to Lu Shen using multiple channels and expensive information-gathering methods. 224
• Conducted detailed research into Haoyu Construction's assets, liabilities, projects, personnel, suppliers, and partners. 260 263

Investment Execution

Zhao Chen entrusts Chen Xi with the practical execution of his most sensitive personal investment operations.

• Managed Bitcoin swing trading and built tiered buy-sell plans to control market impact. 56 68
• Received independent decision-making and execution authority over Zhao Chen's offshore investments, including crypto assets, U.S. stocks, and other securities. 66
• Executed a sell-off that recovered approximately US$117.2 million for Henglong's rights-issue funding and related capital needs. 139
• Managed 490,000 Bitcoin distributed across eight accounts as the group prepared for its planned exit point. 316
• Calculated positions and contributed analysis for Zhao Chen's planned long-term holdings in Nvidia, Tesla, and Apple. 324 325

Corporate Strategy and Political Analysis

Chen Xi combines data analysis with a strong understanding of institutional incentives.

• Identified Lin Wanqing's attempt to manufacture debt panic and force Henglong into distressed asset sales or equity dilution. 59
• Proposed using debt cleanup, standardized systems, and a stock issuance to rebuild market confidence and deny Lin Wanqing a chance to exploit the crisis. 59
• Devised a two-step approach to recruit Song Zhongping: personal respect first, followed by job security and improved compensation. 158
• Prepared reports on Henglong's underperforming assets and categorized them by their type of inefficiency. 251
• Performed due diligence and preliminary analysis for Henglong's planned investment in Yunnan Agriculture Group. 331 333 334

Public Representation and Media Operations

Chen Xi is trusted to manage Zhao Chen's public-facing affairs when he needs to remain focused on strategic work.

• Represented Zhao Chen at Chamber of Commerce, banking, and supplier events during the Spring Festival period. 91
• Helped execute the media strategy that elevated Chen Hao's public image as part of Zhao Chen's longer-term plan against him. 64
• Coordinated Zhao Chen's return to Zhengfa University for his speech and handled communication with university leadership. 150
• Assisted Shen Zhiyi with media-response training to protect her privacy amid public scrutiny. 148

Relationships

• Zhao Chen — Formerly his counselor and, in his previous life, his right-hand aide; she becomes his private advisor, executive assistant, investment operator, and later a Board Director. Chen Xi develops feelings for him but chooses to preserve her professional role. 27 39 66 155 203
• Su Wantang — Close friend and former Peking University junior. Su Wantang asked Chen Xi to protect Zhao Chen at university; Chen Xi later recommends Su become Zhao Chen's personal assistant and confides in her about her feelings for him. 28 59 71 155
• Zhang Qingxue — Trusted professional colleague and fellow member of Zhao Chen's core team. They collaborate on legal, financial, investment, and corporate-governance matters, later joining the Board together. 68 83 155 203
• Unnamed former boyfriend — An investment-banking professional whose expectation that Chen Xi leave work and become a homemaker conflicts with her desire for career and self-determination; they eventually break up. 67 71 252
• Song Zhongping — A Henglong executive whose motives and likely defection Chen Xi analyzes in detail, helping Zhao Chen formulate a plan to win him over. 158
• Chen Wei — Corporate colleague during Henglong's acquisition and restructuring of Haoyu Construction; Chen Xi helps investigate Haoyu's underlying assets, risks, and operational value. 260 263

Story Role / Major Arcs

Zhengfa University Counselor

• Summons Zhao Chen over his attendance record, initially acting as a stern counselor enforcing academic accountability. 27
• Reveals that Su Wantang had asked her to protect Zhao Chen and helps him find a practical solution to his absences through medical leave documentation. 28

Joining Zhao Chen's Core Team

• Resigns from Zhengfa University and attends Henglong's temporary board meeting as Zhao Chen's private advisor. 39
• Becomes Zhao Chen's executive assistant, monitoring finance, coordinating with banks and suppliers, and recording the behavior of Henglong's directors. 42 44
• Assumes responsibility for Zhao Chen's Bitcoin operations and confidential offshore investment structure. 50 56 66

Henglong's Internal Power Struggle

• Helps expose Lin Wanqing's debt-based pressure tactics and supports the strategy to eliminate off-balance-sheet guarantees. 59 83
• Represents Zhao Chen at outside social functions while he delegates more routine engagements to the team. 91
• Presents one of the two competing plans for Henglong's financing crisis alongside Zhang Qingxue. 100
• Tracks Lin Wanqing's capital movements and helps Zhao Chen assess the consequences of the rights issue. 155
• Records the executive meeting in which Song Zhongping openly supports Zhao Chen's compliance audit. 160

Board Director and Expansion Strategist

• Is appointed to Henglong's new Board of Directors after the short-squeeze crisis is resolved. 203
• Investigates the Jiahe–Lin Wanqing connection during Henglong Property's sale process. 224 225
• Supports Zhao Chen's Eagle Group strategy by researching the company, contacting executives, and convincingly performing anxiety during the banquet deception aimed at Lu Shen. 238 239 245
• Prepares asset-disposal materials, monitors Yunnan Agriculture's IPO process, and leads due diligence for Henglong's investment in the company. 251 278 333 334
• Remains Zhao Chen's key market operator through the Bitcoin liquidation and subsequent U.S.-stock positioning plans. 316 317 324

Notable Quotes

“I like working. I like solving problems. I like the feeling of building something from nothing.” 71

“I don't want my value to be defined only as ‘so-and-so's wife’ or ‘so-and-so's mother’—at least not right now.” 71