Cen Muxiao

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Cen Muxiao (岑牧霄)
Alias(es)	Muxiao; Brother Xiao; President Cen / CEO Cen; Third Master Cen 1 104 215
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Cen Family; Cen Group
Occupation/Role	President of Cen Group; head of the Cen family 3 187 268
Status	Alive 342 358
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Cen Muxiao initially kept a low profile within the Cen family. His ability emerged when an early proposal drew Old Master Cen's attention; he was subsequently named a key candidate for development, entered Cen Group's core team, and competed with Cen Muhui for influence. His ideas helped the company break through business bottlenecks. 42

Before taking power, he pursued Song Anning. When Song left overseas to study acting, Cen Muxiao suppressed his feelings and let him go; Song did not contact him for three years. 3 During that period, Cen Muxiao turned Cen Group around from a precarious position. Within three years, the company became a leading domestic enterprise and expanded into overseas markets under his leadership. 3

His marriage alliance was originally arranged with Guo Lanxi, but Cen Muxiao insisted that the partner be changed to her younger brother, Guo Lantai. He initially framed the decision as asserting control over his own marriage, while also leaving himself room to pursue Song Anning; later, he acknowledged that Guo Lantai alone was enough for him. 60 104

Appearance

Cen Muxiao is a tall, imposing man with a stern presence that readily intimidates others. He maintains a rigorously athletic lifestyle and is noted for his muscular build. 21 34 154

• Sharp brows and a cold, direct gaze. 141 215
• Muscular arms, often displayed while exercising. 34
• Seen in a white athletic tank top and black pants after training, with sweat-damp hair. 34
• Usually wears immaculate, high-end silk loungewear and tailored business suits. 155 157

Personality

Cen Muxiao begins the story as cold, restrained, and intensely status-conscious. He expects obedience from those around him, maintains strict control over his household and company, and reacts harshly to anyone he considers a threat. 1 7 42 He is also highly private despite his influence, preferring not to turn his public appearances into spectacles. 215

His treatment of Guo Lantai gradually changes from distance and suspicion to overt devotion. He becomes jealous, possessive, and sometimes clumsy in his attempts at romance, using gifts, constant attention, and practical support to express feelings he initially struggles to verbalize. 74 100 156 162

When Guo Lantai is endangered, Cen Muxiao is decisive and ruthless. He mobilizes company resources, security personnel, medical care, and personal influence without hesitation; against Cen Muyun and other conspirators, he is willing to orchestrate severe retaliation. 235 254 263 273

Abilities & Skills

Corporate Leadership

Cen Muxiao rebuilt Cen Group into a top-tier enterprise and retains final authority over major personnel and business decisions. 3 187

• Identifies weaknesses and hidden risks in major projects. 30
• Formulates proposals that help Cen Group overcome bottlenecks. 42
• Uses corporate resources to support Guo Group after its overseas project accident. 30
• Can suspend executives and control disputed company shares. 258 283

Strategy and Investigation

Cen Muxiao is methodical when confronting threats, preferring to secure evidence and isolate opponents before acting. 243 251

• Ordered investigations into rumors, project sabotage, Song Anning, and Cen Muyun's financial connections. 30 42 212 243
• Had Qian Xiangbei interrogate Song Anning while he returned to Guo Lantai's side. 238
• Manipulated Cen Muyun and Wang Lianming into turning on one another. 263
• Anticipated that Cen Muyun had help evading capture and expanded the search accordingly. 251

Combat and Physicality

Cen Muxiao is physically capable, trains regularly, and does not hesitate to use force in a confrontation. 154 193

• Kicked open a private-room door while intervening in a conflict. 21
• Pursued Cen Muyun through the villa courtyard in a Rolls-Royce and deliberately rammed his car. 63
• Subdued threats around Guo Lantai and ordered security to remove intruders. 193 289
• Personally left the hospital while injured to confront Cen Muyun and Wang Lianming. 262

Motorcycle Racing

Before focusing fully on Cen Group, Cen Muxiao was one of the Frontier Motorcycle Club's top racers and Lu Yunhan's evenly matched rival. 73

• Narrowly escaped a serious crash during a race after redirecting into a buffer zone. 73
• Rebuilt the damaged motorcycle at great expense and keeps it as a private collectible. 73
• Requisitioned a police motorcycle and raced to reach Guo Lantai during the kidnapping pursuit. 254 257

Equipment / Items

• Rolls-Royce — Cen Muxiao personally drove it during his confrontation with Cen Muyun. 63
• Rebuilt racing motorcycle — A former competition bike damaged in a crash; he had it restored and keeps it in his garage. 73
• Jinglan Pavilion — His private box at Jinglan Club. 215
• Prepared wardrobe for Guo Lantai — New clothes, pajamas, underwear, socks, shoes, and belts selected in Guo Lantai's size and preferred style. 156
• Disguised phone bomb — Used in his final retaliation against Qi Yingtai. 342
• Gifts for the Guo family — A hundred-year-old ginseng root for Guo Huaiyuan and a Kingfisher Peony Headdress for Lan Yèzi. 127

Relationships

• Guo Lantai — Marriage-alliance partner and the person Cen Muxiao ultimately devotes himself to. His feelings shift from cold detachment to an open confession, persistent pursuit, and extreme protectiveness. 5 100 254 342
• Song Anning — Former lover and Cen Muxiao's former “white moonlight.” Cen Muxiao initially prioritizes him, but later expels him from the villa, disowns their friendship, and treats him as an enemy after learning of his schemes. 3 14 110 123
• Lu Yunhan — Former motorcycle-racing rival and Guo Lantai's childhood sweetheart. Their longstanding rivalry becomes more heated due to their shared concern for Guo Lantai. 73 74 133
• Cen Muyun — Rival family member who repeatedly attempts to undermine Cen Muxiao and targets Guo Lantai. Cen Muxiao ultimately captures and severely punishes him. 42 63 262 273
• Wu Tong — Cen Muxiao's secretary and trusted subordinate, responsible for reporting intelligence, arranging investigations, and carrying out orders. 30 212 243
• Cen Mingyi — His father. Though concerned about Cen Muxiao's safety and business responsibilities, he supports him against the consequences of Cen Muyun's actions. 258 259
• Cen Weifeng — His grandfather. He grants Cen Muxiao broad authority on the condition that he continues leading Cen Group to greater success. 268 283
• Guo Huaiyuan and Lan Yèzi — Guo Lantai's parents. Cen Muxiao attempts to gain their approval by addressing them as Uncle and Auntie and bringing formal gifts. 127
• Qian Xiangbei — A friend entrusted with interrogating Song Anning; he is surprised by the change in Cen Muxiao's feelings toward Guo Lantai. 216 238
• Song Mingchen — A business ally and cousin-in-law who values Cen Muxiao's past support for Song Group and Jinglan Club. 234

Story Role / Major Arcs

Marriage Alliance and Song Anning's Return

At the beginning of the story, Cen Muxiao treats Guo Lantai as a wife in name only and remains emotionally focused on Song Anning after his return. He confines Guo Lantai during the wedding banquet while personally taking Song to the hospital, then later addresses Guo as “Mr. Guo” to emphasize his outsider status. 5 14

Shift Toward Guo Lantai

Cen Muxiao's concern for Guo Lantai increasingly surfaces through practical actions: checking on his whereabouts, arranging protection, defending him against Cen Muyun, and refusing to interfere with Guo Lantai's music career against his wishes. 30 63 89

After confessing and being rejected, Cen Muxiao resolves to change himself and continue pursuing Guo Lantai. 100 He breaks completely with Song Anning after recognizing Song's calculated hostility toward Guo Lantai. 110 123

Pursuit and Reconciliation Efforts

Cen Muxiao pursues Guo Lantai openly through gifts, redecorating his room, driving him to and from Big River Entertainment, and attempting to win over the Guo family. 127 156 162 His methods are often overly possessive, but he gradually learns to account for Guo Lantai's preferences, such as ending the rose deliveries after learning they were unwanted. 182

He continues pursuing Guo Lantai even when treated as a “lackey,” while using Wu Tong to handle threats against Guo Lantai's entertainment career. 292

Conflict with Song Anning and Cen Muyun

After Song Anning drugs Guo Lantai and installs hidden cameras at Jinglan Club, Cen Muxiao launches a full investigation and has Song interrogated. 235 238 He follows the evidence to Cen Muyun, who had secretly supported Song Anning and participated in the plot against him. 243

When Guo Lantai is targeted in a vehicle pursuit, Cen Muxiao commandeers a police motorcycle to reach him. He is injured during the wider conflict but continues handling the aftermath, suspending Cen Muyun's family faction and confronting the conspirators personally. 254 258 262

Cen Muxiao ultimately strips Cen Muyun of his ability to compete for the family head position and intends to have him imprisoned, while Cen Muyun's parents are sent abroad and removed from the family's center of power. 273 282

Qi Yingtai and the Soul-Transmigration Crisis

When Qi Yingtai attempts to impose the supposed original story pairing of Cen Muxiao and Song Anning, Cen Muxiao rejects the claim and insists that Guo Lantai is the person he chooses. 340 341 He kills Qi Yingtai through a planned explosion in retaliation for Guo Lantai's suffering. 342

After Guo Lantai's condition worsens during Cen Muxiao's absence, Cen Muxiao returns with specialists and begins to consider that two souls may be struggling within Guo Lantai's body. 358 He ultimately recognizes and remains devoted to the Guo Lantai he loves rather than mistaking another soul for him. 369

Notable Quotes

“I, Cen Muxiao, will never swallow a silent loss!”
— Cen Muxiao 30

“That is, in the Imperial Capital... I... am the one who controls other people's fates. And you... are nothing!”
— Cen Muxiao to Qi Yingtai 341

“If only one of him and Lantai can live, then I can only send him on his way.”
— Cen Muxiao, referring to Song Anning 340

Trivia

• Cen Muxiao once used matching Mickey-themed loungewear with Guo Lantai. 157
• He keeps premium goji berries in his thermos and maintains a strict exercise routine. 154
• He promised Tang Xu a custom gaming phone after Tang Xu's original phone was smashed. 65
• Despite Jinglan Club treating him as its highest-status guest, Cen Muxiao explicitly dislikes extravagant receptions. 215