Gu Yu

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Gu Yu (顾钰)
Alias(es)	Yu Gu (used in black-market dealings) 23
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Chaoyang Production Brigade; Half-Mountain Courtyard; Zhong Ning's Salvage Station network
Occupation/Role	Sent-down educated youth; business partner; investigator of the Gu Household's downfall
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Gu Yu is a member of the Gu Household, a formerly powerful and wealthy Capital City family. After the family was framed and branded “class enemies,” its members were scattered to different regions. Gu Yu was sent down to Red Flag Commune, where his background made him a target for discrimination and abuse. His father, Gu Zecheng, was sent to the Northwest; his aunt Gu Lingwei married a high-ranking official; and his younger uncle Gu Jun fled abroad. 1 17

Before meeting Shen Jianan, Gu Yu endured severe mistreatment at the Cattle Shed and once considered death. Cheng Hu aided him after finding him injured, sharing food, helping him avoid villagers, and teaching him to hunt, make traps, use simple bows, and identify edible mountain plants. Gu Yu subsequently used these skills to support himself and several elderly people confined at the Cattle Shed. 3 15

Gu Yu regularly saves food, gathers wild vegetables and fruit, fetches water and firewood, and secretly hunts to help the Cattle Shed residents survive. Their care for him becomes a major source of emotional support, and he treats them with the respect of family. 3 15 35

In the original novel's projected plot, Zhao Jianguo frames Gu Yu for murdering Shen Jianan after Gu Yu carries the unconscious youth home. Because of Gu Yu's family background and his poor reputation in the commune, he is convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison despite his aunt's intervention. Shen Jianan's transmigration prevents this outcome. 1

Gu Yu later concludes that Jiang Jianhua and Luo Tianming orchestrated the Gu Household's downfall, possibly with Gu Lingwei's involvement or deliberate silence. He begins investigating through his younger uncle's lover and other trusted intermediaries, intending to identify the conspirators and retaliate with evidence. 17 38 42

Appearance

Gu Yu is a tall, fair-skinned young man with long legs, a cold and aloof bearing, and the appearance of a noble young master despite his circumstances. 27

• Tall and physically strong from agricultural and mountain work. 16
• Fair-skinned without appearing feminine. 27
• Often wears a cold or stern expression around people he distrusts. 1 11
• Uses a hooded mask and dark clothing to conceal his identity during black-market dealings. 22 23

Personality

Gu Yu is outwardly restrained, calm, and polite, but he is deeply protective of those he considers his own. He initially avoids unnecessary conflict and keeps a low profile because of his political status, yet he becomes decisive and ruthless when Shen Jianan, the Cattle Shed residents, or the Gu Household are threatened. 4 28 35

He is compassionate toward vulnerable people, particularly Cheng Hu's family and the elderly at the Cattle Shed. His gratitude to Cheng Hu shapes his willingness to offer the family work and protect them without allowing sentiment to override business standards. 3 14 15

Gu Yu is shrewd, patient, and highly security-conscious. He conceals his identity, insists on verifiable information before acting, and uses intermediaries to investigate enemies. He also expects loyalty from his partners and makes clear that betrayal will not be tolerated. 23 34 38

His feelings for Shen Jianan grow from concern and trust into love. He becomes openly attentive in private—waiting for him, caring for his daily needs, defending him from threats, and resolving to become strong enough before fully pursuing their relationship. 12 16 35 42 45

Abilities & Skills

Jade Space

Gu Yu possesses a jade space, a supernatural storage and transportation ability revealed after he obtains it around Chapter 19. 19

• Stores goods discreetly, including supplies, game, pigment slurry, and other materials. 19 25 49
• Allows instantaneous travel between locations by entering and exiting the space. 24 28 38
• Living beings can remain inside for a maximum of three hours. 19
• Lets him change clothing and conceal his identity before meetings or investigations. 38
• Uses the space to ambush and kill Liu San, then dispose of the body in the neighboring town's deep forest. 49

Investigation and Strategy

Gu Yu investigates the conspiracy against his family while constructing a network capable of gathering evidence and countering hostile forces. 17 34 38

• Contacts his younger uncle's lover through Old Master Lu's trusted correspondence route. 17
• Commissions Zhong Ning to investigate Zhao Qiancheng, Zhao Manjiang, and Qin Guangtao, requiring that all evidence be true. 34
• Uses information from intercepted conversations to expose Zhao Jianguo and Jiang Hongmei's scheme. 28
• Secretly engineers the exposure of Zheng Lei and Huang Qimei after overhearing their plan to target him. 39
• Plants red pigment in his enemies' bucket to ensure their attempted vandalism creates serious consequences. 49

Business and Negotiation

Having grown up around business matters, Gu Yu understands contracts, risk management, and negotiation. 21

• Sells one jin of gold bars for 6,750 yuan after fees. 23
• Negotiates a partnership with Zhong Ning: Gu Yu supplies goods, Zhong Ning provides capital, and Gu Yu receives a 70–30 split on the first deal and 60–40 afterward. 23
• Uses the alias “Yu Gu” to keep his identity hidden from black-market associates. 23
• Promises Zhong Ning legitimate business opportunities and aims to move the Salvage Station group out of illegal work. 38
• Drafts contracts for Chaoyang Production Brigade's clothing and bag production. 21

Mountain Survival

Gu Yu learned wilderness skills from Cheng Hu while surviving persecution after being sent down. 15

• Hunts rabbits, pheasants, and other game to supplement household food. 3 25 42
• Makes traps and simple bows and arrows. 15
• Identifies edible wild vegetables, mushrooms, fruit, and medicinal herbs. 3 15
• Uses mountain routes and the jade space to travel without attracting attention. 24 38

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Jade space — Stores goods and enables teleportation; living creatures are limited to three hours inside. 19
• Gold bars and jade pendants — Found with Shen Jianan in a collapsed mountain hut; Gu Yu later sells gold to finance his business plans. 14 23
• Hooded mask and dark clothing — Used to conceal his appearance and identity in the black market. 22 23 38
• Kitchen knife — Carried when entering the Salvage Station for his first black-market meeting. 23
• Hunting tools — Used for mountain hunting and gathering. 42

Relationships

• Shen Jianan — Partner, confidant, and love interest. Gu Yu carries him home during their first encounter, later works with him to change their fates, build businesses, and resist their enemies. 1 6 19 45
• Cheng Hu — Benefactor and trusted friend. Cheng Hu saved Gu Yu during his most difficult period and taught him essential survival skills; Gu Yu later recommends him for work and supports his family. 14 15
• Cattle Shed elders — Gu Yu's surrogate elders and dependents. He regularly brings them food, water, fuel, and mountain produce in repayment for their past help. 3 15 35
• Zhong Ning — Black-market business partner. Gu Yu supplies goods and later offers Zhong Ning legitimate ventures in exchange for competence and loyalty. 23 38
• Gu Jun — Younger uncle and Gu Yu's principal family support. Gu Jun publicly intended to leave his property to Gu Yu and is a key target of the conspiracy against the Gu Household. 17 43
• Gu Lingwei — Aunt. Her possible complicity or silence regarding the Gu Household's downfall is among Gu Yu's central investigative concerns. 17
• Jiang Hongmei — Formerly associated with Gu Yu through a claimed engagement that the Gu family never acknowledged. Gu Yu rejects her attempts to control him and later treats her as an enemy. 1 8 49
• Zhao Jianguo — Major adversary who frames Gu Yu in the original plot and later schemes to exploit him through forced marriage arrangements. 1 28 30
• Luo Tianming — Enemy connected to the Gu Household's downfall and attempts to use Jiang Hongmei to ruin Gu Yu and force Gu Jun to reveal himself. 17 43 49

Story Role / Major Arcs

Avoiding the Original Fate

Gu Yu begins as the wrongly persecuted second male lead of the original novel. Shen Jianan's intervention prevents Zhao Jianguo from framing him for murder and imprisonment, allowing Gu Yu to pursue a different future. 1 6

Half-Mountain Courtyard and the Cattle Shed

Living with Shen Jianan at Half-Mountain Courtyard, Gu Yu gradually reveals his concern for the Cattle Shed elders, Cheng Hu's family, and Shen Jianan. The pair work together in the fields, repair storm damage, and begin making bags and clothing. 2 3 14 16

Building a Business Network

After gaining the jade space, Gu Yu uses gold bars and concealed supply routes to establish a partnership with Zhong Ning. His resources support Shen Jianan's designs, the brigade's manufacturing efforts, and a larger commercial network. 19 23 25 38

Counterattacks Against Local Enemies

Gu Yu repeatedly turns schemes back on Zhao Jianguo, Jiang Hongmei, Zheng Lei, Huang Qimei, and the Zhao family. He exposes their misconduct, commissions investigations into their crimes, and orchestrates situations that bring their wrongdoing to public attention. 28 34 39 49

Investigation of the Gu Household

Gu Yu gathers evidence against Jiang Jianhua, Luo Tianming, and potentially Gu Lingwei, seeking the truth behind the destruction of his family. When Luo Tianming sends Liu San to contact Jiang Hongmei and target him, Gu Yu kills the agent and sends evidence to Jiang Heng to begin striking back. 17 38 42 49

Trivia

• Gu Yu is identified as the “top” in the novel's dual male-lead pairing with Shen Jianan. 1
• Before meeting Shen Jianan, Gu Yu rarely smiled at anyone else. 8
• He once faked a severe illness, including foaming at the mouth, while conducting undisclosed preparations connected to the Cattle Shed and his plans. 8
• He is notably possessive of Shen Jianan's attention, including becoming jealous over bags Shen Jianan makes for other young people. 16