Xie Chen

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xie Chen (谢忱)
Alias(es)	“Miracle Doctor Xie”; “freakish dark horse”; “vaulting monkey” 1 4 36
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Former adopted son of the Xie Family; guest on Transform, Freaks!
Occupation/Role	Entertainer; legal consultant; former overseas law lecturer; traditional bone-setting practitioner
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Xie Chen was an orphan adopted by the Xie Family after their biological son, Xie Ran, was abducted. The adoption was publicly promoted as charity, but the family treated Xie Chen as a replacement rather than a loved child. He was neglected from childhood and expected to manage household work, including cooking, cleaning, and caring for the family’s daily needs. 1 2 27

After Xie Ran returned, the family prioritized him absolutely. Xie Ran redirected resentment over his abduction toward Xie Chen, repeatedly framing and excluding him, while the Xie Family diverted Xie Chen’s entertainment resources to Xie Ran and used company influence and paid trolls to suppress his career. 1 3

In his previous life, Xie Chen was falsely accused of pushing Xie Ran down the stairs. Xie Zhenting had his leg broken, ending his career opportunities; later, the family imprisoned and drugged him in an attempt to force a kidney donation to Xie Ran. 1 4

After completing every stage of a quick-transmigration system with all-A ratings, Xie Chen returned to the point of the stairway accusation. He immediately rejected the family’s demands, severed ties with them, and used his foreknowledge of Transform, Freaks! to rebuild his career and retaliate against those who harmed him. 1 7 12

Appearance

Xie Chen is a strikingly handsome young man with highly distinctive bone structure, dazzling eyes, and a lean but powerful physique. His appearance helped him rise rapidly after debuting, though his physical capability is often underestimated because of his slender build. 3 10 39

• Exquisitely smooth collarbones and damp, dark hair after bathing. 3
• Lean, visibly defined physique despite appearing slim in clothing. 39
• Long legs, speed, and agility notable enough for viewers to nickname him a “vaulting monkey.” 36
• Usually carries himself with a lazy, arrogant, or openly provocative demeanor. 6 15

Personality

Xie Chen was formerly obedient, withdrawn, and unwilling to defend himself even under public abuse. Following his rebirth, he abandons that restraint completely. He is sharp-tongued, confrontational, competitive, and entirely willing to appear villainous if it serves his goals. 5 7 17

His cruelty is selective. He repays kindness sincerely—especially toward the Bright Village chief, who fed him when he was hungry—but returns hostility in full to the Xie Family and those who exploit others. 26

Despite his abrasive manner, Xie Chen is practical, observant, and capable of leading others through action. His refusal to waste food, seed, labor, or opportunity gradually changes the other guests’ opinion of him. 22 38 49

Abilities & Skills

Rebirth Memories and Strategic Foresight

Xie Chen retains memories from his previous life, including a livestream of the variety show he missed while hospitalized. His exceptional memory allows him to recall the show’s tasks, participants, buyers, and future dangers in detail. 12 17

• Finds hidden breakfast vouchers by exploiting prior knowledge of the task. 12 14
• Identifies the best rice buyer and secures exclusive agency rights before the other guests arrive. 17
• Knows Biaozi’s actions would eventually lead to the village chief’s death and intervenes to change that outcome. 24
• Uses knowledge of the show’s future popularity to commit to joining despite its poor initial reputation. 1 7

Legal Expertise

Xie Chen deliberately concealed his academic ability while living with the Xie Family. He controlled his grades to appear average, yet became a provincial top scorer when necessary and earned an overseas study position despite appearing academically weak. 43

• Previously served as the youngest lecturer of classic case studies at an elite overseas institution. 43
• Was on track to become a senior partner at a Wall Street firm before returning to China for the Xie Family. 43
• Offers legal consultation at a rate of one million per hour and accepts the Xie Group’s request without revealing his identity. 41 47
• Confidently challenges the Xie Family to authenticate leaked evidence and welcomes their threat of litigation. 43

Combat and Physical Ability

Xie Chen gained combat experience during quick-transmigration missions, including a life as a world-class boxer. He combines speed, controlled strikes, and psychological pressure rather than relying only on brute force. 21

• Dodges Xie Jinran’s punch and knocks him down with a precise kick. 21
• Intimidates Biaozi and his armed associates into retreating during their first confrontation. 25
• Defeats eight hoe-wielding villagers while remaining unharmed. 41
• Uses his agility to evade multiple angry guests during the gong-waking task. 36

Agricultural Knowledge

During one quick-transmigration mission, Xie Chen worked as an agricultural professor and managed experimental fields. This experience gives him practical knowledge of plowing, seed depth, fertilizer fermentation, and rural labor. 21 23

• Rapidly plows his assigned field and produces work praised as better than that of experienced local farmers. 22 23
• Explains the correct planting depth for spring wheat and works carefully to avoid wasting seed. 38
• Detects incompletely fermented fertilizer by testing it with an earthworm, preventing the other guests from ruining their plots. 49
• Leads the other guests through farm tasks, earning the saying, “Following Xie Chen means meat on the table.” 22

Traditional Bone-Setting

Xie Chen possesses traditional Chinese bone-setting knowledge and successfully treats the Bright Village chief’s severe lumbar injury. His technique is publicly defended by the chief’s medical records and a respected veteran TCM doctor. 34

• Uses leverage and manipulation techniques to relieve the chief’s back injury. 34
• Receives public professional validation after viewers question the treatment’s safety. 34
• Is addressed as “Miracle Doctor Xie” because of his earlier controversial medical remarks about Huo Wenye. 1

Cooking and Food Knowledge

Xie Chen is an accomplished cook who learned extensively across quick-transmigration worlds. He is especially skilled in Sichuan, Cantonese, and Northeastern cuisine, and is unusually passionate about food due to childhood hunger and experiences in an apocalypse world. 26 28 38

• Personally tends the Bright Village chief’s free-range chicken stew. 28 44
• His cooking earns praise from Li Jingfei, Wei Mingqi, Luo Mingyu, and the villagers. 28 44
• Encourages others not to waste food, even when Luo Mingyu is disgusted by lamb offal soup. 37
• Uses food as both motivation and leverage in group tasks. 22 44

Public Speaking

Xie Chen develops “Xiao Xie Talks,” a talk-show-style performance focused on issues affecting rural residents. His discussion of villagers left behind and local criminal activity emotionally moves the audience. 28 29

• Wins the villagers’ approval when other modern performances fail to connect with them. 28 29
• Promises continued attention to Bright Village’s conflict with criminal forces. 29
• Uses the livestream to make village issues visible beyond the variety show. 29

Equipment / Items

• Black card — Produced when the Xie Family attempted to pressure his company into blacklisting him; Xie Chen initially intended to use his savings to replace withdrawn investment. 2 3
• Bronze gong and hammer — Borrowed from the village chief to wake every guest in exchange for breakfast. 36
• Pear knife — Carried while working around the fields and stove. 23

Relationships

• Huo Wenye — Best Actor, investor, and observer of Transform, Freaks!. Huo invests in the show, repeatedly protects Xie Chen from the Xie Family, suppresses negative coverage against him, and shows increasingly explicit personal interest; Xie Chen is wary but visibly flustered by him. 3 9 34 35 47
• Lu Fei — Xie Chen’s manager, classmate, and loyal friend. Lu Fei knows his hidden academic and legal background, supports his career, and helps expose the Xie Family’s wrongdoing. 2 3 43 47
• Xie Ran — Xie Chen’s adoptive younger brother and principal rival. Xie Ran repeatedly frames him, exploits victimhood, envies his abilities, and attempts to damage his relationship with Huo Wenye. 1 6 35 50
• Xie Zhenting — Xie Chen’s adoptive eldest brother. He ordered thugs to break Xie Chen’s leg in the previous life and continues using corporate power, smear campaigns, and intimidation to control him. 1 3 38 45
• Xie Yuchen — Xie Chen’s adoptive brother who oversees the family’s entertainment operations. He pressures Xie Chen to protect Xie Ran, coordinates online attacks, and falsely presents himself as a legal expert. 7 11 34 47
• Xie Jinran — Xie Chen’s adoptive brother and Xie Ran’s fierce protector. He repeatedly attacks, humiliates, and belittles Xie Chen, but is regularly outmatched in public confrontations. 20 21 27 49
• Luo Mingyu — Fellow guest and wealthy celebrity. Initially hostile, he gradually respects Xie Chen’s independence, labor skills, and cooking, though their interactions remain sarcastic and food-motivated. 15 22 28 44
• Li Jingfei — Fellow guest and practical collaborator. She recognizes Xie Chen’s strength and competence, works with him during farm tasks, and later defends him against Xie Jinran. 10 22 49
• Bright Village chief — Villager who feeds Xie Chen on his first night and later receives Xie Chen’s protection, medical treatment, and help against Biaozi’s group. 12 24 26 34

Story Role / Major Arcs

Rebirth and Separation from the Xie Family

After returning to the past, Xie Chen refuses to apologize for Xie Ran’s staged fall, challenges Xie Zhenting, and declares that he is done serving the Xie Family. He later returns to the villa, retrieves his documents, and formally cuts ties with the family. 1 4

Joining *Transform, Freaks!*

Xie Chen accepts a role on the controversial rural variety show because he knows it will become a major success. Huo Wenye unexpectedly invests in the show, preventing the Xie Family from blocking Xie Chen’s opportunity. 1 3

Establishing the “Villain” Persona

On the show, Xie Chen stops defending himself against accusations and instead openly embraces the reputation of a vicious, freakish guest. His blunt rejection of Xie Ran’s attempts at reconciliation establishes their conflict as a central part of the livestream. 6 7 8

Rural Challenges and Group Leadership

Xie Chen uses prior knowledge and practical experience to dominate breakfast, rice-selling, plowing, and planting tasks. Although he initially monopolizes the rice market to win, the other guests eventually rely on him and begin following his lead. 17 22 23

Protecting Bright Village

Xie Chen intervenes in Bright Village’s conflict with Biaozi’s group to prevent the village chief’s future death. He later confronts the armed villagers again, helps expose their criminal intimidation, and earns police recognition as a righteous citizen. 24 25 41

Public Reversal and Exposure of the Xie Family

The Xie Family repeatedly hires trolls, suppresses posts, and attempts to blame Xie Chen for village unrest. Their efforts begin to collapse when evidence of the company’s transfer to Biaozi spreads online, and leaked screenshots expose their attempt to have Xie Chen’s leg broken. 34 38 43 45

Exploiting the Xie Group’s Legal Crisis

As the Xie Group faces legal consequences, Xie Chen accepts its high-priced request for legal consultation without revealing that he is the expert they are seeking. He treats the arrangement as both profit and revenge. 41 47

Notable Quotes

“The cuckoo has moved out of the magpie's nest. The Xie Family's bunch of bastards can be yours.” 3

“If you can do it, step up. If not, shut up.” 15

“Because I want to win, idiot!” 17

“I’m your dad!” 24

“You—you can’t eat me!” 44

Trivia

• His infamous claim that Huo Wenye had intestinal problems and weak kidneys became one of the year’s influential internet phrases. 1 4
• He has an exceptional memory and can remember details after seeing them once. 12
• His appetite and food obsession stem partly from childhood hunger in an underfunded orphanage. 38
• Viewers coined the nickname “vaulting monkey” after watching him evade the other guests while ringing a gong for breakfast. 36