Ye Zexi

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Ye Zexi (叶泽西)
Alias(es)	Xixi
Gender	Male
Age	20 at the time of his transmigration 2
Affiliation	Ye Family; Era Idol; The Famous General; Food Journal
Occupation/Role	Former Best Actor; idol survival-show contestant; singer; actor
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Ye Zexi was a successful actor in his original world. After his parents died in a car accident, they left him with extensive debts; he entered the entertainment industry as a trainee because it provided food, lodging, and an income. He trained relentlessly, repaid the debts, and reached the Best Actor award ceremony, only to die from overwork after going three days without sleep. 2 203

He awakens as the twenty-year-old Ye Zexi of a boys’ love novel: a wealthy villain fated to pursue Tang Jing, feud with the protagonist, compete with his stepbrother Ye Haoyan for the family fortune, and ultimately lose both his company and inheritance. Rather than follow that fate, he decides to preserve his shares, avoid conflict, and live comfortably as a rich heir. 2

His attempt to leave Era Idol ends when Ye Jianbin freezes his bank cards, leaving him with only 5,000 yuan. The show’s prize money and the possibility of restoring his financial support force him to stay; he sets a top-ten finish as his initial goal. 3

Appearance

Ye Zexi is tall and slender, with porcelain-pale skin, refined features, and an appearance that regularly draws attention from audiences, staff, and fellow performers. 1 17 55

• Eye-catching pink hair during Era Idol and his early acting career. 1 17
• Peach-blossom eyes and a distinctive tear mole beneath one eye. 2 35
• Often appears relaxed in simple casual clothing offstage, contrasting with his commanding stage presence. 17 35
• His Bvlgari campaign replaced his pink hair with long black hair and traditional robes, presenting him as an elegant, seductive ancient-style figure. 52 53

Personality

Ye Zexi openly values leisure, money, comfort, anime, and good food—especially dried fish. Having worked himself to death once, he initially treats withdrawing from entertainment and inheriting family wealth as his ideal future. 2 3 81

His apparent laziness is genuine but selective. He avoids leadership roles, center positions, and unnecessary work whenever possible, yet prepares thoroughly, attends group practices, and becomes intensely focused when a performance or colleague needs him. 14 18 35

He is blunt, playful, and theatrically confident. When confronted with gossip about his wealth, he responds by calmly revealing that his family owns the Era Idol facilities, then privately celebrates his own successful display of arrogance. 2 He is also considerate beneath his unserious exterior, repeatedly protecting Tang Jing, mentoring struggling colleagues, and declining excessive special treatment on set. 35 56 66

Abilities & Skills

Singing, Dance, and Stage Performance

Ye Zexi’s past-life experience gives him exceptional ability as an idol performer despite his initial reputation as a talentless rich heir.

• Learns songs and choreography far faster than his teammates; he memorizes all members’ parts and can sing an entire song flawlessly after minimal practice. 18 33
• Performs with enough charisma to dominate attention even when placed away from the center. 35
• Earns first place in Era Idol’s first public performance; the result is verified by the Oversight Bureau. 14
• Uses precise otaku-dance choreography—including the Butterfly Step and Oiran Step—in his elimination-round performance, winning the venue’s highest vote count and returning to first place. 23 24
• Performs a flawless backflip during a group stage and adapts instantly when Tang Jing forgets his solo choreography. 35

Acting

Ye Zexi possesses the acting foundation of his former life, though others initially mistake him for an inexperienced idol relying on his looks.

• Excels at nonverbal emotional acting; his first major scene as Azi moves from confused attraction to joy, longing, and despair without dialogue. 57
• Maintains his presence while acting opposite He Jinyun, an actor known for overwhelming many scene partners. 60
• Completes every setup of his Bvlgari commercial in a single take and films ten costume versions in one day. 52
• Receives industry recognition after The Famous General earns 250 million on its first day; Director Li Kai publicly praises his acting and expresses interest in working with him. 212
• Wins Best Newcomer and Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Bird Awards. 252

Acting Guidance

Ye Zexi understands acting as the ability to immerse an audience in a character’s experience.

• Explains scene work and emotional immersion to Tang Jing after his breakdown on The Famous General set. 66
• Helps Tang Jing improve enough for Director Chen Zhengtian to retain and use his scenes rather than reduce them. 67
• Becomes a patient, if occasionally reluctant, mentor figure to Tang Jing during filming. 66 74

Observation and Variety-Show Strategy

Ye Zexi is highly perceptive in competitive variety-show settings.

• Identifies Food Journal’s hidden missions from environmental clues and disguises task completion as casual sightseeing. 108
• Coordinates nearly wordlessly with He Jinyun, allowing them to complete multiple missions while their opponents miss obvious hints. 109
• Correctly deduces the werewolf’s identity from limited information during a game. 159

Story Role / Major Arcs

*Era Idol*

• Enters the program under the original Ye Zexi’s reputation as Tang Jing’s wealthy pursuer, then publicly apologizes to Tang Jing and asks viewers not to disturb him. 4 9
• Gains unexpected popularity through his performances, candid remarks, and the viral “rich second-generation food” meme. 15 17
• Takes first place in the first public performance, then deliberately selects low-ranked contestants—including hostile trainee Jiang Ran—for his next team. 14
• Gives up an advancement opportunity so Yu Yan can advance, then uses the losing-team elimination stage to deliver a celebrated dance performance and reclaim first place. 22 23 24
• Saves Tang Jing’s stage performance by catching him after a slip and performing his forgotten solo choreography for him to follow. 35
• Later gives up his debut opportunity despite being the program’s most popular contestant, prioritizing his own choices over the competition’s expected path. 44

Endorsement and Acting Debut

• Signs an endorsement with Bvlgari after Gao Shu aggressively negotiates a much higher fee than Ye expected. 29
• Films Bvlgari’s traditional-style campaign, whose red, white, and purple looks become major online trends. 52 53
• Accepts the role of Azi in He Jinyun’s directorial project The Famous General, despite repeatedly claiming he does not want an entertainment career. 49 54
• Proves himself to Director Chen Zhengtian through a difficult last-minute silent scene rather than the simpler planned introduction. 56 57
• Continues acting after the success of The Famous General, eventually agreeing to star in He Jinyun’s next film because he trusts him and wants to remain by his side. 203

Relationship with He Jinyun

• Initially rejects He Jinyun’s acting offers and views him as an obstacle to his planned retirement. 10 11
• Develops a close working partnership with him through Era Idol, The Famous General, and Food Journal. 36 108 109
• Gradually recognizes his own jealousy, attachment, and romantic feelings toward He Jinyun. 160 162
• Receives He Jinyun’s direct confession: “I like you, Xixi.” 190
• Is confirmed to be dating He Jinyun; their relationship later becomes public knowledge. 201 223

Relationships

• He Jinyun — Mentor, collaborator, director, and eventually boyfriend. He Jinyun first approaches Ye over his performance potential, later casts him as Azi, supports him publicly and privately, and becomes his partner. 10 57 190 201 223
• Tang Jing — Former target of the original Ye Zexi’s pursuit; later friend, teammate, and acting student. Ye Zexi rejects Tang Jing’s confession but continues to value their friendship. 4 35 66 142
• Jiang Ran — Began as a hostile gossiping rival. After being placed on Ye Zexi’s team, he comes to recognize Ye Zexi’s ability and later becomes part of his friend group. 1 14 18 96
• Gao Shu — Manager and former assistant to Ye Jianbin. Initially wary of Ye Zexi’s reputation, he becomes a fiercely supportive manager after witnessing his changed behavior and professional potential. 28 29
• Ye Jianbin — Father. Their relationship begins strained, especially after Ye Jianbin freezes Ye Zexi’s cards, but gradually develops into indirect support and paternal pride. 3 17 238
• Yan Man — Aunt and a warm family presence. She comes to trust the changed Ye Zexi, supports his relationship with He Jinyun, and often expresses affection through food. 218 224 238
• Ye Haoyan — Stepbrother and the original Ye Zexi’s intended rival for the family fortune. Ye Zexi abandons that rivalry after transmigrating. 2 50

Notable Quotes

“Sorry, but with money, you really can do whatever you want.” 2

“To go home and inherit the family fortune.” 1

“I'm back!” 24