Chu Ran

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Chu Ran (楚然)
Gender	Male
Age	Appears to be in his twenties when introduced 14
Affiliation	Chu Corporation; apprentice of Master Tang Yun 8 16
Occupation/Role	Company founder, businessman, artist’s apprentice, and guest on Back to the ’80s 14 16 60
Original-Novel Role	Protagonist top of I Love You More Than Him; Zheng Ye’s eventual business enemy 3 14
Status	Alive at his last documented appearance; hospitalized after developing severe leg pain, with examinations reported as normal 84 87
First Appearance	Mentioned in Ning Shile’s thoughts 3; appears in person at the antique market 14

Background / History

Early Life and Financial Crisis

Chu Ran founded his own company shortly after turning eighteen. His father’s gambling and his mother’s obsession with maintaining appearances undermined his career, leaving the business close to bankruptcy. Desperate for funding, he attempted to sell the upper scroll of the Five Scenes Painting, a work given to him by his mentor, Tang Yun 14.

Despite the painting’s authenticity, buyers at the Imperial Capital Antique Market dismissed it as a counterfeit. One man grabbed Chu Ran by the collar and tried to force his asking price down from 800,000 yuan to 8,000 yuan. Chu Ran refused, even under physical intimidation 14.

Fate in the Original Novel

According to Ning Shile’s recollection, Chu Ran was supposed to be ambushed on his way home from selling the painting. His attackers would steal it and break his legs, leaving him permanently dependent on a wheelchair. His funding would collapse, his mother would die by suicide, and his father would spend his days drinking. These losses would make Chu Ran increasingly extreme, with Su Jinyu eventually becoming his emotional refuge 14.

His original rise to power came at the Zheng family’s expense. The Blue Ocean Project earned him Bai Hai’s support, while Su Jinyu later obtained a secretary position at Zheng Corporation and passed Zheng Ye’s work to him. Chu Corporation defeated Zheng Corporation in the Apocalypse Project, helping reshape the Imperial Capital’s business hierarchy 8 21.

Ning Shile later witnesses a vision of the original ending: Chu Ran brutally attacks Zheng Ye in an isolated cabin, declares that he is repaying his suffering twofold, and leaves with Su Jinyu while Zheng lies dying. This is presented as a vision of the original plot, not an attack committed by the present-day Chu Ran 65.

Appearance

Chu Ran is tall and broad-framed, with sharp features that make him look fierce when unsmiling. His smile noticeably softens that impression 21 54.

• Eyes: Ink-dark, single-lidded eyes beneath thick lashes 14 21 28.
• Face: High nose bridge and slightly thin, well-defined lips 21.
• Bearing: Commanding despite his youth; often appears cold or unapproachable 14 69.

Personality

Chu Ran is proud, guarded, and sensitive about his family’s failures. He initially suspects Ning Shile of investigating him for a rival after hearing thoughts about his private circumstances. However, Ning’s sincere encouragement quickly eases his hostility, and Chu Ran actively searches for him afterward to express his gratitude 14 21.

His attraction to Ning develops into a competitive, possessive attachment. He interprets his ability to hear Ning’s thoughts as evidence that they are destined partners, and Zheng Ye’s attentiveness intensifies his jealousy. During the drinking game, he deliberately challenges Zheng’s objections and pressures Ning not to withdraw 21 22 54.

Chu Ran also shows quieter forms of care: covering Tao Wan after she is assaulted, taking over dangerous kitchen work for Ning, and concealing debilitating pain to keep Ning from worrying. His frequent insults and childish arguments with Bai Qiongyu contrast with this protective side 29 68 74 84.

Abilities & Skills

Hearing Ning Shile’s Thoughts

Chu Ran can hear Ning Shile’s unspoken inner commentary, first demonstrated during their antique-market encounter 14.

• Recognizes Ning’s mental voice and follows it to find him in Zheng Corporation’s lobby 21.
• Learns about predicted business developments, hidden scandals, and his assigned role in the original novel 21 28.
• Initially believes he is the only person with this ability; later realizes Bai Qiongyu can hear Ning as well 22 84.
• Treats the ability as possible proof of a destined romantic bond, although that interpretation is his own assumption 21 54.

Business Management

Chu Ran established a company at eighteen and continued seeking major partnerships despite his financial crisis 14 21.

• Visits Zheng Corporation to discuss cooperation on the Blue Ocean Project 21.
• In the original plot, the project becomes his first major success and secures Bai Hai’s patronage 21.
• His original counterpart builds a commercial empire by absorbing businesses and overtaking Zheng Corporation 3 8.

Painting

Chu Ran is Tang Yun’s apprentice and helped create the two-part Five Scenes Painting during a discussion with his mentor 16.

• The upper scroll he possesses is described as the part that best captures the work’s spirit 16.
• He values the painting personally and offers to repurchase it for three times Ning’s purchase price 22.

Cooking and Fish Preparation

Having cooked for himself since childhood, Chu Ran is practiced at handling a wok and preparing ingredients 73.

• Thoroughly cleans the group’s fish before bringing them into the kitchen 73.
• Cooks stir-fried green peppers and eggs using Ning’s sauce 73.
• Takes over scoring fish to prevent Ning from cutting himself 74.
• Asks Ning for his honey-sauce recipe so he can study it 74.

Tactical Preparation

Chu Ran helps prepare Ning Shile for Bai Hai’s attempted drugging 59.

• Explains how to counter the drug and what symptoms to expect 59.
• Supports preserving the drug as evidence and joins the coordinated confrontation against Bai Hai 59.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Five Scenes Painting — upper scroll: An authentic joint work by Tang Yun and Chu Ran. Ning buys it for five million yuan during Chu Ran’s financial crisis, agrees to sell it back at the same price, and returns it after the wedding visit 14 16 22 37.
• Business card: A simple white card with black lettering bearing his name. It leads Ning to recognize him and is later shown to Zheng Ye at Ning Grandfather’s banquet 14 16.
• Car: Used to collect Ning for the Bai family wedding and later drive him home 28 37.
• Necktie: Used as a blindfold while feeding Ning wine during the party game 54.

Relationships

• Ning Shile — Benefactor, friend, and romantic interest. Ning’s purchase relieves his financial crisis, while the warning to use main roads saves him from the anticipated alley attack. Chu Ran comes to regard Ning as his destined partner, although Ning initially sees him as a potential powerful backer 14 21 22 54.
• Zheng Ye — Romantic rival in the altered storyline and business enemy in the original novel. Their present rivalry centers on Ning’s attention, but they cooperate against Bai Hai 8 22 28 59.
• Tang Yun — Mentor and co-creator of the Five Scenes Painting. Chu Ran’s attachment to their work drives his effort to recover it 14 16 22.
• Bai Qiongyu — Fellow guest, frequent sparring partner, and ally. Their teasing gives way to trust when Bai witnesses Chu Ran’s collapse and the two recognize their shared ability to hear Ning’s thoughts 60 68 84.
• Su Jinyu — His romantic counterpart in the original novel, but not an established lover in the altered storyline. Chu Ran is confused by Ning’s expectation that he will pursue Su; Su later states that falling for Chu Ran would contradict his own personality 3 51 87.
• Bai Hai — Patron in the original plot and an opponent in the altered storyline. Chu Ran joins Ning and the others in publicly exposing his crimes 21 59.
• Tao Wan — Wedding guest whom he assists after the bridesmaid assault, covering her with his jacket and gently helping her stand 29.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arc	Chu Ran’s involvement
Antique-market intervention	Ning buys his painting and warns him away from back streets, interrupting the chain of events that originally left him disabled 14 21.
Reunion and romantic rivalry	Finds Ning at Zheng Corporation, invites him to lunch, and clashes with Zheng Ye through competing gestures of care. Exchanges contact details with Ning while arranging to recover the painting 21 22.
Bai family wedding	Invites Ning to attend, reluctantly transports Zheng Ye as well, and comforts Tao Wan after the assault. Later drives Ning home and receives the painting 27 28 29 37.
Haicheng birthday party	Rejects Ning’s assumed romance with Su Jinyu in favor of his own belief that Ning is his destined partner. Uses the drinking game to hold Ning and feed him wine while blindfolded 51 54.
Bai Hai’s exposure	Helps prepare Ning for the drugging attempt and participates in the five-person operation that exposes Bai Hai through a livestream 59.
Back to the ’80s	Joins the rural-life show, bickers through an unsuccessful fishing session, and proves useful in the kitchen. His gentler treatment of Ning prompts viewers to discuss their chemistry 60 68 73 74.
Possible world correction	Develops severe pain deep in his leg bones, runs to reassure Ning, then collapses out of sight. He and Bai discover their shared thought-hearing ability; both are later hospitalized alongside Zheng Ye before the world-restart announcement 84 87.