Zhang Xiu'e

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhang Xiu'e (张秀娥)
Alias(es)	Sis E; Sister Ezi; Sis Xiu'e 3 5 8
Gender	Female 3
Age	Approximately 25–26, as estimated by Chen Yuan 3
Height	Over 5 feet 7 inches 3
Hometown	Potou Village 3 9
Residence	Deep City; arranges a one-bedroom apartment near her new workplace after leaving her shared rental 36 38
Affiliation	Formerly Xingda Labor Agency, also called Xingda Labor Services; subsequently joins an unnamed company 13 17 36 39
Occupation/Role	Employment agent; Chen Yuan’s guide during his move to Deep City 7 9
Status	Alive; employed again after her wrongful detention 31 36 49
First Appearance	Chapter 3, “You useless thing” 3

Background / History

Zhang Xiu'e grew up next door to Chen Yuan in Potou Village. Her mother helped Chen Dehou and the infant Chen Yuan during their journey north, treating Yuan when he became ill and helping them purchase their village home. After her mother died in an accident, Xiu'e was largely left on her own before joining her father in Deep City for work 4.

As children, Chen Yuan regularly followed her to the river and fields, earning the description of her “little shadow.” Xiu'e later spent seven or eight years in Deep City and seldom returned home. By the time she reunites with Yuan, she has worked at Xingda Labor Services for two and a half years 3 5 17.

Appearance

Zhang Xiu'e is described as tall and model-like, with fair skin, a curvaceous figure, and a slender waist 3.

• Face: Bright eyes and red lips; Chen Yuan describes her complexion as jade-like in the moonlight 5.
• Distinguishing mark: A tiny mole on her collarbone 10.
• Clothing: Introduced in a floral dress and strappy sandals; later wears white T-shirts, blue flared trousers, and a fitted black dress for the client dinner 3 7 18.
• Accessories: Red-painted toenails and small earrings 3 18.
• Fragrance: Chen Yuan repeatedly notices her pleasant, unfamiliar scent 3 8 18.

Personality

Xiu'e is affectionate and openly teasing with Chen Yuan. She recalls carrying him as a child, jokes about his blushing, and directly asks whether he has a crush on her. Her familiarity includes pinching his cheek and ruffling his hair, while her practical care includes meals, accommodation, and help finding work 3 5 6 9 14.

She insists on earning money honestly and rejects Wang Dahai’s offer of promotion and profit-sharing in exchange for becoming his mistress. However, her dependence on her salary makes it difficult to refuse his work demands, leading her to accept a client dinner despite distrusting his promises 16 17 18.

Her protectiveness extends beyond people whose behavior she approves of: she refuses to stand aside while Zhou Min faces sexual assault. That tolerance has limits, however. When Zhou admits arranging Chen Yuan’s intimidation, Xiu'e holds her responsible and refuses to preserve their living arrangement at his expense 11 38.

Abilities & Skills

Employment Placement

Xiu'e earns placement fees by finding jobs for workers arriving in Deep City 9.

• Handles opportunities in factories, logistics, security, and cleaning 9.
• Advises Chen Yuan about wages, working conditions, and jobs that include meals and lodging 3 5 14.
• Waives his placement fee and takes him to Xingda to register 9 13.

City Knowledge and Practical Support

Her years in Deep City make her an experienced guide for Chen Yuan’s first move away from home 3 7.

• Organizes their train tickets and accompanies him on the ten-hour journey 7 8.
• Helps him buy his first phone, obtain a SIM card, and manage his limited savings 14.
• Secures a new job through a former coworker and finds affordable housing near the workplace 36.

Resourcefulness and Self-Defense

During the Shangri-La incident, Xiu'e uses deception to create an opportunity to resist her captors 21.

• Pretends to agree to their demands, attaching conditions to buy time 21.
• Requests a shower, then strikes Li Yan with a heavy ashtray and locks herself in the bathroom 21.
• Has no documented martial-arts training; intoxication leaves her unable to overpower the group restraining her 20 21.

Cooking

Xiu'e prepares meals for Chen Yuan both in Potou Village and Deep City 5 36.

• Her village dinner includes pork with peppers, tomatoes and eggs, and cucumber salad 5.
• Later cooks ribs and seaweed-and-egg soup to celebrate their new employment and help him recover from the recent ordeal 36.

Equipment / Items

• Electric scooter — Used for travel in the village and Deep City, frequently with Chen Yuan riding behind her 3 13.
• Smartphone — Used for work calls and messages to Chen Yuan. Li Yan confiscates it during the client dinner, cutting off her planned call for help 9 19 49.
• Heavy ashtray — An improvised weapon used against Li Yan while escaping the attempted assault 21.

Relationships

• Chen Yuan — Childhood neighbor whom she treats as a younger brother and close friend. She brings him to Deep City, shelters him, and helps him settle in; he repeatedly protects her. His attraction is explicit, but their romantic status remains unresolved in the supplied chapters 5 9 18 22 42 45 49.
• Chen Dehou — Trusted elder and Chen Yuan’s adoptive grandfather. She invites him to dinner, respects the sacrifice behind his savings, and feels accountable to him for Yuan’s safety 3 14 38.
• Her mother — Deceased parent whose assistance helped Chen Dehou and Chen Yuan establish their home in Potou Village 4.
• Her father — Xiu'e joins him in Deep City for work after her mother’s death 4.
• Zhou Min — Coworker and roommate of roughly two years. Xiu'e initially protects her from Zhao Lei, but breaks with her after discovering she arranged for men to intimidate Chen Yuan 9 11 38.
• Wang Dahai — Former manager who sexually harasses her, threatens her livelihood, and helps arrange the attempted assault. She refuses his plea to intercede when he is detained 13 17 20 31.
• Li Yan — Former colleague whom Xiu'e says she once treated like a sister and lived with for two years. Li helps isolate and restrain her at Shangri-La, then participates in framing her 19 20 29 31.
• Sun Deming — Dacheng Electronics’ HR director and the intended beneficiary of Wang’s scheme. He participates in the attempted assault and subsequent false accusations 19 20 29.
• Zhao Jianguo — Police officer who orders a review of the surveillance evidence, corrects her wrongful detention, and drives her and Chen Yuan home 29 31.
• Sister Wang — Former coworker who helps her enter a new workplace. Later calls Chen Yuan when Xiu'e becomes intoxicated and is prevented from leaving Cashbox KTV 36 39 40.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Return to Potou Village

Xiu'e returns to replace her lost identity card, which her company also needs. Learning that Chen Yuan performed poorly on his college entrance examinations, she invites him to seek work in Deep City. Their reunion and dinner establish her supportive role alongside his increasingly obvious attraction to her 3 5.

Bringing Chen Yuan to Deep City

She takes charge of their journey, brings Yuan to her shared apartment, and promises to find him work without charging a fee. She also cautions him about Zhou Min, accompanies him to the employment agency, and helps him purchase a phone. At Xingda, Yuan witnesses Wang Dahai’s unwanted advances and offers to defend her 7 8 9 12 13 14.

Shangri-La Assault Attempt and Wrongful Detention

After rejecting Wang’s proposition, Xiu'e reluctantly attends a client dinner with him, Li Yan, and Sun Deming. They pressure her into repeated drinking, confiscate her phone, and force her into room 1806. She buys time through apparent cooperation, incapacitates Li Yan with an ashtray, and barricades herself in the bathroom until Chen Yuan arrives 17 18 19 20 21 22.

Although she reports the attempted assault, the perpetrators accuse her and Yuan of attacking them. Liu Ming accepts their account without reviewing the surveillance and sends both to detention. Zhao Jianguo later examines the footage and arranges their release. Outside the detention center, Xiu'e confronts her betrayers and refuses to help them avoid investigation 23 24 29 31.

New Work and Departure from Zhou Min’s Apartment

Xiu'e finds a slightly better-paying job and a nearby one-bedroom apartment. During packing, Zhou Min inadvertently admits that she helped arrange Chen Yuan’s intimidation. Xiu'e rejects her excuses and continues moving, making clear that their friendship does not justify endangering Yuan 35 36 38.

Cashbox KTV Confrontation and Continued Contact

Following her new workplace’s welcome party, Xiu'e becomes heavily intoxicated at Cashbox KTV. Liu Hu prevents her group from leaving after she refuses to drink with him. Chen Yuan answers Sister Wang’s call and defeats Liu and his gang; despite barely understanding the confrontation, Xiu'e calls Yuan her little brother and warns others not to bully him 39 40 41 42.

After Yuan begins his bodyguard job, he remains preoccupied with their recent intimate encounter but struggles to message her. Xiu'e eventually contacts him to ask how he is, though his restrained reply leaves his feelings unspoken 45 49.

Notable Quotes

“Manager Wang, I do honest work and earn honest money. If you want a mistress, go find someone else.” 17

“But sending people to bully Chen Yuan? That's something I won't stand for!” 38