Xu Ren

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xu Ren (徐仁)
Alias(es)	Teacher Xu — used by Ji Yanzhi 26
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Capital University of Science and Technology; Shili Group 19 41
Occupation/Role	Optical engineering graduate student; Ji Ting’s physics tutor; research collaborator and intermediary 5 14 20
Education	Pursuing a master’s degree in optical engineering; passed the National Computer Rank Examination, Level Two, as an undergraduate 5 14 19
Status	Released from police custody following a theft frame-up; the university fallout remains unresolved in the provided account 49 50
First Appearance	Chapter 5, “Under complete house arrest” 5

Background / History

Xu Ren grew up in poverty with his grandfather. His father died from a workplace injury, and his mother died of illness. From middle school onward, government subsidies and scholarships supported his education. Although admitted to Princeton for graduate studies, he could not attend because he failed to obtain a full scholarship 20 49.

He instead pursued graduate studies in optical engineering at Capital University of Science and Technology. While preparing his master’s thesis, he took a job tutoring Ji Ting in high-school physics—an arrangement that soon reversed when his supposed student began guiding his research 5 19.

Personality

Xu Ren is earnest, easily intimidated, and visibly emotional under pressure. He stammers during his first tutoring session, struggles to conceal his reactions during Ji Yanzhi’s questioning, and cries when he believes he has failed Ji Ting. His attempts at deception are usually hesitant and transparent 5 19 20 26.

His nervousness does not prevent him from acting on principle. He refuses to claim sole ownership of research that benefited from Ji Ting’s guidance, even when told that doing so could earn him substantial royalties. He also accepts responsibility for Unit One rather than expose Ji Ting and uses the proposed technology sale to demand better treatment for him 13 20.

Xu Ren greatly admires Ji Ting’s intellect, eventually addressing him as “Teacher Ji.” His attachment includes personal concern: he reacts urgently to Ji Ting’s head injury and urges him to rest. He regards Ji Ting as so extraordinary that learning about his romantic history surprises him more than learning that his former partner was male; he explicitly affirms respect for all sexual orientations 25 26 44.

Abilities & Skills

Optical Engineering and Experimental Research

Xu Ren’s work concerns precise measurement of localized photothermal temperatures in metasurfaces. Ji Ting corrects his original experimental approach, after which Xu Ren develops the suggested direction through his own research 5 50.

• SERS probe measurements: Works out the use of embedded SERS probes after Ji Ting identifies errors caused by thermal imaging of low-emissivity metal surfaces 5.
• Material selection: Identifies single-walled carbon nanotubes as the appropriate probe material within one week, searching among thousands of candidates. Ji Ting recognizes this as evidence of both diligence and talent 13.
• Research preparation: Produces thesis drafts, experimental data, and patent-application materials 16 21.
• Publication prospects: His advisor reports that the work has a strong chance of publication in LSA; publication itself is not confirmed 42.
• Limitations: Shili engineer Sun Zhixue finds the proposed technology promising but says the available experimental data is insufficient to guarantee stability 22.

Computer Hardware

Xu Ren begins with only basic computer knowledge outside his experimental needs. Ji Ting teaches him to assemble components for a homemade, stripped-down supercomputer 14 19.

• Helps assemble racks and computer cases in Ji Ting’s concealed “game room” 14 16.
• Becomes noticeably more confident with the assembly process after his first exhausting lesson 16.
• Does not independently develop the advanced monitoring software later associated with him; Ji Ting creates it while maintaining the cover of an unidentified Unit One developer 45 47.

Story Role / Major Arcs

From Tutor to Research Student

Xu Ren arrives expecting to teach a student with weak physics foundations. While Ji Ting rapidly fills in a test paper, Xu Ren reviews his thesis and becomes stuck on its physical mechanism. Ji Ting supplies coupled-mode theory, points out the measurement flaws, and directs him toward SERS technology. Excited by the breakthrough, Xu Ren abandons the lesson and rushes to his university laboratory 5.

He later apologizes for leaving without permission and requests Ji Ting’s phone number. Ji Yanzhi pays his lesson fee but orders another tutor hired and refuses to share the number 6.

When Ji Ting agrees to resume lessons only with Xu Ren, the tutoring arrangement is restored at double the fee. Xu Ren returns with the correct probe material and refuses to conceal Ji Ting’s contribution. His honesty earns an offer of further guidance on a potentially better material 13.

The Secret Game Room and Unit One

After signing a confidentiality agreement, Xu Ren gains access to Ji Ting’s secret workspace and helps assemble its supercomputer. He conceals the project from Ji Yanzhi by presenting their work together as ordinary tutoring 14 16.

When Ji Yanzhi searches for Tasmanian Devil Unit One, Xu Ren agrees to take the robot vacuum to campus. His involuntary reaction during questioning exposes his knowledge of its whereabouts. Confronted, he claims responsibility for making it and admits helping photograph Ji Yanzhi, but denies stealing Shili’s data 19 20.

Acting on Ji Ting’s instructions, Xu Ren offers the chip technology outright for three million, with the additional condition that Ji Yanzhi stop yelling at and confining Ji Ting. Ji Ting subsequently withdraws the sale after rejecting Ji Yanzhi’s proposal to exploit Xu Ren’s attachment for information 20 21.

Ji Ting nevertheless encourages Xu Ren to pursue his own opportunity with Shili. Xu Ren presents his patent documents to Ji Yanzhi and later discusses his materials research with Sun Zhixue. He continues serving as the intermediary for Unit One, including a revised offer raised by another million 21 22 26.

Tutoring as Leverage

Xu Ren’s employment becomes a means for Ji Yanzhi to control Ji Ting. Ji Yanzhi threatens to dismiss him if Ji Ting refuses an order and later threatens to dock his pay if Ji Ting enters the game room. Ji Ting negotiates renewed access using information about Unit One conveyed through Xu Ren 14 33 34.

Lu Yanchu’s Monitoring Project

By the time Lu Yanchu needs monitoring software for an investigation, Xu Ren has begun working for Ji Yanzhi. He agrees to serve as the program’s credited contact despite feeling undeserving, while Ji Yanzhi insists that he cannot work for Lu without permission 41.

Xu Ren attends the Chantilly Club meeting with Ji Ting, Ji Yanzhi, and Lu Yanchu. The business discussion gives way to an argument over Ling Xi, leaving him bewildered. After leaving, he learns about Ji Ting’s former relationship and the family conflict behind the brothers’ hostility 42 43 44.

Stolen Research and False Accusations

While staying at advisor Wang Jianming’s home to organize research materials, Xu Ren wakes to an apparent burglary. His computer, phone, and external hard drive are missing, taking nearly all his experimental data with them. Only part of the work is backed up to the cloud; university NAS upgrades had led researchers to save data locally 45 46.

Wang sends him away before police arrive, then accuses him of theft. Ji Yanzhi provides legal counsel and bodyguards, suspects possible drugging, and arranges a drug test. The advisor and his wife are revealed to be attempting to appropriate Xu Ren’s research for their son and destroy the evidence supporting Xu Ren’s ownership 46 47 48 49.

Wang also tries to involve Xu Ren’s elderly grandfather in a settlement through the university. Meanwhile, Ji Ting tracks the stolen phone, uncovers tampered surveillance footage, and locates the laptop in another apartment. He anonymously supplies evidence reconstructing the frame-up 49 50.

Xu Ren is released but remains devastated. Ji Yanzhi prevents him from immediately returning to campus, where Wang has already spread the accusation, and tells him that someone has handled the situation—identifying that person as Ji Ting 50.

Relationships

• Ji Ting — Officially his tutoring student, actually his scientific mentor and trusted collaborator. Xu Ren protects his secrets and research credit; Ji Ting supports his career and intervenes in the theft frame-up 5 13 20 21 50.
• Ji Yanzhi — Tutoring employer and later Shili superior. Initially intimidates and manipulates him over Unit One, but provides substantial legal protection when Wang frames him 19 20 41 46 48.
• Wang Jianming — Graduate advisor who attempts to steal his research for his son and falsely implicates him in theft 48 49 50.
• Grandfather — Raised him after his parents’ deaths. His limited schooling and lack of legal knowledge make him vulnerable to Wang’s proposed settlement scheme 49.
• Sun Zhixue — Shili optical engineer who evaluates his materials technology and follows up on the project 22 50.
• Attorney Liu — Shili legal counsel assigned to defend him during the theft investigation 47 48.
• Lu Yanchu — Meets him through Ji Ting’s monitoring-software project; Xu Ren is initially starstruck by the actor 41 42.

Notable Quotes

“If I need money, I'll work hard to earn it. I won't do something like that.” 13

“I want you to treat Ji Ting better from now on. Don't keep yelling at him, and don't lock him up anymore.” 20

Trivia

• Unlike Ji Yanzhi and Lu Yanchu, Xu Ren apparently cannot hear Ji Ting’s thoughts 43.
• He brings Ji Ting shrimp buns from the university cafeteria as thanks for his research guidance 19.