Bai Ruan

Biodata

Appearance

Bai Ruan has a slender build and a youthful, doll-like face. His introduction shows him wearing an oversized jacket and a hat loose enough to fall off when he tilts his head back 11 13.

• Face: A baby face with a pointed chin and snow-white skin 13.
• Hair: Little curls fall over his forehead; they grow long enough to brush his eyes during his revenge scheme 13 26.
• Eyes and lashes: Pale irises and long, dark lashes described as resembling raven feathers 11 32.
• Smile: His eyes curve when he smiles, revealing two small, pointed canine teeth 11.
• Resemblance: His brows, eyes, features, and face shape strongly resemble Li Luochen’s—the reason Feng Yan initially pursues him 23.

Personality

Bai Ruan is initially lively, affectionate, and generous. He remembers the household staff’s concerns, brings them gifts, and excitedly shows Tao Zhiyan the watch he chose for him. He is also openly proud of his academic success, enthusiastically making Feng Yan guess his competition placement 11 12.

Within his relationship, his eagerness to please becomes self-sacrifice. He learns to cook because Feng Yan envies partners who can cook, blames himself for Feng Yan’s jealousy over his advisor, and considers abandoning a major he loves. Previous confinement and abuse leave him terrified of Feng Yan’s anger; he accepts punishment primarily to avoid being abandoned 13 16.

Discovering the affair changes his priorities. With Tao’s support, he learns to refuse demands, preserve his education, and stop organizing his life around Feng Yan. His anger eventually develops into a calculated revenge plan, although his breakdown after further abuse shows that his growing confidence does not erase his distress 18 25 26.

Background / History

Family and education

Bai Ruan grows up cherished by his parents and two older brothers. His parents never hit or scold him, and his brothers habitually yield to him and bring him enjoyable things first 31.

Both Qing University and Emperor University compete to recruit him, but he chooses City University because it is closest to Feng Yan. Although City University is also a Project 985 institution, Tao considers the choice a sacrifice of stronger academic opportunities for the relationship 13.

Pressure to abandon school

After returning from a trip with Feng Yan, Bai Ruan celebrates placing first in a college competition. Feng Yan’s attentive behavior initially presents their relationship as affectionate and indulgent 11 12.

While learning to make cheese-baked milk custard for Feng Yan, Bai Ruan tells Tao that he may drop out. Feng Yan has argued with his advisor and threatened to break up if he returns to school. Bai Ruan also burns his hand by reaching into the oven without mitts; Tao cools and treats the injury 13.

Tao persuades him that love should support his future rather than destroy it. Bai Ruan decides to remain enrolled, but Feng Yan responds by accusing him of wanting to seduce his advisor. Frightened by threats of renewed imprisonment, Bai Ruan agrees to drop out and accepts an overnight punishment kneeling in the Confinement Room without food 14 15 16.

This fear stems from earlier abuse: after discovering a late-night academic call, Feng Yan chained him to a bed, drugged and abused him, and kept him restrained for more than a week 16.

Discovering the affair

Tao takes Bai Ruan to the Binhai Hotel, where they witness Feng Yan affectionately carrying another young man inside. Tao stops Bai Ruan from rushing into a confrontation and asks what he actually wants. Bai Ruan realizes that an empty explanation will not satisfy him—he wants Feng Yan to regret the betrayal 17.

Following Tao’s instructions, Bai Ruan adopts an unfamiliar distance toward Feng Yan. He then sends Tao a recording of messages revealing that Feng Yan and his ex have resumed daily contact for six months, usually at Feng Yan’s initiative 18.

The following morning, Bai Ruan prepares to return to school. Coached through an earpiece, he accepts Feng Yan’s breakup threat instead of submitting. He subsequently limits contact, refuses to engage with insulting messages, and continues attending classes. Feng Yan escalates by confronting him on campus and publicly accusing his advisor of sexual impropriety 18 19 20.

Stand-in and kidney-donor revelations

When Bai Ruan returns to collect his belongings, he finds Feng Yan having sex with Li Luochen in the living room. He slaps Feng Yan, while Li Luochen shoves him and calls him a stand-in 22.

Bai Ruan learns that Feng Yan pursued him because he resembles Li Luochen. The revelation makes their formerly happy memories feel like part of a deception. Li Luochen also exposes Feng Yan’s intention to use Bai Ruan as a kidney donor; Feng Yan had taken Bai Ruan abroad for a medical examination and told Li that he had found a donor 23.

Bai Ruan ends the relationship and rejects Feng Yan’s request to start over. When he asks Tao to help him pack, Feng Yan forcibly carries him into a bedroom and locks the door. Feng Ze breaks the lock, and Tao subsequently frees Bai Ruan from restraints and covers him with his jacket 23 24 25.

Afterward, Bai Ruan asks Tao for revenge rather than an amicable separation. Tao agrees but warns him not to let Feng Yan’s cruelty destroy him. Their plan is to make Feng Yan emotionally dependent on Bai Ruan, then leave permanently 25 26.

Birthday revenge and escape

By the time Bai Ruan reappears after more than half a month, the relationship’s power balance has reversed. He refuses unwanted company and no longer fears Feng Yan leaving him, while Feng Yan anxiously seeks reassurance and small concessions 26.

For Feng Yan’s birthday, Bai Ruan chooses an amusement-park outing rather than the clubs he dislikes. After the fireworks, he kisses Feng Yan and promises an unforgettable present. He then declares that his former love has become hatred, recalls being forced to entertain strangers on previous birthdays, and runs into the road 29 30.

The incident initially appears to be a severe collision. At the hospital, Bai Ruan’s family confronts Feng Yan and prevents him from reclaiming access to Bai Ruan. When Feng Yan reaches his bedside, Bai Ruan says he cannot remember him 31.

The next chapter reveals that the crash was staged with Tao and Feng Ze’s help. An accidental clip to Bai Ruan’s leg causes a hairline fracture because his injured ankle slows his movement. His family transfers him to another hospital overnight, leaving Feng Yan unable to find him. Bai Ruan thanks his helpers and prepares for a fresh start at New York University 32.

Life after separation

Bai Ruan blocks Feng Yan on every platform and moves away. Both older brothers quit their jobs and leave as well, and Feng Yan loses track of the entire family 81.

Later screenshots of Bai Ruan’s posts show ordinary pleasures—cake, weather, and another competition prize. Tao uses them to demonstrate that Bai Ruan deserves a good life outside the relationship; Feng Yan finally recognizes himself as chiefly responsible for their separation 88.

Abilities & Skills

Mathematics

Bai Ruan is a top mathematics student with a strong academic reputation 13 20.

• Wins first place in a college competition 12.
• Accumulates numerous awards and is recognized even outside the mathematics department 20.
• Maintains an active interest in research and discusses coursework with his advisor 13 19.
• Wins another competition prize after escaping Feng Yan 88.

Strategic performance

Bai Ruan learns to counter Feng Yan’s expectations through Tao’s coaching 18 26.

• Feigns sleep and emotional distance to interrupt his usual eager behavior 18.
• Uses an earpiece to receive guidance during their confrontation over school 18.
• Delays replies and disengages from hostile messages rather than appeasing Feng Yan 19.
• Participates in the staged accident that enables his escape 32.

Cooking

Bai Ruan begins learning cheese-baked milk custard under Aunt Zhao’s instruction 13.

• Completes the dish after spending the afternoon preparing it 15.
• Initially lacks basic oven-safety knowledge and burns his hand without mitts 13.

Relationships

• Feng Yan — Former boyfriend who initially treats him as Li Luochen’s substitute. Cheating, coercive control, confinement, and the kidney-donor plan lead Bai Ruan to end the relationship and escape; no kidney removal occurs 16 23 32 82.
• Tao Zhiyan — Protector, confidant, and revenge strategist. Defends his education, treats his injury, exposes the affair, and helps arrange his departure. Bai Ruan comes to address him as “bro” 13 17 25 26 32.
• Feng Ze — Intervenes when Feng Yan imprisons him and later helps arrange the deception that allows him to escape 24 32.
• Li Luochen — Feng Yan’s ex and affair partner, whose resemblance to Bai Ruan underlies the stand-in relationship. Belittles and shoves Bai Ruan, and exposes the kidney-donor plan 22 23.
• Parents and older brothers — Loving family who rally around him at the hospital, reject Feng Yan’s demands, and help keep Bai Ruan beyond his reach 31 32 81.
• Academic advisor — Research mentor targeted by Feng Yan’s jealousy and public accusations 13 19 20.
• Aunt Zhao and Aunt Li — Household staff who care for him. Aunt Zhao teaches him cooking and treats him like her own child; Aunt Li supplies ointment for his burn 13.

Items & Gifts

• Cartier watch — Buys a new-model watch for Tao because he thinks it will suit him 11.
• Melatonin — Brings it for Aunt Zhao after remembering her sleep difficulties, and buys some for Aunt Li as well 11.
• The Book of Male Virtue 2.0 — Asks Tao to deliver a copy to Feng Yan before his departure 32.

Notable Quotes

“I do love you. Very much. But not enough to give up everything for you.”
— Repeating Tao’s coached words when refusing to abandon school 18.

“Feng Yan, have you ever respected me?”
— Rejecting the assumption that an apology entitles Feng Yan to reconciliation 24.

“Bro, thank you so much for helping me. Without you, I don't even know whether I'd still be alive.”
— Thanking Tao after escaping Feng Yan 32.