Du Le

Biodata

Background / History

Education and arrival in Singapore

Du Le had unremarkable grades and barely gained admission to university. His school was bought out in the year he graduated and subsequently disappeared under its former identity. Wang Sanhe remarks that the lack of information about the institution made Du Le’s genuine graduation certificate look fraudulent 18.

In Singapore, Du Le shared a room with Sanhe, Sun Qirui, and Lu Chang. Initially enthusiastic about their new surroundings, he bought durian to share with Sanhe and Sun Qirui. Their excitement faded when the promised well-paid jobs failed to materialize and their savings began running out 14.

Sister Feng eventually arranged newspaper-distribution work for Du Le and Sun Qirui. The group survived on plain white bread and combined meals to save money. They later discovered that their school arrangements had been misrepresented, their tuition had been mishandled, and private-school students could not legally work part-time 14 15.

Remaining with Sister Feng

Sanhe offered Du Le a place in a cheaper room near Paya Lebar MRT Station, which would have cut his rent by more than half. Du Le insisted on consulting Sun Qirui first, despite Sanhe’s prediction that Sun already had somewhere else to go. He subsequently confirmed that Sun had a wealthy American girlfriend nearby and did not want to move 17.

After discussing the matter with his family, Du Le also stayed behind. He believed Sister Feng’s experience and connections in Singapore made her worth relying on, despite Sanhe’s objections about her deception and inflated rent. Remaining there allowed him to witness Sanhe’s predictions coming true 18.

Accounting studies and business plans

Du Le began with CAT rather than entering ACCA directly. He admired Sanhe’s exam exemptions and was excited by the possibility of eventually obtaining an Oxford Brookes University degree through the accounting program. He and Sun Qirui became popular in their class, although Du Le struggled with English-language instruction 19 21.

When Sanhe proposed starting a company, Du Le doubted they could manage it so soon after arriving. He preferred part-time work, hoping to recover the money lost to the scam and repay his mother. He was willing to risk being sent home because he believed his difficulty understanding lessons made graduation unlikely 31.

Du Le suggested seeking guidance at Lingyin Temple, where he had previously received a reading he considered effective. The group’s answer—“Great ambitions, but Heaven lends no aid”—reinforced his preference for paid work. He was later shown continuing to work part-time as a dishwasher 31 32 33.

Helping his friends

Du Le brought Li Xuan to Sanhe to ask for an escort home after men harassed her in Geylang, including one who followed her to her front door. He also told Li Xuan about Sanhe’s fortune-reading ability, prompting her to seek help for her cousin 30 37.

When Sun Qirui feared he had a sexually transmitted disease, Du Le privately approached Sanhe for help and relayed his advice to visit the hospital. He remained anxious until Sun reported that it was only a minor infection 38 39 40.

Appearance

Du Le is introduced as a chubby young man who grins while giving his name 14.

• Eyes: Large, with double eyelids 30.
• Head: Described as large and chubby 31.
• Expressions: Frequently waggles his eyebrows or widens his eyes when sharing gossip 17 35 40.

Personality

Sanhe considers Du Le decent, down-to-earth, straightforward, and free of malice. He is generous enough to treat friends to unfamiliar food and quick to celebrate good news. Sanhe explicitly calls him a “born optimist,” noting that he cannot tolerate a gloomy conversation for long 14 17 18 40.

His cheerfulness coexists with low confidence about study and entrepreneurship. He sees employment as safer than owning a business because changing jobs would not expose him to the same financial losses. His continued faith in Sister Feng’s connections also shows how readily he can mistake apparent influence for dependable support 18 31 39.

Du Le enjoys gossip and teasing but often misses indirect meanings. He jokes about Sun Qirui learning English through his girlfriend, yet later mistakes Sun’s sexual innuendo about being a “skilled craftsman” for a song lyric. His friends regularly tease him for these uneven flashes of understanding 21 40 41.

Relationships

• Wang Sanhe — Friend and former roommate. Du Le asks him to look out for him as a “big brother” and increasingly recognizes the accuracy of his predictions 17 19 35.
• Sun Qirui — Close friend, roommate, and CAT classmate. Du Le consults him before moving, teases him about his girlfriend, and seeks help during his health scare 17 19 21 38.
• Sister Feng — Arranges his initial work and accommodation. Du Le stays because he trusts her local connections; he later witnesses her husband assaulting her and reports it to Sanhe 14 18 35.
• Li Xuan — Classmate whom he helps obtain a safer journey home. They also join Sanhe in discussing a company and visiting Lingyin Temple 30 31 32.
• Bai Zhigao — School friend. Du Le cooperates with Sanhe to steer him away from an awkward conversation about Cai Wen’s paid relationships 36.
• Cai Wen — Classmate he initially assumes comes from a wealthy family because she is chauffeured to school. He later overhears her explaining that she dates men for money 21 36.
• Little Bun — New friend introduced by Sanhe. Their shared skepticism about entrepreneurship prompts teasing that makes both blush; Sanhe later encourages them to exchange contact details 38 39 40.
• Jin Ling’er — Friend whose dating troubles interest him. He eagerly listens to her calls on speakerphone and helps soothe her after a disappointing date 41.

Notable Quotes

“As long as I earn back the money I got scammed out of and pay my mom back before I leave, that’s enough.” 31

“Changing jobs won’t cost me money, but if a business fails, I could lose a lot, right?” 39