Xie Jiali

Biodata

Background / History

Family and upbringing

Xie Jiali is the only child in his branch of the Xie family’s main line. Raised to inherit his grandparents’ work restoring Ancient Earth cultural relics, he spent his childhood studying, training his voice, and practicing martial arts rather than playing with other children. His grandparents required him to identify artifacts by touch while he was still very young 2 37.

He began calligraphy at three. His training included writing with an egg balanced on his arm, and inadequate work could mean being denied food. He regards his position in the family as both a hope and a shackle 24 37.

His grandparents took him onto shows from childhood. By the time he attends the Interstellar First Academy, his knowledge and cultural work have made him a prominent figure both within the Arts Department and beyond it; in an era fascinated by Ancient Blue Star culture, his fame exceeds that of an average celebrity 2 38.

Attachment to Shi Zhou

On the day he entered the First Academy, Xie Jiali heard Shi Zhou humming a song while leaning against a modified motorcycle. He remembered the spirited, confident young man and later began arranging chance encounters with him 7 37.

Those encounters were disappointing: Shi Zhou ignored him or spoke rudely, and his grades, clothing, interests, and manner seemed unlike those of the person Xie Jiali remembered. Unknown to Xie Jiali, the novel’s plot had taken control of Shi Zhou’s body for nearly two years. During that period, Shi Zhou repeatedly provoked him, leading Xie Jiali’s admirers to report the misconduct to the School Committee 2 37.

After learning that Shi Zhou would join Heart-Pounding Expedition, Xie Jiali turned down other work and accepted the show’s invitation, which he had previously refused. He treated it as one final attempt to reconnect. Waiting deliberately near the entrance, he found that Shi Zhou’s eyes once again held the brightness he remembered 2 37.

Appearance

Xie Jiali has an exquisitely handsome, refined appearance, with movements compared to those of an ancient young nobleman. His outwardly delicate image conceals a well-trained physique 4 31 32.

• Face: Black phoenix eyes, long lashes, thin lips, and porcelain-white skin; close-ups emphasize his androgynous beauty 11 31 33.
• Hair: Medium-length black hair, sometimes swept back 24 31.
• Build: Broad shoulders, a slender waist, long legs, and defined abdominal and chest muscles 4 8 31.
• Hands: Long, fair fingers carefully maintained for delicate restoration work 8 39.
• Clothing and accessories: Often wears gold-rimmed glasses; his performance wardrobe includes ancient Han clothing 24 30 32.

Personality

Xie Jiali presents himself as gentle, courteous, and attentive. He reassures Shi Zhou rather than demanding an apology, offers practical help with shopping and dinner, and remains considerate toward the other guests even when his attention is primarily on Shi Zhou 2 4 39.

His romantic attachment is much more intense than his public manner suggests. He describes Shi Zhou as his anchor and ideal, and becomes jealous when either men or women attract Shi Zhou’s attention. His imagined future includes handling the cooking, housework, and daily care himself, with no outsiders entering their shared home 31 37 39.

He prefers a gradual pursuit, believing that excessive pressure would frighten Shi Zhou away. That restraint coexists with a calculating streak: he looks for ways to secure time together, redirect Shi Zhou’s attention, and occupy his interests. Although rejection and uncertainty briefly overwhelm him, he does not readily abandon a decision once made 32 34 39.

Years of television experience make him skilled at concealing his feelings. His composure breaks most visibly when Su Yue pins Shi Zhou down during the party game, prompting him to intervene without regard for the cameras 11 33 34.

Abilities & Skills

Cultural Restoration and Scholarship

Xie Jiali inherits his grandparents’ restoration work and is deeply knowledgeable about Ancient Blue Star culture 2.

• Trained from childhood to identify the origins of ancient artifacts by touch 37.
• Restores high-end relics and artworks; even roughness on his hands could damage surfaces or snag threads 39.
• Offers to discuss cultural subjects with Shi Zhou for future art projects 8.

Calligraphy and Performance

His cultural work combines traditional arts with public demonstrations 9 24 32.

• Has practiced calligraphy since the age of three 24.
• Can sing Ancient Earth opera and underwent regular voice training 9 37.
• Performs in ancient Han clothing; his team worked with Yu Manman’s team to recreate a faithful Han Dynasty uniform 32.

Spear Training

Spear practice is part of his lifelong martial training and public performances 32 37.

• Develops the strength needed to perform with a spear 32.
• Accounts for his strong waist, core, stamina, and muscular physique 31 32.

Camera Presence

Having appeared on shows since childhood, Xie Jiali knows how to manage both his expression and an audience’s attention 31 34 38.

• Turns a clothing-removal penalty into a controlled reveal that overturns viewers’ assumptions about his physique 31 32.
• Quickly restores his composed public manner after emotionally difficult events 34.
• Considers how refusals and interactions will appear to viewers and fans 11.

Cooking

Cooking is a newly learned skill rather than an established part of his upbringing 39.

• Learns plain rice porridge from Shi Zhou 39.
• Uses an online tutorial to make breakfast, including vegetable-and-shrimp pancakes 39.
• Begins learning specifically to share Shi Zhou’s interests and care for him 39.

Relationships

• Shi Zhou — Fellow Arts Department student and longstanding love interest. Xie Jiali recognizes a marked difference between the young man he first admired and his later hostile behavior. Shi Zhou now trusts him as a close friend but repeatedly misunderstands his romantic intentions 2 7 25 37 39. Xie Jiali explicitly values Shi Zhou’s soul over his physique 50.
• Bai Shen — Family acquaintance and initial roommate. Their extended families have close ties, including marriages. When Xie Jiali asks him to “look after” Shi Zhou, Bai Shen rejects the possessive implication and insists that Shi Zhou is his own person 10 44.
• Su Yue — Romantic rival whom Xie Jiali considers decisive and difficult to dislodge once committed. Their rivalry sharpens after Su Yue’s party-game interaction with Shi Zhou, although Su Yue also brings Xie Jiali medicine while he is unwell 24 25 33 34.
• Asta — Fellow guest and rival for Shi Zhou’s attention. Xie Jiali initially dismisses his closeness to Shi Zhou as childish impulsiveness, but their competition appears in shopping, seating, and dinner interactions 10 24 30 49.
• Lin Yuxi — Fellow guest whose closeness to Shi Zhou makes him uneasy. He particularly dislikes discovering that she also knows Shi Zhou’s food preferences 24 39.
• Yu Manman — Previous professional collaborator. She explains the physical demands of his spear performances, and he publicly credits her work recreating a Han Dynasty uniform 32.
• His grandparents — Mentors who established his expertise and public career through strict, often punitive childhood training 2 37 38.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Notable Quotes

“What are you apologizing for? I don't hold it against you.” 2

“You don't understand. He means too much to me. I really can't lose him.” 44

“You look good no matter what.” 50

Trivia

• In the original, unfinished novel known to Shi Zhou, Xie Jiali was supposed to arrive in the dating show’s second episode rather than at the beginning 5.
• His stated reason for joining the show is promoting Ancient Blue Star culture; his private motivation is reconnecting with Shi Zhou 2 37.
• Many fans regard themselves as his “moms and dads,” having watched his television appearances since childhood 21 38.
• He occasionally smokes mint cigarettes. During the media crisis, he says he does not smoke often 15.