Li Rou
I Retired After Transmigrating—Why Am I Going Viral? Stop Kissing Me, I'm Burned Out!
Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Li Rou (李柔) |
| Alias(es) | “Hungry Melon Muncher” — Yu Xiuyuan’s contact name for her 125 |
| Gender | Female 71 |
| Affiliation | Dating Reality Show cast 108 151 |
| Occupation/Role | Actress; dating-show guest 108 111 |
| Status | Alive; attends Yu Xiuyuan and Yun Chuan’s wedding 173 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 14 in the supplied material 14 |
Background / History
Acting career and public image
Before the dating show, Li Rou worked with Zhuang Qiao on a television drama. She maintained a “gentle and intellectual” public persona, but he felt that it prevented him from getting to know her real personality. Her manager also closely controlled her diet and expected her to make an effort during filming 14 18 108 111.
Befriending Yu Xiuyuan
Yu Xiuyuan selected Li Rou for his Lazybones Wellness Tour. Initially afraid that his rumored temper would make him difficult to refuse, she instead discovered that their date involved sunbathing, rocking chairs, foot treatments, and seafood delivery. She welcomed the opportunity to relax while working 14 16 17.
Their conversation became consequential when she asked about the allegations against him. After Yu Xiuyuan explained that he had been the victim of school bullying, Li Rou believed him and challenged Wen Lin’s failure to defend him. Her questions gave Yu Xiuyuan an opening to expose Wen Lin’s advice that he should remain silent. Yu Xiuyuan subsequently warned her about possible repercussions from her manager and promised not to let her suffer for supporting him 15 16.
Viewers began shipping Li Rou with Yu Xiuyuan after moments such as his borrowing her ribbon and peeling shrimp for her. She recognized that he was not romantically interested in her. When he staged a scene emphasizing his interest in men to dismantle their ship, she worried that he was damaging his own image to protect her 32.
Shipping and viral videos
Li Rou began rooting for Yu Xiuyuan and Yun Chuan after watching Yun Chuan tend to Yu Xiuyuan’s injured finger. She left the two alone under the pretext of returning to her room for a nap 18.
Her enthusiasm sometimes became intrusive. Hoping that their relationship would progress, she helped get a small sip of alcohol into Yu Xiuyuan, then inspected his neck and collarbones the next morning for marks. Finding none left her disappointed in Yun Chuan 54 57.
During the snowy-mountain shoot, her exaggerated reaction to Yu Xiuyuan offering to draw lots for the sleeping Yun Chuan was recorded and circulated online. Embarrassed by the close-up of her disheveled hair and expression, she was reassured when Yu Xiuyuan promised to make a more popular video for her 81 89.
Yu Xiuyuan subsequently filmed Li Rou and Lin Xi at the ski slope, using a large spray of snow as the visual effect. He also posted an alternate version capturing their startled reactions; both videos quickly overtook her embarrassing clip in popularity 93 96.
Zhuang Qiao’s courtship
Zhuang Qiao joined the show after watching Li Rou reveal her genuine personality. Having liked her since their earlier drama, he turned down other work because he feared she might fall for someone else. Li Rou initially interpreted his choice of her for a private date as the natural decision of someone who already knew her 108 115.
At a pottery studio, he confessed that he liked her as she really was. The confession surprised her, and he reassured her that she did not need to answer immediately 111 112.
Their courtship developed through matching couple profile pictures, an eye-contact game that left both blushing, and exchanging the flowerpots they had made. Li Rou described her ideal partner as gentle, gentlemanly, and handsome—qualities Lin Xi pointed out in Zhuang Qiao 115 117 128.
At the final hand-holding event, Li Rou acknowledged her feelings but was not ready to begin a relationship after so little time together. She agreed to let Zhuang Qiao continue pursuing her, which Director Liu counted as a successful outcome for the show 151.
She later attended Yu Xiuyuan and Yun Chuan’s wedding, hugging Lin Xi in excitement while Zhuang Qiao stood beside her with a handkerchief ready 173.
Personality
Li Rou’s composed, ladylike presentation conceals an excitable, goofy personality. She frequently speaks before thinking, becomes visibly captivated by Yu Xiuyuan’s beauty, and struggles to suppress her laughter. Her carefully maintained image begins slipping almost immediately after she relaxes around him 14 15 17.
She is compassionate but impulsive: she believes Yu Xiuyuan’s account of being bullied and openly questions Wen Lin despite barely knowing either man. She is also deeply invested in gossip and romantic pairings, declaring that watching Yu Xiuyuan and Yun Chuan is more exciting than dating someone herself. That enthusiasm coexists with considerable shyness when Zhuang Qiao directs affection toward her 15 89 115 117.
Abilities & Skills
Acting
Portrait Drawing
- Earns money by drawing portraits during the show’s meal-budget challenge 37.
Crafts
- Learns basic pottery at a studio and makes a small, crooked flowerpot with pale-green glaze 111 128.
- Enthusiastically accepts Zhuang Qiao’s invitation to try botanical printing 149.
Skiing Limitations
- Is initially too frightened to stand on Yu Xiuyuan’s snowboard; instead, she rides down seated while clutching his calf 94.
Equipment / Items
- Red ribbon — Worn in a bow around her wrist; lent to Yu Xiuyuan so he could shield his eyes from the sunlight 15.
- Exchanged flowerpot — Receives Zhuang Qiao’s more evenly shaped pot after he asks to trade for the crooked one she made 128.
Relationships
- Yu Xiuyuan — Close friend and teasing companion. She supports him during his bullying disclosure, while he shares relaxing activities with her and helps her recover from an embarrassing viral clip 15 16 89 96.
- Lin Xi — Close friend, frequent teammate, and roommate. They share gossip and playful arguments; Lin Xi also encourages Li Rou to give Zhuang Qiao a chance 71 115 145 151.
- Zhuang Qiao — Former drama co-star and romantic pursuer. Li Rou reciprocates his feelings but agrees only to continued courtship at the show’s finale 108 111 151.
- Yun Chuan — Fellow guest whom she enthusiastically ships with Yu Xiuyuan. She watches his jealousy and affectionate gestures closely, sometimes becoming frustrated by what she sees as insufficient romantic progress 57 71 89.
- Manager — Supervises her diet and public presentation. The prospect of her manager’s displeasure can make Li Rou abruptly restore her composed on-camera expression 18 81.
Notable Quotes
“It's not that I don't believe you. I'm just shocked and heartbroken by what happened to you.” 15
“You don't understand. This is more exciting than dating someone myself.” 89
“I like someone gentle and gentlemanly. Preferably handsome, too.” 117