Xie Zhou

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xie Zhou (谢舟)
Alias(es)	Zhouzhou; Little Xie Zhou 147 178
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xie Family; Yandong University of Political Science and Law 147 180
Occupation/Role	University student; craft-video creator; occasional participant in Yu Nian’s gaming streams 149 181 183
Residence	Swallow City; later rents an apartment near his university 178 183
First Appearance	Chapter 147, “Guests” 147

Background / History

Childhood and friendship with Pei Zhengdu

Xie Zhou is the only son of the Xie Family’s youngest daughter, who disappeared years before his maternal grandfather found him. He grew up with impoverished adoptive parents and had little spending money. His quiet manner and popularity with girls made him a target for resentful boys at school 147 179 180.

He first met Pei Zhengdu, a distinguished student one year above him, while collecting maple leaves for bookmarks. Xie Zhou overheard Pei rejecting another boy’s confession by saying he did not like men. Pei subsequently asked him to keep the encounter private. That remark stayed with Xie Zhou and later made him afraid to confess his own feelings 186 187.

The two became close: Pei protected him from bullies, helped with homework, paid for internet-café visits, and bought him sour plum juice with tournament winnings. Pei’s mother also welcomed him and regularly prepared his favorite sweet-and-sour ribs. During one of their shared afternoon naps, Xie Zhou secretly kissed Pei, believing him asleep 179 180 184 185 187.

They lost contact after Pei entered professional esports to earn money for his seriously ill mother. Xie Zhou had neither a phone nor Pei’s contact information and could not say a proper goodbye. Pei nevertheless asked others to look after him, which reduced the bullying 180.

Return to the Xie Family

Old Master Xie located his grandson and brought him back to the family. Xie Zhou briefly attended university before taking leave to spend time with his grandfather as his health deteriorated. Unlike his grandfather, his uncles and cousins regarded him as an intruder competing for family wealth 150 157.

Concerned that Xie Zhou lacked the temperament and management aptitude to survive the family’s infighting, Old Master Xie entrusted Qin Yuheng with protecting him and his inheritance. The estate designated for Xie Zhou consisted of property, antiques, paintings, and calligraphy rather than control of the family business 147 149.

During Qin Yuheng’s visit, Xie Zhou met Yu Nian, whom he recognized from a guest-commentary appearance. Their shared interest in gaming quickly developed into friendship. Yu Nian defended him from Xie Lingfeng’s insults, and Xie Zhou, despite his timidity, spoke up when Lingfeng attacked Yu Nian’s character 147 148.

Bereavement and renewed independence

When Old Master Xie died, Xie Zhou was devastated by losing the only member of the Xie Family who had protected and cherished him. With Qin Yuheng’s assistance, he received his allotted inheritance despite the other relatives’ displeasure. Yu Nian and Qin Yuheng then took him home to look after him 150.

While grieving, he cared for New Life and Spike and completed most of the inheritance-transfer paperwork with Qin Yuheng’s help. He eventually decided to resume his education, discussing a possible year of repeated coursework with his academic advisor. In September, he entered the sophomore year as a transfer student and tried living on campus 150 157 181.

Xie Zhou later moved off campus after his roommate Ji Shan publicized his connection to Pei Zhengdu, prompting unwanted questions from other students. The apartment also gave him a more convenient place to make craft videos. He remained close to Yu Nian and served as a groomsman alongside Bian Yan and Fang Xu at Yu Nian and Qin Yuheng’s wedding 166 171 183.

Reunion and romance with Pei Zhengdu

Xie Zhou initially presented himself simply as a fan of Du Zhou, Pei Zhengdu’s professional identity. Through Yu Nian, he sent Pei a handmade ghost charm and received an autograph. When the three played together on stream, Pei repeatedly sought Xie Zhou’s attention, but Xie Zhou became uncomfortable and privately asked Yu Nian to help him leave 147 154 155 157.

The Du Zhou extra chapters reveal that Pei recognized him and initiated private contact after the game. They reunited following three years apart, sharing a day at the aquarium, holding hands after becoming separated in the crowd, and choosing matching souvenirs. Xie Zhou welcomed the renewed closeness but continued to interpret Pei’s affectionate behavior as friendship because of the rejection he had overheard years earlier 178 179 180 181.

Pei introduced Xie Zhou to his TCG teammates as his partner before explicitly confessing to him. Xie Zhou visited the club with homemade pastries, unaware that the team considered him Pei’s boyfriend. After their celebratory dinner and karaoke outing, a tipsy Xie Zhou tearfully worried that Pei would abandon him once he found a girlfriend. Pei responded with a direct confession 183 184 185 186.

When Xie Zhou raised the old remark about not liking men, Pei explained that it had been true before they met. He also revealed that the “Zhou” in “Du Zhou” referred to Xie Zhou and that his feelings had lasted for years. Reassured that their affection was mutual, Xie Zhou initiated a deeper kiss 187.

Appearance

• Handsome, youthful features: Introduced as a good-looking young man with a quiet, reserved manner; his looks had also attracted attention from girls at school 147 180.
• Soft, boyish voice: His gentle voice and encouraging manner make him popular with Yu Nian’s viewers 149 184.
• Easily visible embarrassment: Frequently blushes, lowers his gaze, or develops red ears when Pei Zhengdu teases him 167 178 180.
• Height: Says he has grown five centimeters since his school days, though Pei still teases him for being shorter 179.

Personality

Xie Zhou is gentle, introverted, and uninterested in competing for family power. He initially struggles to defend himself against insults and fears that reaching out to Pei Zhengdu will make him a nuisance. His reluctance to discuss his troubles also leads him to conceal the Xie Family’s complicated affairs from Pei 147 149 178 180.

He is affectionate and generous with people he trusts. He enthusiastically praises Yu Nian during games, readily offers to transfer him a million, and makes handmade gifts and pastries for friends. Although shy, he becomes firmer when protecting others: he defends Yu Nian against Lingfeng and refuses Ji Shan’s demands for Pei’s private contact details 148 149 151 182.

He values personal integrity rather than treating talent as an excuse for misconduct. When Ji Shan dismisses professional players’ immoral behavior as irrelevant to their skills, Xie Zhou challenges that attitude and seeks reassurance about Pei’s conduct 182.

Abilities & Skills

Needlework and crafts

• Creates intricate crochet work, including scalloped edges and color-block patterns, with notably nimble fingers 151.
• Gives Yu Nian a large crocheted rabbit and teaches him needlework 151.
• Makes the little ghost charm that Pei Zhengdu attaches to his phone and displays during a post-match interview 154 155.
• Produces craft videos and works on projects in his rented apartment 166 183.
• Made leaf bookmarks as a schoolboy 187.

Baking

• Prepares homemade treats that earn enthusiastic praise from Yu Nian 157.
• Experiments with new pastry recipes and brings individually prepared portions for TCG members 183 184.
• Shares baked gifts with both Yu Nian and Pei Zhengdu 166 178.

Gaming and stream participation

• Has average gaming ability and commonly plays support alongside Yu Nian 149 157.
• Keeps his teammates encouraged with frequent compliments, becoming a viewer favorite 149 150.
• Agrees to run Yu Nian’s stream while Yu Nian attends the Summer Split 154.
• Prefers watching Pei Zhengdu play to playing himself 184.

Relationships

• Old Master Xie — Maternal grandfather and his principal protector within the Xie Family. Their reunion is brief, and his death leaves Xie Zhou feeling that he has no family left 147 150.
• Yu Nian — Best friend, gaming partner, and source of support during bereavement. Yu Nian defends him, encourages his return to school, and helps him reconnect with Pei Zhengdu 147 150 154 157.
• Qin Yuheng — Protector entrusted with safeguarding his inheritance. Helps settle the estate and shelters him after his grandfather’s death 149 150 157.
• Pei Zhengdu / Du Zhou — Former school senior, longtime love, and eventual romantic partner. Their mutual affection is obscured for years by Xie Zhou’s belief that Pei does not like men 180 186 187.
• Pei Zhengdu’s mother — Treated him warmly during his school years and remembers his fondness for sweet-and-sour ribs 180.
• Xie Lingfeng — Hostile cousin who bullies him and threatens his position after their grandfather’s death 147 148.
• Xie Yin — Fellow grandson of Old Master Xie; reprimanded alongside Lingfeng for mistreating Xie Zhou 148.
• Ji Shan — Former roommate whose shared interest in Du Zhou initially brings them closer. Their friendship fractures over demands for private access to Pei and Ji Shan’s disclosure of their connection 181 182 183.
• Qiao Yue and A Luo — TCG players who welcome him at the club. A Luo enthusiastically accepts him after tasting his pastries and includes him in the team’s celebration 184 185.
• New Life and Spike — Yu Nian’s cat and dog, whom Xie Zhou cares for while recovering from grief; New Life becomes conspicuously overweight under his care 150.