Shi Yuan

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Shi Yuan (施沅)
Alias(es)	Yuan, Xiao Yuan, Yuanyuan; addressed as “Young Master Shi,” “young boss,” and “President Shi” 8 51 55 74
Gender	Male
Age	Twenty-two before transmigration 1 6
Birthday	December 3; the birthday on his new identity documents matches his own 8
Origin	An ordinary family in another world; transmigrates into the world of Thorn 1 6
Affiliation	Shi Family by his assumed identity; Oak Bay Elementary School; S University; Yuanlin Media 1 47 55 67 75
Occupation/Role	German tutor, substitute English teacher, occasional voice actor, graduate student, and nominal entertainment-company president 21 47 75
Spouse	Wei Zelin 8
Status	Alive; rescued from an assassin and recovering at home by the ending 82
First Appearance	Chapter 1, “Transmigration” 1

Background / History

Life before transmigration

Shi Yuan grew up as the only child of two ordinary workers. His parents were childhood sweethearts who had known each other since elementary school, and their affectionate marriage shaped his belief in loving one person for life. He spent twenty-two years under their protection before they died in a car accident 6 10 15.

After their deaths, his relatives sought control of his inheritance and compensation money. He resisted them and made a will directing that his property be donated if anything happened to him. His best friend also stole his graduation thesis, delaying his graduation while classmates accused Shi Yuan of plagiarism 1 16.

Overwhelmed by these losses, Shi Yuan struggled to see a future for himself, though he did not want to die. He jumped into a river to save a child and subsequently awoke in a hospital in another world 1.

The original Shi Yuan

The character whose identity he assumes was a minor villain in Thorn, a novel Shi Yuan had read before transmigrating. Unlike the newcomer, the original Shi Yuan was vain, domineering, and eager to gain status through Wei Zexuan. He participated in humiliating Wei Zelin and, in the original plot, helped frame You Gui 1 3.

The original character’s father, Shi Guohua, plunged the family business into debt after opposing Shen Duo. Shi Yuan’s marriage to Wei Zelin became part of the family’s dealings with the Wei Family, whose loan to Shi Guohua amounted to 1.5 billion 1 2 3.

In Thorn, the original Shi Yuan eventually suffered Wei Zelin’s retaliation, was sent abroad, became addicted to Immortal Powder, and spent the rest of his life in a rehabilitation center. These are the original character’s predicted experiences, not the transmigrator’s eventual fate 2.

Awakening and estrangement

Shi Yuan awakens after the original character’s fatal head injury on the night before the wedding. His new appearance, distinctive voice, and finger mole match those of his previous body, leaving him uncertain about the exact nature of his transmigration 1 2.

After more than a month in hospital, he enters the Wei estate and discovers that he and Wei Zelin have been assigned a nearly empty room on the seventh floor of the servants’ quarters. With no money and no reliable family support, he tears up Wei Zexuan’s contract, refuses to continue acting as his lackey, and begins planning an independent livelihood 2 3.

Appearance

Shi Yuan has delicate, youthful features that give him the appearance of a campus first love. His face is identical to the one he remembers from his original world 1 19.

• Complexion: Fair, described as resembling white jade 1.
• Eyes: Almond-shaped, with rounded outer corners and unusually thick, long eyelashes 1.
• Facial features: Neat eyebrows, a straight nose bridge, and small lips with a pronounced central curve 1.
• Identifying mark: A tiny black mole on the outer side of his left ring finger 1.
• Voice: Soft, gentle, slightly low and hoarse; it remained altered after a severe fever during puberty 1.
• Early appearance: Initially has a shaved, bandaged head because of his injury; his hair later grows into a fluffy-looking head of hair 1 6.
• Clothing: Comfortable in inexpensive everyday clothes as well as the costly bespoke outfits Wei Zelin buys him 17 54.

Personality

Shi Yuan is kind, polite, and markedly gentler than the original character. He regularly greets the estate’s servants, gradually winning their affection despite his inherited reputation. He dislikes serious lies and chooses to warn You Gui honestly rather than manipulate her with an explanation that might later betray her trust 7 8 12.

His upbringing leaves him inexperienced with violence and corporate intrigue. Anger can make him struggle to express himself, and his soft voice weakens the outward force of his confrontations. Nevertheless, he challenges Wei Zexuan’s treatment of Wei Zelin and endangers himself to protect Xiao Rong 6 12 23.

Independent and nonmaterialistic, Shi Yuan pursues teaching and postgraduate study rather than treating marriage as a substitute for a livelihood. He is meticulous about preparation and acts promptly once he decides on a goal. He also insists that Lu Budai compete fairly rather than receive a predetermined victory through their connections 16 54 55 67.

In romance, he values sincerity, exclusivity, and a shared home. He initially considers Wei Zelin too calculating and too different from himself to be a lasting partner, but later chooses to trust him without pretending those risks do not exist 15 35.

Education & Career

Milestone	Chapter	Details
Strong academic record in his original world	1 16	Ranked third in his city’s college entrance examination; his university graduation was delayed by thesis theft.
Inherits usable academic credentials	3	Finds the original character’s foreign finance graduation certificate among his belongings.
Earns teaching qualifications	18	Passes the teacher interview and obtains his Teacher Qualification Certificate; also passes the Mandarin proficiency examination.
Becomes a German tutor	21	Anna praises his proficiency, and the Ren family hires him to teach Ren Yunrong, also called Xiao Rong.
Begins school teaching	47	Obtains a substitute English-teaching position at Oak Bay Elementary School with Director Ren and Ren Zhi’s help. Teaching and evening tutoring bring his income into five figures.
Tries voice acting	47	Accepts a supporting role in an adaptation produced by Xiao Ying’s dubbing group.
Passes the postgraduate preliminary examination	55	Prepares for S University after Wei Zelin helps resolve his missed registration deadline.
Pauses dubbing work	56	Prioritizes entrance-examination study; posts study advice and reading lists on Magic Sound, where he has tens of thousands of followers.
Passes the second-round examination	58	Shares his successful result with his friends through their WeChat group.
Begins graduate study	67 75	Starts school in September and later describes himself as an ordinary, overworked graduate student.
Holds a nominal company presidency	61 67 72 75	Supports Yuanlin Media and its artist Lu Budai, but explains that others handle actual company management.

Abilities & Skills

Knowledge of *Thorn*

• Recognizes major characters and recalls the novel’s relationships, threats, and broad timeline 1 6.
• Uses this knowledge to anticipate Wei Zexuan’s pursuit of Shen Duo and the danger surrounding You Gui 6 9 12.
• Limit: His understanding comes from the written story, not firsthand experience. He initially underestimates Wei Zexuan’s brutality and fails to notice You Gui’s growing suspicion of him 11 12.
• Limit: Events increasingly diverge from the book, making its timeline less reliable 47 51.

Languages & Teaching

• Demonstrates German proficiency that Anna considers more professional than that of many online instructors 21.
• Tutors Xiao Rong privately and later teaches English at elementary-school level 21 47.
• Prepares beyond the teacher-interview syllabus and successfully completes the required qualification process 18.

Voice Work

• Has a distinctive, gentle, husky voice that listeners find appealing 1 29.
• Performs a supporting voice role for Xiao Ying’s dubbing group 47.
• Turns down further dubbing projects while preparing for postgraduate examinations 56.

Protective Improvisation

• Pretends not to know Xiao Rong, then feigns indifference to his safety so Wei Zexuan will stop treating the boy as leverage 23.
• Warns You Gui about Wei Zexuan and encourages her to leave the Wei Corporation 8 12.
• Limit: He has no demonstrated combat expertise; when surrounded by bodyguards, he relies on persuasion, yielding, or outside help 12 23.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Teacher Qualification Certificate — The credential he earns while seeking a route out of the Wei household 18.
• Maternal ring — Takes a ring from the original Shi Yuan’s mother’s belongings after confronting Shi Guohua 17.
• Scooter — Used for everyday travel; its maximum speed is thirty kilometers per hour 31.
• Car — A New Year’s gift from Wei Zelin. Shi Yuan initially worries about damaging it and drives home under his guidance 51.
• Matching wedding ring — Exchanged with Wei Zelin during their first anniversary celebration 56.
• Manor — Bought for him by Wei Zelin; the couple celebrate their anniversary there among flowers and horses 56.
• Cloud Peak residence — Their later home and housewarming venue. The courtyard property covers eleven mu, with a purchase price of 1.8 billion and a further 200 million budgeted for renovation and design 59 64.
• Property and shares — Transferred to him by Wei Zelin, with Pan Ying arranging staff and a financial adviser to assist 55.
• School backpack — A lightweight cream-colored bag with a gold charm depicting a cartoon Shi Yuan seated on a chair 67.

Relationships

• Wei Zelin — Husband and eventual chosen partner. Initial distrust gives way to intimacy, a shared home, and lasting commitment; Shi Yuan ultimately reveals his otherworldly origin to him 2 29 32 35 82.
• You Gui — Close friend whom he encourages to protect and value herself. He helps her leave the Wei Corporation, supports her after mistreatment, and later accompanies her to her new apartment 8 14 16 67.
• Wei Zexuan — Former patron of the original character and Shi Yuan’s principal early persecutor. Responds to Shi Yuan’s independence with threats, beatings, abduction, and interference with his employment 12 14 22 23.
• Shi Guohua — Father of the original character. Shi Yuan rejects his attempts to use the marriage to save the family business and refuses to endanger himself or Wei Zelin for him 16 17 18.
• Shen Duo — Receives Shi Yuan’s encouragement to recruit You Gui and later rescues Shi Yuan from Huang Shiren’s clubhouse 8 14.
• Ren Zhi — Introduces him to the Ren family’s tutoring opportunity and helps him obtain school employment 21 47.
• Ren Zheng / Director Ren — Xiao Rong’s father and Shi Yuan’s employer; provides a recommendation supporting his teaching career 21 29 47.
• Ren Yunrong / Xiao Rong — German pupil who gradually becomes less guarded around him. Shi Yuan protects him when Wei Zexuan threatens them 21 23.
• Xiao Ying — Friend who invites him into voice acting, creates their shared WeChat group, and gives him a cactus for his home 47 52 58.
• Lu Budai — Artist under his company and friend outside work. Shi Yuan supports his competition career while opposing rigged results 67 72.
• Lu Buxi / Xiao Xi — Lu Budai’s younger sister. Shi Yuan arranges nearby kindergarten enrollment and care at Cloud Peak while her brother trains 64 67.
• Huang Shiren — Oversees his early captivity and beatings, then later appears among Wei Zelin’s subordinates. Shi Yuan agrees to leave the past behind but asks him not to use “sister-in-law” 14 15 51.
• Han Siyuan — Friend who accompanies him on outings and alerts him to the online smear campaign 75.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Breaking with the Original Plot

• Sells the original character’s expensive clothes secondhand to raise money and begins studying for teaching qualifications 5 6.
• Befriends You Gui instead of helping Wei Zexuan harm her, encouraging Shen Duo to recruit her away from the Wei Corporation 8 11.
• Is detained and beaten for defying Wei Zexuan; Shen Duo finds and frees him after three days 12 14.
• Supports You Gui’s decision to prioritize herself rather than preserve her relationship with Shen Duo simply because they are the canonical couple 14 15.

Choosing Wei Zelin

• Their growing domestic closeness culminates in a passionate kiss after Wei Zelin brings him home from a night market 29.
• Confronts Wei Zelin over his admitted involvement in Shi Yuan’s and Xiao Rong’s kidnapping, punches him, and states that he has promised Wei Ming a divorce 32.
• Softens after hearing Wei Zelin’s childhood history and seeing the apartment prepared for them at Bookish Garden. Wei Zelin respects his request to stop their intimacy and promises not to use his friends again 32.
• Decides to trust the relationship wholeheartedly and later agrees to follow Wei Zelin to S City 35 47.

Building a Shared Life

• Moves to S City, pursues postgraduate study, and celebrates his first wedding anniversary at the manor 53 55 56.
• Helps establish a supportive environment for Lu Budai and Xiao Xi, including housing, schooling, and artist training 61 64 67.
• Offers assistance to Ma Xiaowu and supports her right to decide whether she will raise her seriously ill baby 78.

Public Attacks and Final Abduction

• Becomes the subject of edited videos portraying him as a bully, alongside false rumors about his marriage and conduct at a bar 75.
• Notices Fan You following the couple and warns Wei Zelin 78.
• Is abducted by a female assassin hired through Lu Hao’s involvement. As she forces him into the sea, he experiences traumatic memories of an earlier encounter with Wei Zexuan in deep water 82.
• Wei Zelin rescues him, brings him home for treatment of his neck wound, and investigates those responsible 82.
• At a mountain temple, Shi Yuan enshrines memorial tablets bearing his parents’ names and tells Wei Zelin that he came from another world. Wei Zelin accepts the revelation and identifies the world containing Shi Yuan as his home 82.

Notable Quotes

“You Gui, you have to learn to love yourself before you can know how to love someone else.” 14

“Anywhere is good as long as you're there.” 45

“It's just a title. If I actually had to run it, would I have had the energy to study for the graduate entrance exam? I'm just an ordinary, overworked grad student.” 75

Trivia

• Especially loves fruit and desserts, which remind him of the food his parents prepared when he came home during school breaks 10.
• His early cooking experience consists only of washing dishes; despite accumulating kitchen equipment, he initially learns little beyond simple soup 26 52.
• Often forgets to water Xiao Ying’s cactus, but it continues to grow 52.
• Tests this world’s acceptance of his attraction to men by declining a woman’s request for his contact information. Her lack of disgust reassures him 22.
• Jokes that Wei Zelin reverses “Mencius’s Mother’s Three Moves”: each increasingly large home seems designed to make him study less and play more 59.