Xu Shuangrong

Biodata

Background / History

Xu Shuangrong was born into poverty and suffered extensively during childhood. She resolved to become a top star and award-winning actress, intending to surpass and crush the people who had bullied her. Xie Mi’s recollection of the original novel describes this ambition as having hardened her into someone willing to disregard morality and use others to achieve her goals 29.

After several unsuccessful dramas, she sought opportunities to approach award-winning actor Xiao Jingxi. Although she knew he had a girlfriend, she pursued publicity as his romantic partner. Their subsequent hit drama made her a rising actress, and Xiao Jingxi broke his usual practice of rejecting dating rumors to promote their pairing 1 29.

Original Novel’s Storyline

These events belong to the original plot remembered by Xie Mi, not necessarily the altered storyline.

• Dating-show romance: Xu Shuangrong and Xiao Jingxi initially staged their flirtation for publicity. She developed genuine feelings only near the end of the show, and they ultimately became a couple 1 8 29.
• Career ascent: She used You Hongxuan, Qiu Chengye, Liu Woxing, and other people as stepping stones toward success. You Hongxuan fell in love with her and met a miserable end after being used 2 29.
• Conflict with Lai Bingxuan: She isolated Lai from the other guests, who eventually worked together to bankrupt the Lai family while Xu remained behind the scenes 47.
• Yu Jinche’s obsession: Yu discovered her true nature but willingly allowed her to use him. After she abandoned him, he imprisoned her for a month 38.
• Ending: She confessed her schemes to Xiao Jingxi, who accepted her despite knowing she was not innocent. Their successful romantic ending coincided with the original Xie Mi being stabbed to death by an extreme shipper fan 1 29.

Appearance

• Build and complexion: Slender, with a fair face; her vulnerable presentation is repeatedly compared to a little rabbit 5 26 28.
• Makeup: Fresh and understated, with large-diameter colored contact lenses that make her eyes appear dewy and bright 4.
• Expressions: Frequently presents herself with gentle smiles, lowered eyes, rosy cheeks, or tearful vulnerability 4 15 29.
• Show disguise: Wears a rabbit mask during the introductory matching round 3 4.

Personality

Xu Shuangrong’s public persona is gentle, considerate, resilient, and unassuming. She readily offers concern, defends respected industry figures, and appears to prioritize others’ well-being. This presentation repeatedly wins approval from viewers and reinforces her image as a sweet, innocent actress 6 12 31 44.

Beneath that image, she is calculating and intensely ambitious. She researches useful acquaintances, cultivates intimacy deliberately, and uses apparent vulnerability to redirect blame or secure sympathy. When Xiao Jingxi ends their promotional partnership, she accepts graciously in front of him, then cries after he leaves—preserving his favorable opinion while encouraging viewers to condemn him 29 30.

Her composure is strong but not absolute. Shen Yeqing’s deliberate refusal to engage frustrates her, and Xie Mi repeatedly disrupts plans that depend on predictable reactions. By the aquarium confrontation, Xu recognizes Xie Mi as the largest disruption to her schemes and feels that she is slipping beyond her control 3 28 49.

Abilities & Skills

Acting and Emotional Presentation

• Maintains a gentle, accommodating expression even after embarrassing interactions, such as Shen Yeqing rejecting her concern over his injury 6.
• Performs staged romantic gestures convincingly enough to sustain the highly popular Xiao Rong pairing 8 11 21.
• Uses shifts from outward composure to private-looking distress to influence how viewers interpret a conflict 29.
• Her apparent heartbreak convinces Xiao Jingxi that she has genuine feelings for him, leaving him guilty and more inclined to look after her 47.

Social Strategy and Public Opinion

• Researches Liu Woxing’s preferences, chooses to share her room, and holds nightly conversations about life, dreams, and philosophy to become her best friend 30.
• Attempts to exploit Liu’s access to entertainment media by implying that Xie Mi secretly seduced Xiao Jingxi 29 30.
• Frames criticism as concern for someone else, as when she condemns Lai Bingxuan’s treatment of Xie Mi 47 48.
• Limit: Her strategies fail when others reject the intended interpretation. Liu refuses to blame Xie Mi, while Xie Mi openly challenges her attempts to use her against Lai 30 47 49.

Observation and Game Play

• Correctly identifies Xie Mi’s hidden task—feeding cookies to three male guests—and briefly takes first place by invalidating Xie Mi’s completion 10.
• Limit: Xie Mi has observed her own thirty-second eye-contact task from upstairs and immediately overturns her advantage 11.

Cooking

• Regularly cooks for herself because it costs less than ordering takeout 44.
• Takes over the seaside barbecue after Xiao Jingxi’s excessive use of oil causes a fire; her technique appears the most reliable among the guests 44.

Relationships

• Xiao Jingxi — Hit-drama co-star and contracted promotional partner in the Xiao Rong pairing. Their publicity arrangement ends during the show, but she later rekindles his interest while presenting herself as a supportive friend 1 29 50.
• Xie Mi — Rival and an intended tool in several schemes. Xie Mi knows her original-novel background, refuses to accept her innocent presentation, and warns her against using her as a shield 29 30 49.
• Liu Woxing — Roommate and cultivated best friend. Xu values her media influence, but Liu refuses to turn against Xie Mi and later mediates the dispute with Lai 30 48.
• Shen Yeqing — Initial masked date and later race partner. He rejects her advances at conversation, admits his apparent hearing difficulty was deliberate, and openly mocks her claim that Xie Mi needs protection from Lai 3 14 28 48.
• Lai Bingxuan — High-school classmate with whom she shares a deep grudge. Lai joins the show intending to make her miserable, and their confrontation escalates into an online publicity battle 47 48.
• You Hongxuan — In the original novel, falls in love with her on the dating show and is used by her, leading to a miserable outcome 2.
• Qiu Chengye — One of the people she uses during her original-novel rise to success 29.
• Yu Jinche — Original-novel admirer who recognizes her manipulative nature but accepts being used until she abandons him; he subsequently imprisons her 38.
• Ruan Feng — Industry acquaintance whom she greets warmly and defends when he clashes with Xie Mi 11 12.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Dating-Show Debut

Publicity Partnership Breakdown

Seaside Trip and Lai Bingxuan’s Arrival

Notable Quotes

“I am about to join a new production. You've been very thoughtful, so let's stop promoting the drama together.” 29

“All I know is that, when it comes to someone I like, his well-being will always matter more to me.” 44

“As your friend, I'll help get you and Ms. Xie together. And in return, when I get to know the other male guests later, you have to help me too.” 50