Xia Shule

Biodata

Background / History

High school and life abroad

Raised in luxury by affectionate parents, Xia Shule grew up accustomed to considerable freedom and family protection. His close school friends included Xiang Lin and Ruan Jiaojiao. When transfer student Jiang Gechen struggled to fit in, Xia Shule approached him, invited him to meals and PE, and helped him gain acceptance among their classmates 1 146 148.

Xia Shule developed feelings for Jiang Gechen and pursued him with breakfasts, luxury gifts, and open favoritism. Jiang Gechen privately saw his affection as an opportunity to exploit the Xia Family’s influence. Xiang Lin warned Xia Shule that Jiang might hurt him 147 148.

Because of his poor grades, Xia Shule’s family sent him abroad to improve his credentials. Lu Mingwen taught his university major; as the only Chinese student in the class, Xia Shule became particularly familiar with him, although his exam results repeatedly disappointed his teacher 1 41.

Original fate

After returning home, Xia Shule found Song Dimu at Jiang Gechen’s side. Under the plot’s influence, he became jealous and repeatedly mistreated Song Dimu, while Jiang Gechen’s initial indulgence encouraged him to continue 1.

At Old Mr. Yan’s birthday banquet, Zhou Anyang and Jiang Gechen arranged to drug Xia Shule and send him to a stranger’s bed. He injured himself to remain conscious, frightening the stranger away. The resulting trauma left him mentally shattered, and he subconsciously suppressed memories of the incident 2 5 34.

Later, Jiang Gechen killed him by drowning after finding Song Dimu struggling in the water with Xia Shule on the bank. After Xia Shule’s death, the Xia Family went bankrupt and his parents died by suicide. Xia Shule awakens with knowledge of this fate and recognizes himself as a supporting character used to advance the male leads’ romance 1.

Appearance

• Face and eyes: Delicate, youthful features and large, bright eyes; both Yan Zhiyi and his friends remark on his beauty 3 5 43.
• Build: Small-framed and slender, especially beside Yan Zhiyi 8 118.
• Clothing: Wears both youthful casual outfits, such as sky-blue overalls over a white T-shirt, and expensive formal suits 18 51 58.
• Distinguishing injury: A wrist wound requires repeated bandaging, a protective brace, and later scar-reduction patches 27 46.

Personality

Xia Shule is spoiled, outspoken, and quick to retaliate when provoked. He readily invokes his family’s influence and sees no shame in relying on his parents or husband. His sharp tongue can turn a confrontation into a public humiliation, and he is willing to use less direct retaliation, including blocking the Du relatives’ employment prospects 22 43 52.

His protectiveness is equally pronounced. He defends Yan Zhiyi while believing him to be an ordinary gardener, insists that honest work deserves respect, and intervenes when Song Dimu is bullied. He remains willing to help others despite the possibility of being hurt himself 8 9 20 23.

After awakening, he acknowledges his mistreatment of Song Dimu and tries to make amends rather than continuing their rivalry. He also becomes more self-aware about his temper, recognizing occasions when he can remain calm instead of immediately exploding. His emotions remain easy to read, particularly when painful memories overwhelm him 22 23 75.

Abilities & Skills

Fighting and self-defense

Xia Shule is capable in a fight, though he is not physically unbeatable 24 54.

• Defeats Du Jianhao in a fistfight despite an existing wrist injury 24.
• States that he knows a little sanda, alongside fencing and archery 109.
• Is explicitly weaker than Jiang Gechen in a one-on-one fight; friends and Yan Zhiyi’s protection help change that imbalance 54.
• Uses a concealed short knife to resist Jiang Gechen’s attempted sexual assault, inflicting repeated but nonfatal wounds 133.

Cultivated accomplishments

Xia Shule attributes his access to numerous expensive pursuits to his privileged upbringing 109.

Social influence and company oversight

Xia Shule is adept at charming elders and using his position to intervene in disputes, but does not claim credit for Shengshi’s success 4 28 103.

• Wins over the Yan Family Old Master through affectionate conversation and a carefully sourced ink painting 4.
• Requests improved contract terms for Song Dimu and offers him well-paid assistant work 28 36.
• Advises Su Jin to dismiss two people whose dispute threatens Shengshi’s reputation 28.
• Challenges Su Jin’s reliance on rumors and assumptions when judging him 22.
• Credits Su Jin with running Shengshi and Yan Zhiyi with founding it 103.

Knowledge of the original plot

Rebirth gives Xia Shule knowledge of his former fate and the novel’s characters, which he uses to seek protection and avoid repeating his previous choices 1 3.

• Recognizes Zhou Anyang’s false friendship and rejects his fake invitation 2.
• Identifies Yan Zhiyi as a potential protector whose power exceeds the Jiang Family’s 3.
• Knows when his previous death occurred, making his birthday and the following days especially significant 16 76 97.
• Has incomplete knowledge: he initially knows nothing about Yan Zhiyi’s older sister, Yan Zhishu 29.

Health and Trauma

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Bright-red sports car — His favorite car. In the original future, Jiang Gechen sold it as scrap after his death 9.
• Protective wrist brace — Applied by Xu Wenchuan to prevent further strain on his repeatedly reopened wound 27.
• Scar-reduction patches — Waterproof, sweatproof patches purchased in bulk by Yan Zhiyi 46.
• Small kitchen knife — Carried after a fortune-teller advises him to keep the smallest, thinnest object from the southeast corner with him; becomes his means of resisting Jiang Gechen 127 133.
• Lego and fuse beads — Hobbies he shares with Yan Zhiyi during quiet time together 69 75.

Relationships

• Yan Zhiyi — Husband, protector, and eventual romantic partner. Xia Shule initially mistakes him for a gardener and defends him without knowing his identity. Their contractual arrangement develops into mutual love and emotional reliance 3 8 15 20 75 88 118.
• Xia Dunrong and Ming Yue — Loving parents who indulge him and support his choices. They are relieved that his intended husband is not Jiang Gechen 18 148.
• Xiang Lin — Close friend nicknamed Linzi. Fiercely loyal, readily joins his confrontations, and helps him keep track of gossip and company matters 13 23 43 54.
• Ruan Jiaojiao — Protective school friend whose teasing and sarcastic delivery conceal genuine concern. She watches for people who might exploit him 50 54 146.
• Song Dimu — Former target of his plot-driven jealousy, later his friend, employee, and variety-show companion. Xia Shule protects him from bullying and supports his financial independence and career 23 28 30 36 103 107.
• Jiang Gechen — Former object of pursuit and the man who killed him in his previous life. Xia Shule rejects him after awakening; Jiang subsequently threatens, drugs, restrains, and attempts to sexually assault him 1 2 54 132 133.
• Zhou Anyang — Former friend who secretly resents him and conspires with Jiang Gechen to drug him 2 13 14.
• Yan Family Old Master — An elder who remembers him fondly from childhood, welcomes his affection, and later defends him against the Song family 4 122.
• Xu Wenchuan — Doctor and friend who repeatedly treats his wrist. Xia Shule later confronts the workplace hostility surrounding him and suggests changing jobs 9 27 78 90.
• Lu Mingwen — Former university teacher and one of Yan Zhiyi’s friends. Their reunion exposes gaps in Xia Shule’s memory 41 45.
• Yan Zhishu — Sister-in-law and Jiang Gechen’s mother. Her dream reveals her son’s treatment of Xia Shule, and she responds to him with affection rather than defending Jiang 128 129.
• Lin Yushan — Longstanding rival whose resentment began after losing a school vote to him. By the finale, Xia Shule recognizes and encourages Lin’s effort to change 8 80 141.
• Wen Yuzhi — Attempts to unsettle him by implying a past romance with Yan Zhiyi. Xia Shule counters by exposing those claims directly to his husband 81 82 83.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Rejecting his assigned fate

Xia Shule is reborn at Old Mr. Yan’s birthday banquet immediately after Jiang Gechen shoves him into a table. He refuses Zhou Anyang’s invitation, ends his pursuit of Jiang, and confronts Jiang for accepting his gifts and benefits while treating him with contempt 1 2.

Seeking a stronger backer, he approaches the Yan household. Yan Zhiyi warns him of the drugging scheme and later rescues him when he is found bleeding and terrified. Recognizing the supposed gardener rather than his former attackers convinces Xia Shule that his future can change 3 5 6.

Contract marriage and Shengshi Entertainment

Yan Zhiyi prepares a prenuptial agreement, property documents, and the transfer of Shengshi Entertainment so Xia Shule will have financial security even if they divorce. They register their marriage the following day 15 20.

As Shengshi’s new owner, Xia Shule confronts Su Jin’s assumptions about him, intervenes in Du Jianhao’s bullying, and improves Song Dimu’s contract. His relationship with Song shifts from guilt and apprehension into friendship 22 23 24 28 30.

From protection to love

Yan Zhiyi’s close attention gradually becomes part of Xia Shule’s daily life. Nevertheless, nightmares and water-related fear show that changing his circumstances has not erased his trauma 51 64 69.

After Yan Zhiyi explains why Xia Shule’s defense of him mattered so deeply, Xia Shule shares the secret that their world is a novel and that he was destined to die as its villainous supporting character. He later passes the date of his previous death, confirms his romantic relationship with Yan Zhiyi, and explicitly reassures him that he has chosen to stay 75 76 88 97 118.

Variety-show appearance

Xia Shule appears on a variety show alongside Song Dimu, introducing himself as a twenty-one-year-old who runs a small business and asking viewers to support his friend. When Bai Junwang belittles his lack of domestic skills, Xia Shule answers with his extensive accomplishments and openly acknowledges the advantages of his upbringing. Viewers respond by forming a fan club for him 103 107 109.

Calamity and recovery

A fortune-teller warns Xia Shule of an unavoidable calamity and tells him to carry a small object that can save his life. Xia Shule follows the instruction by keeping a small kitchen knife with him 127.

When Jiang Gechen attempts to sexually assault him, Xia Shule uses the knife to fight back. Yan Zhiyi finds him bloodied, disoriented, and unable to tolerate touch, then carries him away for medical treatment 132 133.

During his prolonged recovery, Xia Shule struggles between surrender and the desire to live. Yan Zhiyi’s repeated calls for him to awaken help strengthen that desire, and he gradually regains movement. By the finale, he affirms that he is a living person rather than a tool of someone else’s story. He then plans a group trip to Chestnut Tree Island and later confronts his fear of bathing alone 136 137 141 142.

Notable Quotes

“I regret giving you too much respect back then.” 2

“If you want to insult me, insult me. Leave other people out of it!” 8

“I’m Xia Shule. I’m no longer a tool written by someone, a tool in someone’s book. I’m me.” 141