Yu Xinyan

Biodata

Background / History

Yu Xinyan is the visual member of a hugely popular boy band, while his bandmate Yuan Man is its all-round ace. Their fan pairing, “Taro Balls,” holds the top position on shipping charts year-round before Starstruck Moments and has a large, fiercely protective following 8.

An eye-contact challenge with Yuan Man at an idol sports meet marks the beginning of Yu Xinyan’s ability to hear his thoughts. Viewers also identify that event—and Yuan Man’s affectionate gaze during it—as the starting point of their ship’s popularity 18.

Yu Xinyan joins Starstruck Moments intending to dismantle the pairing without taking the blame himself. He hopes that evidence of Yuan Man having a romantic or sexual life unrelated to him will gradually turn fans away from the ship 14.

Appearance

• Silver hair: His hair is long enough to need tying back. He complains about the hairstyle his company requires him to maintain 15.
• Professional visual: His looks are his designated role within the band 8.
• Image-conscious mannerisms: He poses to attract Yuan Man’s attention and smooths his hair while pretending to be composed after nearly stumbling on the stairs 12 19.

Personality

Yu Xinyan is proud, competitive, and easily embarrassed by his own affection. He repeatedly insists that he does not like men or Yuan Man, even while privately wanting to kiss him. His outward indifference also conceals enthusiastic reactions to things he enjoys, such as a restaurant date, steak, and dessert 19 20 30.

Much of his jealousy comes from uncertainty. While he can hear Yuan Man’s thoughts, he feels secure knowing that Yuan Man constantly compares other people favorably to him. Once that reassurance disappears, he becomes anxious about possible rivals and intervenes when Yuan Man approaches another performer. He remains sensitive to public judgment, worrying about fan backlash, looking foolish if his date invitation is not reciprocated, and criticism of his eating habits 18 25 26 30.

He also enjoys teasing his fellow contestants, particularly about their romantic interests, but becomes defensive when they return the favor. Despite the banter, he joins the others in making birthday noodles for Song Nianxing 31 41 42 50.

Abilities & Skills

Mind Reading

Yu Xinyan initially hears Yuan Man’s inner voice, exposing the affection and desire beneath his bandmate’s outward antagonism 9 11.

• Origin: Begins after their eye-contact challenge at an idol sports meet 18.
• Restriction: Yuan Man is the only person whose thoughts he can hear 11.
• Information gained: He learns that Yuan Man admires his appearance, wants physical intimacy with him, and privately calls him “hubby” 9 11 14.
• Loss: By the following morning, he can no longer hear Yuan Man’s thoughts. He initially wonders whether Yuan Man is simply thinking nothing or whether the ability itself has disappeared 18 19 20.
• Reversal: Yuan Man subsequently begins hearing Yu Xinyan’s thoughts instead. Yu Xinyan remains unable to hear Yuan Man, including during the island portion of the show 25 26 42.

Piano

Yu Xinyan practices piano in the villa’s back garden. He claims to know one piece well enough to play it backward with his eyes closed, but plays a wrong note when Yuan Man’s appearance distracts him during their eye-contact task 19.

Cooking

• Makes clear-broth longevity noodles for Song Nianxing’s birthday and competes with the other guests to have his bowl chosen 31.

Equipment / Items

• Pink piggy hair tie: Given to him by Du Yuesi after Yuan Man offers a hair tie to Chen Mingyi. He accepts it gratefully; he had previously refused Yuan Man’s repeated offers 15.

Relationships

• Yuan Man — Bandmate, the other half of “Taro Balls,” and his developing romantic interest. Their connection shifts from antagonistic banter and concealed attraction to dates, tent-sharing, and reciprocal kisses. Their mind-reading abilities operate in opposite directions at different points 8 25 26 30 45 50.
• Du Yuesi — Fellow contestant whom he initially finds intriguing because her combination of thoughtfulness and assertiveness reminds him of Yuan Man. He selects her for his first romantic message, but spends their later date repeatedly talking about Yuan Man 12 15 17 42.
• Chen Mingyi — Frequent teasing partner. She mocks his attention-seeking pose, and they later challenge each other over their supposed interest in Yuan Man and Du Yuesi 12 42.
• Song Nianxing — Fellow contestant whom he initially treats as a possible rival for Yuan Man’s attention. Their later interactions include birthday celebrations, teasing about Shen Siyi, and arguments over intimacy-task scores 11 13 31 41 50.
• Xu Sui — Senior at his company. Yu Xinyan greets him respectfully and rebukes Si Bonian for speaking disrespectfully about him, but privately worries that Xu Sui might attract Yuan Man 44 45.
• Si Bonian — Friend and company contemporary. Yu Xinyan enthusiastically encourages him to pair with Xu Sui; Si Bonian later teases him about pursuing a second kiss with Yuan Man 44 45 50.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Tasks and Romantic Messages

Yu Xinyan and Yuan Man choose each other for the first intimacy task. Yu Xinyan frames his choice as accepting a challenge, while Yuan Man’s private use of “hubby” immediately unsettles him 9.

His possessiveness surfaces when Yuan Man calls Song Nianxing cute in his thoughts. Yu Xinyan unconsciously poses to regain his attention, then occupies a seat beside Song Nianxing to prevent Yuan Man from sitting there 11 12 13.

Despite their mutual task selection, Yu Xinyan sends his first romantic message to Du Yuesi, writing that her actions feel familiar and draw his attention. Yuan Man chooses Yu Xinyan instead, provoking arguments among viewers when the mismatch is revealed 17 18.

Silence and Reversed Mind Reading

During their piano-side eye-contact task, Yu Xinyan realizes that he wants to kiss Yuan Man. Alarmed, he tells him not to choose him again. He later regrets the wording, recognizing that Yuan Man may have mistaken his discomfort with his own feelings for rejection, but decides not to explain because the misunderstanding might help end their ship 19 20.

Without access to Yuan Man’s thoughts, he grows increasingly uneasy. At a work venue, he stops Yuan Man from touching another idol’s face and drags him away, only to learn they were discussing skincare products. The incident forces him to consider whether his reaction is jealousy 25.

At the same time, Yuan Man begins hearing his thoughts. An initial denial of attraction sounds like hatred, but Yu Xinyan’s later worries about their date invitations reveal his attachment—and disclose that he previously heard Yuan Man’s thoughts 25 26.

Dates and Increasing Attachment

The two match for their first date. Yuan Man takes him to a Western restaurant he secretly loves, orders his favorite charcoal-grilled steak, and offers to share dessert. Yu Xinyan maintains a casual exterior while privately delighting in the choices and wishing Yuan Man would kiss him 26 30.

His later date with Du Yuesi remains centered on Yuan Man: he compares their food with the previous date and wonders what Yuan Man is eating. Du Yuesi recounts this on the island, leaving him embarrassed and worried that Yuan Man will find him too clingy 42.

Island Pairing and Kiss Task

Yu Xinyan and Yuan Man pair up for the island’s tent-sharing and intimacy task. Worried by Xu Sui’s selection of Yuan Man, Yu Xinyan eagerly promotes a Xu Sui–Si Bonian pairing instead, while insisting to himself that his own attachment is merely habit 45.

Their kiss is later shown in the task replay. Impatient with Yuan Man’s delay, Yu Xinyan demands to know whether he intends to make them receive a punishment. Yuan Man pulls him down by the collar and kisses him; after they separate, Yu Xinyan leans in for another kiss 50.

When Si Bonian points out that he pursued the second kiss, Yu Xinyan claims that each of them needed to complete the task separately. His unsolicited insistence that it was not because Yuan Man’s lips were “soft and sweet” only invites more teasing 50.

Notable Quotes

“Everything you do feels familiar to me and draws my attention.”
— His romantic message to Du Yuesi 17

“I've waited this long and you still haven't kissed me. What are you doing...”
— Quietly complaining before the island kiss task 50

“Him kissing me counted as his task, so I had to do mine too.”
— Explaining why he kissed Yuan Man again 50