Shen Rui

Biodata

Appearance

• Tall, muscular build: Shen Rui stands a full head taller than Su Weiwang; his muscles are particularly noticeable during archery 20 26.
• Formal clothing: He wears a suit and leather shoes during the haunted-house outing and adjusts his clothes before leaving his company office 12 136.
• Imposing demeanor: His posture and reserved expression give him the air of a domineering CEO 6.
• Nearsightedness: He confirms that he is nearsighted, as are the other members of his family 37.

Personality

Shen Rui is normally reserved and formal. During an ideal-partner game, he handles the microphone as though delivering a speech and says he wants someone he feels a connection with. His composure does not prevent romantic nervousness: after apologizing to Su Weiwang, he watches his phone anxiously until a good-night message arrives 9 31.

He is fiercely protective of Shen Ting. He objects when Si Chen criticizes his absent brother and repeatedly attempts to keep Yan Yi from getting too close to him. This protectiveness can become impulsive: after misunderstanding a conversation about Shen Ting and Yan Yi’s night together, he picks up a rock and has to be restrained by Su Weiwang. The conversation turns out to concern a video game 5 68 74 84.

With Su Weiwang, Shen Rui becomes patient, reassuring, and openly affectionate. He comforts him over his poor coordination, helps him become comfortable on horseback, and values spending time together more than winning a race. As their relationship develops, his initially cold manner gives way to smiles and gentle teasing 65 86 87.

He also has a calculating streak. He uses an excuse about uncleaned guest rooms to arrange for Su Weiwang to share his room, and later admits to passing information about Su Weiwang’s adoptive parents to a creditor who is his friend 101 141.

History

Family background

Shen Rui grew up in the Shen family and studied equestrianism from childhood. He remembers Shen Ting falling from a horse at ten and subsequently refusing to ride. He also recalls his younger brother abruptly developing an aversion to eggs and becoming increasingly rebellious around the same age 79 84 95.

Shen Ting’s recollections describe Shen Rui as a genuinely devoted elder brother. Even in the novel’s original course, when Shen Rui had been thoroughly influenced by Su Yu, he continued to dote on his younger brother 7.

Early dating-show participation

At the show’s first gathering, Shen Rui defends Shen Ting against Si Chen’s complaints. However, his attention is divided between his brother and Su Yu. He recognizes that something is wrong with his own behavior and later tells Su Weiwang that seeing Su Yu sometimes makes him feel unable to control his body. The supplied passages do not establish the cause of this reaction 5 6 7 20.

His inconsistent attention becomes especially visible during the water-splashing game. After giving Su Yu a towel, Shen Rui is splashed himself and discovers that Su Weiwang has none left to offer him; Su Yu has two towels around his neck 16.

Shen Rui begins forming a closer connection with Su Weiwang through the show’s activities. He carries him away from Shen Ting’s chainsaw-wielding haunted-house performance, then later invites him to partner for dinner money. During their twenty-second eye-contact challenge, Shen Rui finds Su Weiwang’s nervousness endearing and visibly softens 12 20.

Growing closer to Su Weiwang

While paired with Si Chen at an archery range, Shen Rui confronts him about having visited Shen Ting. His remarks about the Su family contribute to public speculation about Su Yu and Su Weiwang’s identities. He subsequently sends Su Weiwang an apology and waits anxiously for his response 26 31.

Their partnership becomes increasingly affectionate. Shen Rui gives Su Weiwang his headlamp during mushroom picking, holds him close during bungee jumping, and admits during a viewer-question game that he likes someone on the show. Su Weiwang, in turn, names Shen Rui as the guest with whom he has the best rapport 37 40 61.

On the grasslands, Shen Rui patiently teaches Su Weiwang to ride before mounting behind him. He later says that being with Su Weiwang matters more than taking first place in a race. During the sheep-herding competition, he pulls Su Weiwang out of a charging sheep’s path and continues holding his hand afterward 86 87 91.

Kidnapping rescue

After dropping Su Weiwang at his apartment building, Shen Rui overhears men discussing a plan to kidnap him on the Su family’s behalf. He rushes upstairs, kicks open the apartment door, overpowers an attacker, and frees Su Weiwang. When another man swings a stool at him, Shen Rui blocks it with his arm and is injured 100.

Shen Rui leads Su Weiwang out of the building and asks him to drive them to the Shen residence, where the family doctor can treat him. Xiao Ran immobilizes his arm and prescribes rest, finding no particularly serious damage. Shen Rui explains that he brought Su Weiwang home because the Shen family can protect him from the Su family; Su Weiwang agrees to share his room and help care for him 100 101.

Learning the truth about Shen Ting

When Shen Ting awakens from an unexplained period of unconsciousness, Shen Rui learns that his brother’s soul was expelled at ten and replaced by another soul. This explains the personality changes he had witnessed and why the person occupying Shen Ting’s body wanted to move out at eighteen. Yan Yi identifies Su Yu’s grandfather as the man behind the ritual 107.

Becoming a couple

During the show’s confession sequence, Shen Rui tells Su Weiwang that he likes him and wants an official opportunity to protect him. Su Weiwang accepts, establishing their relationship 121.

By the later side story, Shen Rui is working at the Shen Group after his father’s retirement. He makes time to meet Su Weiwang after his shifts at a cake shop and takes him on his first amusement-park visit. They share cotton candy, play a water-gun game, and kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel. That night, Shen Rui tells his family that he intends to propose 136 137.

Confronting Su Weiwang’s adoptive parents

When Su Weiwang does not answer his message, Shen Rui leaves work early to find him. He discovers that Su Weiwang has scalded his foot and takes him to the hospital. After hearing about his adoptive parents’ demands, Shen Rui orders an investigation, which reveals debts exceeding three million. He supports Su Weiwang’s decision not to repay them and to sever ties instead 138 139.

Shen Rui stays overnight to care for him, then arranges a wheelchair and accompanies him to his adoptive parents’ village. During the confrontation, he shields Su Weiwang from his adoptive mother, who grabs his hair. Su Weiwang retaliates to protect him and insists on the agreement severing ties. Afterward, Shen Rui acknowledges that he helped alert one of the couple’s creditors to their whereabouts 140 141.

Proposal

After Su Weiwang obtains the agreement, Shen Rui buys a safe for his documents and money rather than letting him continue storing them beneath his mattress. He remains by his side during his recovery 142.

Shen Rui later arranges a proposal on a large lawn decorated with balloons, recreating Su Weiwang’s description of his dream wedding setting. He practices a love song for a week, sings it for him, and proposes on one knee before their family and friends. Su Weiwang accepts and wears the silver ring 142.

Abilities & Skills

Equestrianism

Shen Rui has trained in riding since childhood 79.

• Wins a horseback race against a herder by a narrow margin to obtain a task box 79.
• Demonstrates smooth mounting, controlled pacing, and confident handling of the reins 79.
• Teaches Su Weiwang basic posture and rein handling, initially leading the horse himself to ease his anxiety 86.

Archery

Shen Rui displays textbook shooting form at the archery range 26.

• Hits the bull’s-eye with every shot shown during his outing with Si Chen 26.

Physical Strength and Combat

Shen Rui is strong enough to carry Su Weiwang and move heavy luggage without visible difficulty 12 47.

• Breaks through an old apartment door with three forceful kicks 100.
• Uses evasive movement, kicks, and punches against Su Weiwang’s kidnappers 100.
• Sustains an arm injury while blocking a stool, requiring immobilization and rest 100 101.

Business Management and Investigation

Shen Rui handles company documents and works from an executive office at the Shen Group after his father retires 136.

• Prioritizes important work to free time for Su Weiwang 138.
• Directs his assistant to investigate Su Weiwang’s adoptive parents, receiving a debt report within thirty minutes 139.
• Arranges transport, a wheelchair, and protective assistance for their village visit 140.

Relationships

• Shen Ting — Younger brother. Shen Rui remains devoted to him, defends him from criticism, and remembers childhood changes that later prove connected to the soul-replacement ritual 5 7 84 95 107.
• Su Weiwang — Dating-show partner, boyfriend, and eventual fiancé. Their relationship develops through shared activities, mutual protection, and Shen Rui’s support against both the Su family and Su Weiwang’s adoptive parents 20 100 121 141 142.
• Yan Yi — Shen Ting’s romantic partner and Shen Rui’s recurring rival over access to his younger brother. Shen Rui obstructs their intimacy, while Yan Yi repeatedly turns his own tactics against him 68 74 101.
• Su Yu — Initially receives Shen Rui’s conflicted attention. Shen Rui recognizes an unwanted loss of bodily control around him, while Su Yu hopes to use his interest to make Shen Ting serve as a foil 7 16 20.
• Si Chen — Fellow participant whom Shen Rui confronts over his treatment of Shen Ting and his visit to him before filming 5 26.
• Mother and Father Shen — Parents. His mother encourages his relationship with Su Weiwang, while his father retires from the Shen Group before the later side story 101 136 137.
• Xiao Ran — Family doctor who treats his arm after the kidnapping rescue 101.

Notable Quotes

“Maybe. But I'm not particularly set on coming first in this race. Besides, compared with taking first place alone, being with you feels more important.” 87

“I like you. I want to protect you. Will you give me a chance to do that officially?” 121

“Xiaowan, you once said your dream wedding would be on a big lawn, with balloons and the person you love.” 142

Trivia

• Despite his competence in business and sports, Shen Rui struggles with cooking tutorials that specify seasoning quantities only as “to taste” 139.
• He wakes at exactly six in the morning, but allows himself a rare extra half hour in bed while holding Su Weiwang 140.
• His proposal song is his first attempt at singing a love song. After a week of practice, Milk Tea has begun fleeing whenever he sings 142.