Zhang Ke

Biodata

Background / History

Original Life

Zhang Ke’s adolescence was overturned by the wrongful bribery case against deputy mayor Tang Xueqian. His father, Zhang Zhixing, was pushed out of municipal government and falsely regarded as the man who had betrayed Tang. His mother, Liang Gezhen, subsequently lost her government position and was laid off from her replacement workplace in 1998. The family’s financial circumstances improved only after Zhang Ke graduated from university and advanced at Haizhou Longyu Group 1 2.

The case also destroyed his relationship with Tang Jing, who believed his father had framed hers. Although they attended the same high school class, she refused to speak to him before eventually going abroad. Zhang Ke became cynical after his family’s downfall, but later built a successful management career rather than accepting his uncle’s offer to join the family construction business 2 10 42.

In 2008, a traffic collision interrupted his journey to work while he was speaking to Zhang Jing by phone. A black hole swallowed his soul, after which he awoke in his teenage body 1 2.

Return to 1994

Initially convinced that he might be dreaming, Zhang Ke recognized his younger parents, his former home, and his sixteen-year-old appearance. He eventually confirmed that he had returned fourteen years to the summer of 1994 2 3 4.

Remembering a fatal traffic accident on July 18, he went to North Street and rescued a little girl from beneath the wheels. The evening news reported four deaths rather than the five he remembered, proving that he could change events. The child was Zhitong, granddaughter of provincial official Xu Xueping 3 4 17 38.

Exposing Tang Xueqian’s Frame-Up

Zhang Ke initially focused on preserving his father’s position rather than clearing Tang Xueqian for its own sake. He approached Xu Si because her testimony had been crucial to Tang’s original conviction. Learning more about her distress—and seeing Tang Jing’s dependence on him—changed his attitude toward both families 5 6 7 11.

Working with Zhang Zhixing and Zhang Zhifei, he urged secrecy, warned that Ye Xinming could not be trusted, and helped gather evidence against municipal Party secretary Ding Xiangshan. He recognized the importance of Zeng Jianhua’s notebook even though its entries were difficult for outsiders to interpret 10 13.

The notebook exposed discrepancies between the alleged 270,000 yuan in bribes and more than four million yuan in other recorded payments. After discovering that Zeng had fled and police were watching his home, Zhang Ke helped his father leave unnoticed and pressed for an immediate journey to the provincial capital 14.

Father and son submitted photographs and the notebook to Xu Xueping, then joined the Provincial Procuratorate’s Special Investigation Team. Xu Si ultimately admitted that Ding Xiangshan had coerced her into framing Tang. Tang was cleared, Ding was arrested, and Zhang Zhixing subsequently became Municipal Government Secretary-General 16 18 19 21 26 30.

Helping Xu Si and Zhitong

Zhang Ke remained concerned about Xu Si even after Tang’s vindication. Having learned of her family’s struggle to pay for Xu Wei’s medical treatment, he borrowed 120,000 yuan from Zhang Zhifei to help her. When the investigation team decided not to prosecute Xu Si, he asked her to become his representative in adult affairs where his age would undermine his credibility 27 35.

He also spent extended periods accompanying Zhitong after the accident. By mid-August, she could leave the villa courtyard and see cars without trembling, although she still had not resumed speaking 30.

Haiyu Company and the Mobile Phone Business

Zhang Ke identified Haiyu Company’s general manager, Xie Zhan, as a beneficiary of its chaotic financial controls rather than merely an incompetent administrator. He proposed allowing Xie Zhan to obtain a bank loan, then freezing the funds and threatening to withdraw Xie Wanqing’s investment. Xie Wanqing used the resulting ten-million-yuan loan as leverage to demand his departure 24 25 26 30.

With her permission, Zhang Ke began using Haiyu’s Haizhou office to pursue digital mobile phone distribution. Xu Si became office manager, while he recruited four employees and directed the marketing strategy 38 46 47.

He approached Shengxin Company about Ericsson distribution rights, then advertised before securing an agreement. His proposal was to recruit retail partners who could jointly supply stock funding and form a citywide sales network. Ye Xiaotong was impressed, and Shengxin agreed to cooperate and relax its initial stock-funding requirements, with detailed negotiations still to follow 40 41 49 50.

High School Reputation

Zhang Ke entered Haizhou No. 1 High School after placing third in the West District entrance examination. During the opening weeks, he slapped Zhao Siming and confronted Wan Tiancai to deter their harassment of Chen Feirong and other girls 4 34.

The confrontation unexpectedly placed him above Wan Tiancai among the school’s notorious “Four Young Masters.” Rather than repair his image with his homeroom teacher, Li Zhifang, he deliberately behaved frivolously so that she would stop treating him as a promising student requiring close supervision 43 44.

Appearance

• Initial teenage appearance: Thin and pale, with a pointed chin, thin lips, and a little down above his upper lip; his recent fever left him looking sickly 3.
• After military training: Gained weight and firmer muscles, developed a healthier complexion, and appeared more mature 34.
• Later appearance: Tall and straight, with a lean, sharply defined face, amber-toned skin from summer sun, and deep, keen eyes 45 46.
• Deliberate presentation: Chooses older-looking clothes and consciously sharpens his expression to appear credible during business meetings and recruitment interviews 43 45.

Personality

Zhang Ke combines adult calculation with a teenager’s opportunity to act without restraint. He understands how status, appearances, and personal connections shape official life, and frequently presents his experience as precociousness rather than revealing his return from the future. He also willingly yields attention when doing so benefits his father, declining to accompany him before the provincial standing committee 8 10 18.

His protectiveness coexists with self-interest. He initially wants to preserve the comfortable position of an official’s son, but becomes personally committed to helping Tang Jing, Xu Si, and Zhitong. His concern for vulnerable schoolgirls also drives his confrontation with Zhao Siming and Wan Tiancai 5 11 30 34.

He is flirtatious, irreverent, and capable of calculated humiliation. After overturning Zhang Zhiwei’s dinner table, he explains that an adult doing the same might have provoked a fight, whereas a child could force his relative to swallow the insult. He continues to resent the family’s treatment in his original life even after its fortunes improve 14 31 35.

Abilities & Skills

Future Knowledge

Retains memories of the fourteen years between 1994 and 2008 4.

• Anticipates the North Street accident and changes its outcome 3 4.
• Recognizes people and connections involved in Tang Xueqian’s original conviction 7 10.
• Identifies digital mobile phones as an opportunity before analog handsets become obsolete 10 40.
• His recollection is incomplete: he must still investigate Ding Xiangshan’s motives and Xu Si’s involvement rather than knowing every detail in advance 7 19.

Political Analysis and Improvisation

Reads official relationships and identifies the risks behind apparently straightforward actions 8 10.

• Questions whether Ye Xinming’s instruction for his father to leave Haizhou is a trap 8.
• Uses his youth to approach Tang’s watched apartment less conspicuously than an adult could 10 11.
• Distracts plainclothes officers by pretending to recognize one of them 14.
• Correctly anticipates opportunities for his father’s promotion following Tang’s vindication 26 30.

Business Management and Marketing

Draws on practical experience as a department head and branch manager at Longyu Group 46.

• Diagnoses weaknesses in financial oversight and the incentives that allow managers to skim company funds 24 25.
• Conducts recruitment interviews and selects a four-person team 46.
• Builds a distribution proposal around partner funding, shared inventory needs, and a retail network 49.
• Maintains employee confidence before the proposed Ericsson agency is secured, concealing how uncertain the venture remains 47 50.

Go

Studied Go in childhood and resumed it after his family’s downfall in his original life 4.

• Recognizes and recalls games from his father’s Go book 4.
• Defeats Zhang Zhixing with a clear advantage across the opening, middle game, and endgame 4.
• Also defeats Xu Xueping, who remarks that he had not lost a game in years 26.

English

Can read English technical material and identify errors in Xu Si’s translation, despite nominally asking her to tutor him 41.

Relationships

• Zhang Zhixing — Father and investigative partner. Zhang Ke seeks to prevent his original disgrace and gradually earns recognition as someone capable of discussing political decisions 1 10 28.
• Liang Gezhen — Mother. Closely supervises his studies and friendships, while sometimes joining his schemes, including the admission celebration that becomes an official banquet 30 31 37.
• Zhang Zhifei — His father’s younger cousin, whom he calls uncle. Remained loyal to the family in both timelines; provides transport, investigative assistance, and the 120,000-yuan loan 9 10 27.
• Tang Jing — Childhood attachment and classmate. Their original estrangement arose from the belief that his father betrayed hers; the changed timeline restores her trust and brings them into Class Ten together 11 21 42.
• Tang Xueqian — His father’s friend and political superior. Publicly honors Zhang Ke with a toast after the investigation, surprising officials who do not understand the boy’s contribution 21 33.
• Xu Si — Close companion, tutor, and business representative. He promises to protect her, helps her through the investigation, and recruits her to manage the Haiyu office 7 35 38 47.
• Zhitong — Child he rescues from the traffic accident. Becomes deeply attached to him and relies on his company during her recovery 17 18 30.
• Xie Wanqing — Zhitong’s mother and Haiyu’s owner. Trusts him because of the rescue and his business judgment, but insists that his ventures must not interfere with school 25 38.
• Xu Xueping — Provincial official and Zhitong’s grandfather. Supports the review of Tang’s case and repeatedly praises Zhang Ke’s perception and maturity 17 18 26.
• Du Fei — Close friend in both lives. Zhang Ke values his fairness and lack of arrogance; at school, Du Fei agrees to help restrain Wan Tiancai 1 33 34.
• Ye Xiaotong — Shengxin representative and business contact. Initially challenges Haiyu’s finances and advertising, then becomes impressed by Zhang Ke’s distribution strategy 40 49 50.

Notable Quotes

“We only have one chance, and we have to use it to bring him down completely...” 10

“It takes a villain to tame a villain. Unless someone knocks down their arrogance with a hard slap, they’ll only become more brazen about doing bad things...” 34

“It’s still Zhang Ke. Ke as in ‘scrupulously fulfilling one’s duties.’ I haven’t changed my name.” 44