Xu Chao

Biodata

Background / History

Childhood

Xu Chao grew up as the cherished youngest son of Xu Ruhan and Lin Zhiya, with three older brothers: Xu Dongsen, Xu Zhou, and Xu Chuan. His childhood memories include his father reading the Analects with him, his mother caring for him, and his brothers competing for his attention with toys and presents 86 97.

He was attached to Fu Sichen, who lived next door, from an early age. He called him “beauty” and “baby,” insisted on marrying him, and eventually decided that being Fu Sichen’s wife would let him enjoy life while Fu Sichen earned money for the household 91 98. He also befriended Lin Yang, defended him from bullying, and affectionately called him “Little Chubby” 82.

Displacement and Life in Another World

Five years before his identity is clarified, an intruder took over Xu Chao’s body. His family recognized that the occupant was not their son and withdrew from him out of grief and resentment. The intruder’s conduct—including his pursuit of Lou Jun and mistreatment of Lin Yang—was later mistakenly attributed to the real Xu Chao 94 95 96.

Meanwhile, Xu Chao lived in another world, where he grew up in an orphanage without relatives or close friends. He spent three years in the countryside and later worked his way from an extra to an acclaimed Best Actor. His acting career involved harassment from investors, hostility from colleagues, physical altercations, and persistent online abuse 3 19 28 40 86 99.

Fu Sichen brought him back at the cost of his own life. Xu Chao returned without understanding his true identity and believed he had transmigrated into a novel as a malicious supporting character who shared his name. By Chapter 96, he realizes that he returned to his own body approximately two months earlier 1 77 96.

Appearance

Xu Chao has a youthful, delicate appearance that contrasts with his insistence that he is handsome and masculine rather than pretty 73.

• Eyes: Round, almond-shaped eyes, frequently described as bright and expressive 3 9 13.
• Complexion: Fair skin that visibly flushes when he is embarrassed 16 25.
• Eyelashes: Dark, raven-feather-like lashes 25.
• Build: Long, slender legs and a slender, supple waist 16 26.
• Commercial styling: Appears in dirty denim overalls while herding pigs; his advertisement also features a white coat and gold-rimmed glasses 48.

Personality

Xu Chao is theatrical, quick-witted, and shamelessly playful. He counters insults with rapid retorts, argues with online detractors, and turns awkward situations into performances. His exaggerated declarations of devotion initially serve as a survival strategy around Fu Sichen, whom he believes to be a dangerous villain 2 5 8 38.

His clowning conceals considerable competence and loyalty. He refuses to abandon an injured Lin Yang, helps protect captives from armed mercenaries, and becomes fiercely distressed when Fu Sichen is hurt 19 32 73. Having lived without family in the other world, he is deeply moved by ordinary maternal concern and by being publicly recognized as a hero 40 86.

He openly enjoys good looks, money, food, and gifts. His childhood attraction to Fu Sichen continues into adulthood, although his confidence gives way to insecurity when he believes he is merely a replacement for someone Fu Sichen once loved 51 86 91. Professionally, he can acknowledge his own mistakes: when his performance falters during filming, he blames himself rather than resenting the director’s criticism 50.

Abilities & Skills

Acting and Improvisation

Xu Chao retains the experience acquired during his long acting career in the other world. Director Chen Lixin praises the naturalness of his performances, with almost every scene completed in a single take during early filming 3 47.

• Emotional control and line delivery: Demonstrates seasoned technique despite appearing to be a newcomer in his current career 47 50.
• Improvised deception: Plays an intimidating young master while Fu Sichen acts as his bodyguard, helping distract armed mercenaries and move captives to safety 32 33.
• Social performance: Uses tears, apparent innocence, and carefully framed questions to counter Jin Feng’s accusations before Old Master Fu 9.
• Limitations: Personal jealousy and uncertainty about Fu Sichen interfere with his ability to perform romantic scenes 50 51.

Outdoor Survival and Practical Craft

His countryside experience and work filming in mountainous areas provide practical skills that prove useful during Fake Husband and Wife 28 54.

• Identifies wild fruit and medicinal plants, including fruit that causes itchy red bumps 28 68.
• Finds water sources, prepares food, and handles camp cooking 20 28.
• Weaves a simple fishing net from durable ramie fibers 28.
• Locates people by sound; tracks Fu Sichen’s direction after hearing the crew lead him southeast 54.
• Understands pig raising and contributes ideas to his Pig-Raising Handbook commercial 13 43.

First Aid and Physical Experience

Xu Chao attributes some of his practical medical knowledge to repeated fights and injuries while working on sets in the other world 19.

• Resets Lin Yang’s displaced ankle and allows him time to rest rather than forcing him onward 19.
• Applies a medicinal herb to a tribesman’s wounded thigh 68.
• Has experience trading blows, though he is not presented as possessing Fu Sichen’s exceptional combat ability 19 68.

Performance and Persuasion

• Dance: Leads villagers in the Chick Dance and wins their performance contest by a wide margin 12.
• Piano: Fu Sichen remembers him playing a “Dreamlike Piano Piece” for him 50.
• Crowd engagement: Rallies villagers to demand Lou Jun repay his debt 12.
• Nonverbal communication: Uses gestures, confidence, and invented speech to establish contact with the island tribesmen; this is not demonstrated fluency in their language 68.
• Misdirection: Uses an ordinary lighter to impress the tribesmen, who interpret its flame as a miracle 69.

Fears and Vulnerabilities

• Water: A near-drowning in childhood leaves him reluctant to enter water or join the fishing expedition 28.
• Heights: Admits to being afraid when asked to jump down from a tree roughly three meters above the ground 68.
• Suppressed memories: Returning memories can cause severe distress and physical pain, culminating in his collapse during the confrontation over his identity 73 96 97.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Return and Marriage to Fu Sichen

Believing himself to be a doomed supporting character, Xu Chao rejects Shen Xinbai’s attempts to persuade him to divorce Fu Sichen. He instead publicly claims Fu Sichen as his husband and reasons that remaining faithful will keep him alive 1 2 8.

His relationship with Fu Sichen quickly becomes more intimate than he expects. Fu Sichen gives him fifty million yuan in spending money, brings him to meet Old Master Fu, and responds favorably to his affectionate reassurances despite displaying extreme jealousy 3 5 8.

First Survival Episode and Mercenary Incident

Xu Chao establishes himself as one of the show’s most resourceful guests. He wins the village contest, gives Lin Yang the prize supplies, recovers the five million yuan Lou Jun owes him, and arranges a feast for the villagers 12 13.

When armed mercenaries threaten the group, he and Fu Sichen coordinate an improvised deception that helps protect the captives and disarm their captor. The police arrest the mercenaries, and Xu Chao successfully argues that the contestants should be allowed to finish the race. He and Fu Sichen then claim first place 32 33.

The arrests also lead to the rescue of abducted women from Damai Village. Police later commend Xu Chao for helping solve the border case, and Fu Sichen pins a red flower on him with the words, “Dedicated to my hero” 34 40.

Career Breakthrough

During filming, Xu Chao misinterprets Fu Sichen’s memories of their shared past as affection for another person. Convinced he is a stand-in, he tries to protect himself emotionally by treating the marriage as a lucrative arrangement, even as his feelings continue to deepen 50 51.

Deserted Island and Returning Memories

In the second episode, Desert Island Survival, Xu Chao secures supplies from the crew and finds Fu Sichen. Later, he and Xu Zhou win the island tribesmen’s respect through their knowledge of plants, while Xu Chao’s lighter demonstration turns the encounter into a spectacle of reverence and a planned bonfire feast 54 68 69.

Fu Sichen’s self-inflicted wrist injury triggers a traumatic memory episode. Xu Chao attacks Lou Jun, calls Fu Sichen “Achen,” and briefly recognizes their childhood connection before Fu Sichen renders him unconscious 73. Further memories emerge through conversations with Lin Yang and the Xu family’s renewed affection 82 83 86.

Identity Revelation and Reconciliation

Shen Xinbai attempts to expose Xu Chao as a transmigrator. Although the accusation initially makes Xu Chao fear that he has stolen his family’s love, it instead helps him recognize that the earlier occupant was the intruder and that he himself has returned home 95 96.

As his memories break through the effects of hypnosis, he collapses. After briefly waking, he asks his mother not to let him be hypnotized again. Lin Zhiya refuses Fu Sichen’s proposal to arrange another session, and Xu Chao subsequently awakens and tells him, “Achen, I missed you so much” 96 97.

The main story ends with Xu Chao and Fu Sichen exchanging declarations of love 98.

Attempt to Save Fu Sichen

After recovering his memories, Xu Chao sees Fu Sichen cough up blood and confronts the danger his husband has concealed. The Taoist priest and mountain connected to Xu Chao’s return have disappeared, leaving no apparent way to seek the priest’s help 99 100.

Xu Chao proposes another route: exploiting his supposed position as the world’s malicious supporting character. He threatens Shen Xinbai and Lou Jun, reasoning that killing the protagonists would force the Heavenly Dao to intervene. The provided account does not establish whether this plan succeeds or Fu Sichen is cured 100 101.

Relationships

• Fu Sichen — Husband, childhood neighbor, and longtime love. Sacrifices his own lifespan to bring Xu Chao back, but attempts to prevent him from recovering memories that would make their impending separation more painful 50 77 97 98.
• Lin Zhiya — Mother. Recognizes the intruder’s arrival, welcomes her real son back, publicly defends him, and ultimately insists on his right to recover his memories 44 48 95 97.
• Xu Ruhan — Father. Supports and protects Xu Chao, but initially forbids revealing Fu Sichen’s condition to him 48 77 97.
• Xu Dongsen — Eldest brother. Gives him a card containing twenty million yuan and promises further material support 86.
• Xu Zhou — Second brother and a surgeon. Monitors Xu Chao’s health, helps him during the island encounter, and obtains the lead role in The Message for him 37 68 86.
• Xu Chuan — Third brother and a racing driver. Fu Sichen’s childhood friend; offers Xu Chao sports cars and protective support while resenting that his friend became his little brother’s husband 37 77 86.
• Lin Yang — Childhood best friend. Xu Chao protects him from bullies as a child and cares for him during the survival show; their shared memories help Xu Chao reconnect with his past 19 82 83 94.
• Chen Chong — Manager. Pushes him professionally, trades insults with him, and handles his growing career opportunities 4 42 43.
• Old Master Fu — Grandfather-in-law. Defends him against Jin Feng’s accusations and supports Lin Zhiya’s refusal to allow further hypnosis 9 97.
• Lou Jun — Target of the intruder’s romantic pursuit, whom the real Xu Chao repeatedly rejects. Repays five million yuan after Xu Chao publicly demands it 12 13 16 60.
• Shen Xinbai — Professional rival and persistent antagonist. Attempts to undermine his marriage, smear his reputation, and expose his identity 2 33 48 95.
• Gu Chengfeng — Film co-star who knew Xu Chao before his return. His familiarity and attention provoke Fu Sichen’s jealousy 48 49 50 54.

Equipment / Items

• Mermaid’s Tear ring — Given to Xu Chao by Fu Sichen during the second survival episode 54.
• Ramie fishing net — Handwoven during the jungle expedition for catching small crucian carp 28.
• Red commendation flower — Personally pinned on him by Fu Sichen after the police honor his contribution to the mercenary case 40.
• Buddha amulet — Given by his parents after ninety-nine days of prayer; Fu Sichen receives one as well 89.
• Sapphire cufflinks — A banquet gift from Xu Zhou to the couple 89.

Notable Quotes

“What happens between my husband and me is none of your business.” 2

“No! That costs extra!” 25

“Achen, I missed you so much.” 97

“If I slaughter the protagonists of this world, surely the Heavenly Dao will have to come out and intervene.” 101

Trivia

• His apparent “cultivation” is an act used to obtain a private conversation with Lin Yang, not a documented power system 81.
• He jokingly interprets returning childhood memories as a superpower that lets him revisit the past and change the future; Lin Yang enthusiastically agrees 83.
• His Best Actor achievement belongs to his career in the other world, not his initially modest entertainment career after returning home 43 99.