Shen Xinbai

Biodata

Background / History

Shen Xinbai comes from a family that rapidly accumulated wealth through real estate. Despite that wealth, the capital’s established families looked down on the Shens as nouveau riche. At elementary school, he was mocked as an illegitimate child, slapped, and forced to crawl between other children’s legs. Xu Chao repeatedly intervened to protect him and was the only young master willing to accept him 61 94.

His gratitude toward Xu Chao coexisted with jealousy of Xu Chao’s popularity and privileged upbringing. When Xu Chao abruptly became obsessed with Lou Jun, Shen Xinbai deliberately pursued Lou Jun and took satisfaction in watching his former benefactor become widely disliked. This change in Xu Chao is later revealed to have followed an intruder’s takeover of his body five years earlier 61 96.

Several years before the reality show, Shen Xinbai starred in the music video for Gu Chengfeng’s album lead single. He portrayed the singer’s unattainable love, or “White Moonlight” 54.

Appearance

• Handsome, delicate features: The narration emphasizes his exceptional looks, particularly when he appears vulnerable or tearful 22.
• Innocent-looking presence: During casting discussions, a producer describes him as having an innocent appearance and gentle manner 47.
• Slender build and pale skin: His exposed shoulders and chest are described during his attempt to win protection from an island captor 67.

Personality

Shen Xinbai cultivates a gentle, considerate public image. He uses tears, soft speech, apparent concern, and declarations of friendship to gain sympathy or pressure others. His attempts to borrow food and challenge Xu Chao’s supplies frame his own demands as concern for the group or professional ethics 27 57 59.

Jealousy drives much of his hostility toward Xu Chao. Their acting opportunities overlap, and he fears that Xu Chao’s popularity will cost him roles. He also resents the affection Xu Chao receives from Fu Sichen, his family, and the other guests. Privately, he regards the career and admiration promised to the original novel’s protagonist as rightfully his 33 61 95.

Under threat, Shen Xinbai prioritizes his own survival over loyalty. He exposes others to danger during the hornet attack, the mercenary encounter, and the island captivity. He is attracted to powerful, dangerous men, but his decision to abandon Lou Jun for a stronger captor is explicitly motivated by fear of being killed 2 22 32 66 67.

Abilities & Skills

Acting and Public Performance

Shen Xinbai works as an actor and can convincingly perform distress, innocence, and affection 47 88.

• Auditioned for the Little Heir; a producer praised his potential while acknowledging that his technique was not fully polished 47.
• Played the romantic lead in Gu Chengfeng’s music video 54.
• Sang a foreign-language song during the reality show’s talent showcase, although the villagers could not understand it 11.
• Uses controlled expressions, tears, and line delivery in his attempts to influence livestream audiences 61 88.

Social Manipulation and Publicity

He combines personal appeals with industry backing and paid online campaigns 27 47 51.

• Tries to separate Xu Chao and Fu Sichen by insisting that their marriage is false and urging divorce 2 13.
• Uses paid trolls to attack Xu Chao’s image, acting, film production, and relationship with Director Chen Lixin 48 51.
• Seeks additional investment from Feng to secure a contested role 47.
• Gradually loses influence as the other guests witness his conduct firsthand 57 59 95.

Survival Preparation

Shen Xinbai researches wilderness survival before filming, but his practical judgment repeatedly falls short 14 19 28.

• Misidentifies poisonous berries as edible wild raspberries and dismisses Xu Chao’s warning 14 16.
• Admits that his navigation led the group on several detours 28.
• Mistakes traces left by fugitives for clues to a production-team mission 32.
• Proposes a timber shelter without considering how the wood will be secured together 55.

Knowledge of the Novel

Shen Xinbai knows that his world corresponds to a novel and identifies himself and Lou Jun as its protagonists. He keeps his knowledge of Xu Chao’s apparent transmigration as a hidden trump card 95.

• Recognizes the significance of changes in Xu Chao’s personality and relationships 96.
• Incorrectly identifies the present Xu Chao as the intruder; his accusation instead helps Xu Chao realize that he has returned to his own body 96.
• Fails to convince the other guests, who dismiss his revelation 95 96.

Relationships

• Xu Chao — Childhood protector turned personal and professional rival. Shen Xinbai resents his popularity and later alleges, without substantiation in the provided account, that Xu Chao ordered his childhood bullying 33 61 94.
• Lou Jun — Boyfriend and fellow protagonist of the original novel. Their affectionate public image deteriorates as Lou Jun renews his interest in Xu Chao and witnesses Shen Xinbai betray him 18 61 67 88.
• Fu Sichen — An object of attraction whom Shen Xinbai tries to approach despite Xu Chao’s objections. Fu Sichen rejects his interference and threatens to kill him and Lou Jun if they continue targeting Xu Chao 2 13 24.
• Cheng Yu — Former supporter who comes to believe Shen Xinbai treated him as a disposable weapon. Cheng Yu recalls being encouraged to disturb a hornet’s nest and then being pushed into the water; he later refuses to share a shelter with him 57.
• Lin Yang — Hostile fellow contestant. Shen Xinbai has him thrown out of shelter during the hornet attack; Lin Yang later exposes his ingratitude toward Xu Chao 22 94.
• Zhou Nan — A sympathetic ally who embraces him and complies with his request to throw Lin Yang out of the tent. After Zhou Nan’s scandals emerge, Shen Xinbai promises help, then blocks him 22 52.
• Gu Chengfeng — Former music-video co-star. Shen Xinbai greets him enthusiastically when he joins the show, but Gu Chengfeng responds without particular warmth 54.
• Wang and Feng — His agent and financial backer, respectively. Shen Xinbai asks Wang to obtain more investment from Feng when he loses the Little Heir casting decision 47.
• Xu Zhou — Xu Chao’s protective older brother. After Xu Chao collapses during the transmigration confrontation, Xu Zhou stabs Shen Xinbai with a scalpel and threatens him 96.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Xu Chao’s Birthday Party

• Presents himself as an aggrieved old friend after Xu Chao’s marriage, then repeatedly urges Xu Chao to divorce Fu Sichen and pursue Lou Jun 1 2.
• Fu Sichen drives a dagger into a wine bottle in front of him, shattering it and frightening him into falling to the floor 2.
• Lou Jun subsequently pays the 380,000-yuan bill for liquor that he and Shen Xinbai took 3.

Jungle Reality Show

• Accuses Xu Chao of deliberately setting a sow on him, although Xu Chao stops the animal from hitting him and Lin Yang identifies Shen Xinbai’s own scream as the trigger 11.
• Tries to demonstrate wilderness expertise by gathering berries. After the group suffers diarrhea, Xu Chao exposes their rejection of his warning, and Fu Sichen demands apologies and compensation 14 16.
• Instigates the honey theft that brings hornets after the contestants. Inside the tent, he asks Zhou Nan to throw out Lin Yang, despite Lin Yang having just explained how to shelter safely 22.
• Leads armed mercenaries to Xu Chao’s group after offering them access to food. When Xu Chao and Fu Sichen bluff the captors, he nearly exposes their act before Fu Sichen silences him with a thrown twig 32.
• Attempts to implicate Xu Chao afterward, but instead faces prolonged police questioning over his own decisions 33 35.

Competition for the Little Heir

• Loses the role to Xu Chao despite an investor’s threat to withdraw funding unless Shen Xinbai is cast 47.
• Attempts to portray Xu Chao as an uncultured bumpkin, only for the public acknowledgment of Xu Chao’s wealthy family background to undermine the campaign 48.
• Pays trolls to smear Xu Chao, accuse Chen Lixin of casting-couch dealings, and attack the film. When he cannot reach Lou Jun to enlist his help, he contacts Zhou Nan 51.

Deserted-Island Challenge

• Becomes increasingly isolated when Cheng Yu and several other guests refuse his proposed shelter arrangements 57.
• Accuses Xu Chao of unethical conduct over a hidden supply bag, then demands half its contents. The other guests defend Xu Chao and exclude Shen Xinbai and Lou Jun from their shared meal 57 59.
• After being captured by island inhabitants, shoves Lou Jun aside and tries to obtain protection by seducing the stronger captor. He is rejected, and the shorter captor breaks his leg 66 67.
• Reveals Xu Chao’s nearby group to the captors. After gaining control of the situation, Xu Chao slaps him twice for repeatedly endangering others 67 69.
• Faints when the rescue team recognizes him from the livestream of his attempted seduction 70.

Failed Public Rehabilitation

• Returns with Lou Jun intending to improve their image. After their boat capsizes, he plans to make it appear that Xu Chao pushed him into the sea during a rescue 87 88.
• Remains in the water after twice refusing to come aboard. He is eventually pulled out after fainting amid questions about his powerful “godbrothers,” “godfathers,” and “god-grandfathers” 88.
• Argues openly with Lou Jun, who blames him for destroying his relationship with Xu Chao. Their exchange exposes their mutual hostility, though they temporarily restrain themselves to pursue their shared purpose 88 89.

Transmigration Accusation and Collapse

• Forces his way back into the event with Lou Jun, threatening a trending scandal if they are excluded. His attempt to charm Old Master Fu instead earns a public accusation that he has bullied Xu Chao 92.
• Declares that Xu Chao is a transmigrator and that he and Lou Jun are the novel’s protagonists. The revelation fails to turn the guests against Xu Chao 95.
• His account of Xu Chao’s altered behavior triggers Xu Chao’s realization about the five-year possession. Xu Chao collapses as memories return, and Xu Zhou retaliates against Shen Xinbai 96.
• By the extras, both Shen Xinbai and Lou Jun have lost their careers and public goodwill. Shen Xinbai fears losing the celebrity status that protected him from returning to life as the Shen family’s vulnerable illegitimate son 101.

Notable Quotes

“I just think love is pure and sacred, and you should never lie to your own heart. The one you like is Lou Jun, not Fu Sichen—” 2

“I hate Xu Chao, and at least I’m open about it.” 89