Xia Shian
His Inner Thoughts Leaked! The Vicious Cannon Fodder Is Pampered to Tears
Contents
Biodata
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Xia Shian (夏时安) |
| Gender | Male 12 111 |
| Secondary Gender | Alpha in Xu Shi’s novel 12 60 |
| Affiliation | Xia Family; Liva’s France branch and later China division in the real world 112 150 |
| Occupation/Role | Novel counterpart: leading actor and one of Wen Yu’s principal love interests. Real-world Xia Shian: fashion designer and candidate for Liva China’s chief designer position 5 52 112 |
| Education | Xu Shi’s high school and university classmate in the same department and major; gained admission to LCF using Xu Shi’s graduation project 111 112 |
| Status | Real-world Xia Shian: suspended from Liva, admitted to plagiarism, and faced legal proceedings; his plagiarism was subsequently exposed publicly 118 150 151 155 |
| First Appearance | Named in Chapter 4; physically described in Chapter 12. His real-world counterpart appears at the blind date in Chapter 111 4 12 111 |
Background / History
Fictional Counterpart
Xia Shian is one of the principal male love interests in the novel written by Xu Shi. His name and appearance come from Xu Shi’s real-life classmate, but his gentle personality follows the ideal described by Xu Shi’s high school deskmate rather than the actual man 5 111.
Xu Shi initially regards the fictional Xia Shian as his favorite romantic candidate and enthusiastically supports his pairing with Wen Yu. Meeting him in person proves disappointing: despite Xia Shian’s attractive appearance, Xu Shi finds him less striking than Xie Yanci 4 8 9 12.
Xia Shian and Wen Yu are childhood friends whose relationship is complicated by publicity arrangements and Wen Yu’s manager. They meet privately to avoid the manager’s interference, reassuring each other after Xu Shi discovers Xia Shian outside Wen Yu’s hotel room 9 68. By the kickoff ceremony for Song Zhixing’s production, they have collaborated seven times 55.
Acting Alongside Xu Shi
Xia Shian accepts lower billing to portray Gu Jinnan, the husband of Xu Shi’s character, Xia Cen. He publicly explains that he has long wanted to work with Song Zhixing and looks forward to acting with Xu Shi 52 55.
Their script discussions reveal a persistent disagreement: Xu Shi believes Xia Cen loves Gu Jinnan, while Xia Shian questions that interpretation because Xia Cen eventually kills him. During a breakfast scene, Song Zhixing criticizes Xia Shian for making Gu Jinnan too physically forward rather than sufficiently restrained 74 75.
A later rumor alleges that Xia Shian and Xu Shi spent an intimate night together in a hotel suite. They had actually been discussing—and disagreeing over—the script. Xia Shian releases security footage establishing that Xiao Chi was also present, but the clarification fails to stop the abuse. His public-relations team reduces the attacks against him while his fans redirect hostility toward Xu Shi 99 100. Interest in the rumor fades after Xie Yanci publicly identifies Xu Shi as his wife 100 102.
Real-World School Years
The real Xia Shian comes from a wealthy, influential Hong Kong City family. He and Xu Shi enter the same class in their second year of high school and later attend the same university program. Popular, athletic, and outgoing, Xia Shian is widely admired by their classmates 111 112 150.
Xu Shi witnesses Xia Shian forcibly kissing another boy in a restroom. When Xu Shi returns for his dropped art book, the other boy accuses him instead. Xu Shi’s sexuality is exposed, and he becomes a target of bullying, while Xia Shian retains his admired reputation 112.
Xia Shian later spends a month hospitalized after being beaten by a man who warns him to stay away from Xu Shi. He accuses Xu Shi of sending a boyfriend to attack him, which Xu Shi denies. Xie Yanci ultimately confirms that he intervened of his own accord 112 114 150 163.
Appropriation of Xu Shi’s Work
Xia Shian threatens to expose Xu Shi’s sexuality and his experiences involving an imagined companion to obtain his graduation project. Xu Shi initially refuses, then accepts thirty million yuan—enough to settle his obligations to the Xu Family and transfer his household registration. Xia Shian submits the project under his own name and gains admission to LCF without an entrance examination 112.
Years later, Xia Shian meets Xu Shi on a family-arranged blind date. Preparing to transfer from Liva’s France branch to compete for the China division’s chief designer position, he promises to promote Xu Shi to designer once he secures the role 112.
He appoints Xu Shi as his assistant and tells the Xu Family that they are dating. Privately, he requires Xu Shi to maintain the appearance of being his boyfriend until the chief designer selection is complete. He also brings Xu Shi to a business dinner to help entertain influential guests whose support he wants 113 114 116.
Investigation and Downfall
After promising a young employee a designer recommendation in exchange for a one-night stand, Xia Shian dismisses him. When the employee later emerges crying, Xia Shian accuses Xu Shi of hitting him. Xu Yu challenges the accusation, and Song Zhixing suspends Xia Shian pending investigation 116 117 118.
The investigation extends to the France branch and uncovers eleven plagiarized works, none belonging to Xu Shi. Further evidence identifies Xia Shian’s former boyfriends as victims of his plagiarism. Meanwhile, Xie Yanci selects the portfolio containing Xu Shi’s graduation project and challenges Xu Shi to take over the suspended designer’s work 120 122 128.
After admitting to the plagiarism, Xia Shian confronts Xu Shi outside Liva, blaming him for the investigation and the destruction of his career. He lunges at Xu Shi but is restrained by bodyguards and security. Xie Yanci intervenes, identifies himself as Liva’s president, and tells Xia Shian to pursue any challenge through legal channels 150.
Xia Shian had intended to pressure Xu Shi into testifying for him in court. Realizing that Xie Yanci supports Xu Shi, he instead threatens future retaliation. His plagiarism is subsequently exposed, and Xu Shi’s authorship is restored 151 155.
Appearance
- Novel counterpart: Fair skin, gentle features, rather round eyes, and a soft smile. His polished, approachable bearing is repeatedly compared to jade; a dark blue suit emphasizes his well-proportioned figure 12.
- Real-world Xia Shian: Shares the fictional character’s name and appearance. During his school years, he is described as tall, handsome, sunny, and constantly surrounded by admirers 111 112.
- After the investigation: His disheveled appearance outside Liva contrasts with his cultivated image as an accomplished young designer 150 151.
Personality
The fictional Xia Shian is courteous and gentle. He greets Xu Shi politely, comforts Wen Yu when their secret meetings risk discovery, and accepts Song Zhixing’s criticism on set 59 68 75. His reputation for being good-natured becomes part of his fans’ defense during the hotel scandal 100.
The real Xia Shian deliberately constructs an admirable public image while relying on threats, inducements, and family influence. He exploits Xu Shi’s ambitions, shifts blame onto him, and threatens Xu Yu by claiming his family can afford to buy her life 112 116 117 118. Even after the plagiarism investigation, he treats exposure—not his own misconduct—as the injustice, blaming Xu Shi for ruining his future 150 151.
Abilities & Skills
Acting
The fictional Xia Shian is an established star with a substantial fan base 13 100.
- Studies Xie Yanci’s interviews to reproduce Gu Jinnan’s restrained, aristocratic bearing 75.
- Finds the role’s limited dialogue challenging because so much depends on physical presence and expression 75.
- Struggles to balance intimacy with restraint during Gu Jinnan’s scenes 75.
Fashion Career and Influence
The real Xia Shian builds his professional reputation around work credited to him, including Xu Shi’s graduation project 112 117.
- Uses family connections to seek support for his chief designer candidacy 113.
- Lacks the ability needed to secure the position on merit, prompting his effort to obtain Song Zhixing’s approval through intermediaries 113.
- Appropriates designs from multiple former boyfriends; the investigation documents eleven works beyond Xu Shi’s project 128.
Known Acting Roles
| Production | Role | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Shallow Summer | Male lead | The drama Xu Shi is working on when Xia Shian is first named 4. |
| New Life | Gu Jinnan | Third male lead and Xia Cen’s second husband; Xia Shian accepts lower billing to work with Song Zhixing 52 55. |
Relationships
- Xu Shi — The fictional Xia Shian is initially Xu Shi’s favorite romantic candidate and later his co-star. The real Xia Shian is his former classmate, plagiarist, coercive employer, and purported boyfriend; Xie Yanci publicly cancels their claimed engagement 4 52 111 112 116 140.
- Wen Yu — Childhood friend and romantic partner of the fictional Xia Shian. They conceal private meetings from Wen Yu’s manager 9 61 68.
- Xie Yanci — Regards the fictional Xia Shian as a romantic rival. In the real world, he protects Xu Shi, supports the plagiarism investigation, and confronts Xia Shian outside Liva 60 75 128 150 151.
- Song Zhixing — Directs the fictional Xia Shian in New Life. In the real world, Xia Shian seeks his patronage, but Song instead suspends and investigates him 55 113 118 120.
- Xia Family — Provides the wealth and influence behind the real Xia Shian’s social standing and intimidation of others 118 150.
- Former boyfriends — Several are victims of the real Xia Shian’s design plagiarism 128.