Xie Yanci

Biodata

Background / History

Creation and early appearances

Xu Shi first imagined Xie Yanci as a comforting older companion during his lonely childhood. After learning to read and write, he gave him the name “Xie Yanci.” This companion read him stories, soothed him to sleep, played with him, and offered the affection he lacked elsewhere 104.

Xie Yanci could appear briefly when Xu Shi wanted to give up on life. He comforted the seven-year-old Xu Shi through his fear of darkness, carried him home through heavy rain after he was bullied as a teenager, and later rescued him from a fire at the Xu Family home 104 128. During the rescue, a mechanical voice warned that the male protagonist could not rewrite the lives of people in the three-dimensional world. Xie Yanci nevertheless entered the burning building; a falling support beam struck him while he was carrying Xu Shi to safety 45.

As Xu Shi began treatment and became occupied with university, work, and further study, he gradually forgot Xie Yanci. Xie Yanci describes their separation as beginning when Xu Shi was twenty and lasting until their reunion at twenty-seven; he spent those intervening years alone in Xu Shi’s sketchbook 104 130.

Xu Shi eventually wrote both himself and Xie Yanci into a novel. He designed Xie Yanci’s appearance and personality around his own preferences, adding exceptional intelligence and numerous domineering-CEO traits. He later accepted five million to make Xie Yanci the novel’s lead top 105 134 153.

Identity within the novel

Within the novel’s setting, Xie Yanci was raised under an elite education that emphasized restraint, propriety, and the Xie Family’s interests. Although the family cultivated several potential heirs, he was considered its most outstanding candidate. He took over the company independently at twenty-four 1 26 93.

He and Xu Shi had a childhood betrothal, which was canceled after Xu Shi differentiated into a Beta. Before her death, Xu Shi’s mother asked Xie Yanci to protect her son until he turned twenty-five, and he agreed 28 43. After Xu Shi cut ties with the Xu Family at sixteen, Xie Yanci paid his living expenses and returned from abroad whenever he needed help 41.

Their later marriage was governed by an alliance contract. Xie Yanci explains that it could end when Xu Shi turned twenty-five or when its sixth year concluded 86.

Appearance

Xie Yanci is tall, broad-shouldered, and long-legged, with sharply defined features and a reserved, aristocratic bearing 1 75.

• Face: High nose, thin lips, and a clean, sharply defined profile 9.
• Eyes: Described as pale gray in one scene and cool light brown in another 59 120.
• Build: Muscular from years of exercise; able to lift and carry Xu Shi easily 54 141.
• Clothing: Often wears bespoke suits, meticulously fastened shirts, and thin pale-gold-rimmed glasses 1 7 12.
• Distinguishing scar: A severe scar on his back from rescuing Xu Shi from the fire. Its familiar shape allows Xu Shi to recognize that the rescue truly happened 137.

Personality

Xie Yanci is outwardly cold, taciturn, and difficult to approach. He habitually suppresses his emotions and dislikes physical contact with others, explicitly making an exception for Xu Shi 1 53 169 174. His upbringing taught him to prioritize family interests, and he initially explains his concern for Xu Shi as protecting the Xie Family’s reputation rather than affection 8 41 93.

His emotional reserve frequently causes misunderstandings. He conceals the effort behind his visits, struggles to explain his intentions, and sometimes answers affection with apparent indifference 57 58 62. He privately doubts his ability to care for Xu Shi properly and worries that his uncertain existence could damage Xu Shi’s future 28 124 129.

With Xu Shi, he is markedly more indulgent, playful, and vulnerable. He tolerates behavior that his friends would never dare direct at him, sulks when teased about his romantic decorations, and cries or seeks reassurance in private 53 65 83 164. He waits outside Xu Shi’s room for over two hours rather than interrupt his sleep and restrains himself when Xu Shi has filming the next morning 80.

His protectiveness also has a possessive side. He becomes jealous of men around Xu Shi, orders Secretary Zhou to prevent private meetings with Xia Shian, and treats even Song Zhixing as a potential rival 68 74 90. He is capable of calculated interference, including using Song Zhixing’s mother and blind dates to maneuver his friend away from the couple 26 181.

Abilities & Skills

Hearing Xu Shi’s thoughts

Xie Yanci can hear Xu Shi’s unspoken thoughts, first recognizing the phenomenon during their phone call in Chapter 1 1.

• Hears remarks that contradict Xu Shi’s outward behavior, including attraction, irritation, and plans to seek other men 2 9 16.
• Uses these thoughts to notice Xu Shi’s needs, such as realizing that a stack of documents is too heavy for him 139.
• Continues hearing him after appearing in the original world 135 153 164.
• Does not always understand what he hears; Xu Shi’s abrupt changes of mood and unusual associations still confuse him 135 137.

Independent consciousness and manifestation

Although Xu Shi created him, Xie Yanci develops an existence and will beyond his creator’s control. He identifies his decision to appear and attack Xia Shian ten years earlier as evidence of that independence, and states that falling in love with Xu Shi again was his own choice 163.

• Initially appears only briefly during Xu Shi’s moments of extreme distress 127 128.
• Later possesses a real identity in the original world and can be seen by people other than Xu Shi 121 124.
• Does not initially understand why he can remain there or whether he might disappear again 124.
• Experiences a mechanical voice, ringing, severe headaches, dizziness, and trembling during parts of the novel-world storyline 45 58.

A mission accompanies his later manifestation, but he does not initially know its objective. He questions whether it concerns restoring credit for Xu Shi’s stolen work 128 135.

Business and strategic planning

Xie Yanci is an accomplished executive who assumed control of his company at twenty-four 26.

• Uses corporate public relations to remove hostile trending topics and identify the person behind an attack on Xu Shi 41.
• Invests in Song Zhixing’s company despite the risk of Xie Family disapproval 93.
• Coordinates an investigation into the graduation project credited to Xia Shian without forcing Xu Shi to participate 135.
• Puts Liva headquarters in order before Song Zhixing’s arrival, assuring him that the remaining employees do substantive work 184.

Physical and practical skills

• Swimming: The novel’s altered ending reports that he won the provincial swimming championship three consecutive years 105.
• Strength: Regular exercise allows him to lift Xu Shi with little effort 54 141.
• Mahjong: Wins with a full flush during a gathering with friends 38.
• Cooking limitation: After five months of practice, his only specialty remains pan-fried steak, which Xu Shi privately considers barely edible 186.
• Low alcohol tolerance: Becomes visibly intoxicated after two glasses of red wine 179.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Wedding rings — Initially wears a plain silver band. In the original world, Xu Shi gives him a handmade ring matching the one Xie Yanci gave him, with their initials engraved inside 13 182 183.
• Children’s phone watch — A gift from Xu Shi with parental-mode location tracking. It displays his location, floor, and whether he is standing or walking; he accepts it despite normally disliking such exposure of his privacy 172.
• Black Maybach — His car in the novel world, recognizable by a license plate containing five ones 14.
• Diamond necklaces — Gives Xu Shi several necklaces, including a handmade birthday gift 62 83 172.

Relationships

• Xu Shi — Creator, childhood companion, spouse, and lover. Xie Yanci supports him through childhood crises, becomes his husband within the novel, and reunites with him in the original world. He insists that his love is an independent choice rather than merely a character setting 104 128 163 182.
• Song Zhixing — Close friend, collaborator, and frequent target of his dry insults and schemes. Song assists with Xu Shi’s career and the stolen-design investigation, while their friendship remains full of mutual teasing and interference 26 93 135 184.
• Secretary Zhou — Trusted secretary who handles work, investigations, publicity, gifts, and arrangements involving Xu Shi. Xie Yanci approves his leave before his wife gives birth and recruits Xu Shi to cover his duties 41 135 172.
• Xia Shian — Adversary and perceived romantic rival. Xie Yanci investigates the project credited to him, protects Xu Shi from him, and is revealed to have beaten him badly enough to require hospitalization ten years earlier 74 135 150.
• Wen Yu — Actor whom Xu Shi believes to be Xie Yanci’s destined partner. Despite rumors surrounding his auction bid and his initial casting decision, Xie Yanci treats Wen Yu as an outsider and rejects his attempt to threaten him over Xu Shi’s marriage 10 46 54.
• Xie Family — The source of his status, education, and restrictive obligations. His decisions to support Xu Shi repeatedly test the family’s limits 93 101.
• Xu Shi’s mother — Entrusts Xu Shi’s protection to him before her death. Her relief after he agrees remains a vivid memory for him 28.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arranged marriage becomes personal

• Hearing Xu Shi’s thoughts prompts Xie Yanci to return home in the opening chapter. He subsequently delegates negotiations in France rather than leave 1 2.
• He forces Director Zhang out of the industry, allowing Shallow Summer to proceed toward release 18.
• He introduces Xu Shi to Song Zhixing as his wife, though Song later repeatedly misunderstands their relationship 23 31 39.
• Both spouses sign a divorce agreement, but their emotional and physical attachment continues to deepen 34 80.
• After discovering that he selected Wen Yu for the role of Xia Cen, he withdraws his investment and accepts a billion-plus breach-of-contract penalty so the production can recast the role 46.
• He celebrates Xu Shi’s birthday with a handmade diamond necklace and a rose-decorated hot spring 83.

Family pressure and public acknowledgment

• Song Zhixing reveals that Xie Yanci risked family disapproval by investing in his company and signing Xu Shi. Xie Yanci conceals the personal motive behind the investment and announces a five-month trip to France 93.
• In France, he considers remaining abroad as a way to avoid the approaching divorce 101.
• He publicly announces his relationship with Xu Shi through a newly registered, entrepreneur-verified Weibo account. Xu Shi is moved by the declaration and his defense of him 101.
• Before their separation, he promises Xu Shi that he will come find him 103.

The novel’s altered ending

• Back in his original world, Xu Shi attempts to write Xie Yanci falling in love with Wen Yu at his funeral. The text deletes itself and replaces that scene with a different ending 105.
• The replacement text records Xu Shi’s death in a car accident on January 31, 2027, followed by Xie Yanci’s reported suicide at sea on March 28. His body is never found, and his family disputes the suicide finding because of his swimming record 105.
• The completed novel retains Xie Yanci’s death for love rather than the new romance Xu Shi tried to arrange 120.

Reunion in the original world

• Xie Yanci appears publicly as President Xie, confirming that others can see the man Xu Shi once believed existed only in his imagination 120 121.
• Fearing that his presence may be temporary, he initially prioritizes securing Xu Shi’s future over reclaiming a place beside him 124 129.
• He encourages Xu Shi to pursue design work and secretly investigates the graduation project stolen by Xia Shian 122 135.
• Xu Shi recognizes the scar from the childhood fire, confirming that Xie Yanci had physically saved him years before 137.
• Xia Shian’s statement acknowledges the theft of Xu Shi’s work, finally restoring its authorship to him 149.
• Xie Yanci resists a publicity scheme that could expose their relationship at the expense of Xu Shi’s career at Noro 181.
• On Xie Yanci’s birthday, Xu Shi gives him a handmade wedding ring aboard a Ferris wheel. The mission reaches 100%, and the extras continue with their married life together 182 183 184.

Notable Quotes

“You still have me.” 104

“Because someone was born just for you.” 134

“Only you can touch me. You’re not other people.” 174

“I’ll come find you. I promise.” 103