Wu Chengnan

Biodata

Background / History

Wu Chengnan and Wu Jiangyuan spent much of their childhood together because their parents were rarely home. Consequently, Wu Jiangyuan came to regard his older brother as a parental authority and feared him more than Jia Xin'an. Chengnan excelled academically and maintained an exceptionally consistent daily routine, waking without an alarm 9 69.

As the Wu family heir, Chengnan assumed substantial responsibilities and established himself at the head of a business empire while still young. He later explains that he had no time for dating at Dai Lan’s age: family obligations had always taken priority over romance 9 193.

His workload also keeps him away from his family. At his introduction, he has not contacted Wu Jiangyuan in nearly a year; Jia Xin'an later remarks that she sees Chengnan only two or three times annually 9 156.

Appearance

• Build: Tall and broad-shouldered, with long, straight legs, firm forearms, and well-proportioned features 9 184.
• Clothing: Introduced in a bespoke suit; later wears a long black coat when collecting Dai Lan from the airport 9 186.
• Bearing: Upright, mature, and habitually stern. His looks and capabilities are explicitly described as no less impressive than an Alpha’s 9.
• Family resemblance: Frequently said to resemble Wu Qi, particularly when silent and wearing a cold expression 152.

Personality

Chengnan is decisive, disciplined, and business-minded. He is introduced as a business genius who shows no favoritism, and Wu Jiangyuan considers him a workaholic who expects mutually beneficial returns even from family. His agreement to give Jiangyuan time to repair his reputation comes with a request to cultivate ties with Pei Jinghe for a company project 9.

His restraint can make him intimidating. He gives terse instructions, rarely explains himself unnecessarily, and can pressure Jiangyuan into obedience through silence alone. His dedication to work is particularly evident when he continues typing at a computer after Dai Lan strikes his head with a wine bottle 9 83.

With Dai Lan, Chengnan becomes noticeably gentler. He apologizes for frightening him, offers practical care, and explicitly respects his right to refuse a relationship. Even after they begin dating, he says he will respect Dai Lan’s decision if he wishes to leave 84 147 183.

That composure does not eliminate insecurity. Dai Lan’s former partners make him jealous, and seeing Dai Lan with an ex leads him to fear their relationship may be ending. Nevertheless, he accepts Dai Lan’s past rather than condemning him for it 193 195 197.

Abilities & Skills

Business Management

Chengnan leads a business empire and is recognized for his early accomplishments and decisive leadership 9.

• Pursues resources for a project involving Tangsheng and seeks to leverage his brother’s connection to its president 9.
• Is an important prospective investor for director Zhang Wenruo, whose investment requires Chengnan’s signature 100 101.
• Represents Wu Qi in proposing a deal to Dai Rui in Cephalos 145.

Information Gathering and Influence

Chengnan can obtain information and intervene in matters that Wu Jiangyuan cannot easily handle himself 9 22.

• Arranges the removal of damaging trending topics about Jiangyuan after Wu Qi intervenes 9.
• Traces the account Shining Star Candy to its registered name, phone number, and current IP address, allowing Jiangyuan to locate Yang Nan at Tangsheng 22.
• Has people search for Dai Lan after their first encounter, although the initial search produces no news 84.

Piloting

Chengnan owns and can pilot a private aircraft. His ability surprises Wu Jiangyuan, who had not known his brother could fly; Chengnan notes that Wu Qi had already trusted him as a pilot on the journey there 150.

Cooking

Chengnan is an accomplished cook whose food impresses Dai Lan as comparable to that of an upscale restaurant 184.

• Prepares glass noodles and rice noodles that become favorites of the otherwise picky Dai Lan 184.
• Shops for groceries and cooks dinner during Dai Lan’s visit to Ziwu City 186.
• Makes breakfast for Dai Lan after they spend the night together 199.

Beta Physiology

Chengnan neither emits pheromones nor smells Dai Lan’s pheromones, though he can perceive their direct effects 131 183.

• Notices a drop in the room’s temperature when Dai Lan releases pheromones 131.
• Is not greatly affected by Pei Jinghe’s Enigma pressure during the visit to Lou Ning'an 151.

Equipment / Possessions

• Private aircraft — Personally owned and piloted by Chengnan 150.
• Five hundred yuan — Money Dai Lan leaves after their first night together. Chengnan keeps it untouched and later produces it during dinner to confront the misunderstanding 130 131.

Relationships

• Wu Jiangyuan — Younger brother who sees Chengnan as a parental figure. Their relationship mixes discipline and practical support with Jiangyuan’s persistent teasing about Dai Lan 9 22 125.
• Dai Lan — Boyfriend and intended future spouse. Their relationship develops from a drunken encounter and repeated misunderstandings into an explicit courtship and mutual commitment 131 147 188 195.
• Wu Qi — Father. Chengnan carries out his instructions, participates in the response to Lou Jinxiao, and is included in discussions from which Jiangyuan is initially excluded 124 125 145.
• Jia Xin'an — Mother, who affectionately calls him Nannan and misses him because of his infrequent visits. She becomes eager to meet Dai Lan after learning of Chengnan’s interest 156 157.
• Pei Jinghe — Younger brother’s partner and a business contact. They cooperate in the Lou family investigation and share a reserved manner that Jiangyuan repeatedly compares 110 125 145 151.
• Dai Rui — Dai Lan’s father and Chengnan’s negotiating counterpart. His reaction to learning about their first encounter is far less calm than Chengnan initially tells Dai Lan: he draws a gun 145 195.
• Sera Roman — Dai Lan’s parent, who approves of Chengnan and offers to help speak to Dai Rui on his behalf 149.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Wu Jiangyuan’s Six-Month Ultimatum

• Chengnan summons Jiangyuan to convey Wu Qi’s demand that he leave entertainment before marrying Pei Jinghe 9.
• After Jiangyuan asks for an opportunity to prove himself, Chengnan grants him six months to reverse public opinion. Failure would mean Chengnan personally having him blacklisted 9.
• In return, he asks Jiangyuan to spend more time with Pei Jinghe because Chengnan’s company is pursuing a project involving Tangsheng 9.
• He later helps identify Shining Star Candy, indirectly leading Jiangyuan to Pei Jinghe’s secretary 22 23.

Misunderstandings with Dai Lan

• Their first encounter begins when Dai Lan mistakes Chengnan for the Beta whom he believes took Liu Min from him. Both drink, and Chengnan takes Dai Lan to a hotel, where they spend the night together 84 131.
• Dai Lan leaves five hundred yuan and departs without providing contact details. Jiangyuan later realizes that Dai Lan had mistaken Chengnan for a male escort 131 145.
• While retrieving files from Jiangyuan’s former apartment, Chengnan encounters Dai Lan again. Dai Lan mistakes him for an intruder, strikes him with a wine bottle, and locks him in the study 81 82 83.
• Chengnan declines to hold Dai Lan responsible and admits that he has been searching for him to apologize for frightening him during their earlier encounter 83 84.
• In Cephalos, they exchange apologies. Chengnan asks permission to pursue Dai Lan and starts to withdraw when he interprets Dai Lan’s hesitation as rejection, but Dai Lan catches his clothes and stops him 147.

The Lou Family Investigation

• Chengnan joins Wu Qi and Pei Jinghe in responding to Lou Jinxiao’s threats, assuring Jiangyuan that Lou will not approach him again 123 124 125.
• In Cephalos, he watches Lou Jinxiao and negotiates with Dai Rui on Wu Qi’s behalf 145.
• He explains Lou Jinxiao’s dealings with Black Gold, Cephalos’s largest criminal organization, and accompanies the visit to Lou Ning'an at Tasha Mental Sanatorium 149 151.
• He later attends the prison visit connected to Lou Jinxiao’s case and says the Lou family will face the consequences of his crimes 167.

Courtship and Commitment

• The relationship extras revisit Chengnan’s courtship: he gives Dai Lan time to understand his feelings, while Dai Lan eventually realizes how much he misses him during their two-month separation 183 185 186.
• They officially become a couple, initially keeping the relationship secret from Jiangyuan 188 190 192.
• At Jiangyuan and Pei Jinghe’s wedding, Chengnan states that he has approached their relationship with marriage in mind from the beginning. Dai Lan shares that intention 195.
• After insecurity over Dai Lan’s ex resurfaces, they discuss his past and reaffirm their intimacy 195 196 197.
• In their final extra, Dai Lan openly identifies Chengnan as his boyfriend to an approaching Omega. Chengnan then kisses Dai Lan’s forehead in front of everyone 200.

Notable Quotes

“I want to pursue you, so I don't want to hear you call me big brother.” 147

“You don't need to feel burdened, either. I respect your wishes.” 147

“I've been with you with marriage in mind from the start.” 195

Trivia

• Chengnan seeks treatment for insomnia despite his normally precise sleep schedule. When Jiangyuan asks why, he suggests that he is “getting old” at thirty-one 69.
• Dai Lan chooses Mr. Wu as an affectionate form of address because he associates it with respect, admiration, and enduring love for a partner 190.
• The ancient-era extra features a counterpart named Chengnan, addressed as “Your Highness,” whose stern expression immediately reminds Jiangyuan of his older brother 217.