Shen Zhao

Biodata

Background / History

Childhood and family

Shen Zhao grew up with Gu Wang and Song Zhiyan. He is identified as the original Gu Wang’s closest childhood friend, with Song Zhiyan next closest. Shen Zhao and Song Zhiyan live next door to one another, while Gu Wang’s home is in the opposite direction 1 7 19.

His family gives him a regular allowance but restricts it because of his excessive spending. Once his money runs out—often by the middle of the month—he eats at Gu Wang’s and Song Zhiyan’s homes 35.

Fate in the original novel

In the original storyline remembered by Gu Wang, Shen Zhao’s loyalty brings him into conflict with Jiang Chi. After Gu Wang’s death, he secretly spends over 100,000 yuan on funeral wreaths, fills Jiang Chi’s villa compound with them, and sits outside Jiang Chi’s door wearing mourning clothes 8.

Jiang Chi hires people to retaliate. Song Zhiyan retrieves Shen Zhao on a rainy day, but Shen Zhao is left permanently disabled in one leg. After the Shen family’s downfall, he barely supports himself by delivering takeout. Jiang Chi continues making life difficult for both him and Song Zhiyan, while Mei Li helps where she can 2 8 22.

Even in poverty, Shen Zhao remains extravagant toward Gu Wang. Gu Wang recalls him spending an entire month’s wages on an expensive cake and tearfully defending the purchase because it was for “Wangwang” 106.

Changed school life

Early in the revised storyline, Shen Zhao is knocked unconscious at an internet café by a schoolbag containing a brick. When he wakes and sees the police arriving, he pretends to faint again, but is taken to the station anyway. Gu Wang helps him complete the required self-criticism by dictating it while writing his own 4 5.

When Gu Wang decides to stop fooling around and study seriously, Shen Zhao follows him. His initial motivation is companionship rather than a clear academic goal: if both Gu Wang and Song Zhiyan become good students, he does not want to remain the only slacker 8 11.

His improvement eventually earns an outstanding progress award and a monthly-exam score of 500. Encouraged by the result, he begins considering a first-tier university rather than merely hoping to enter any undergraduate program 30 62.

Choosing his own future

Shen Zhao initially sets his sights on A University simply because Gu Wang is going there. Yue Feng later encourages him to choose something he personally likes, recognizing that Gu Wang wants him to develop independent judgment rather than keep following his footsteps 110.

As graduation approaches, Shen Zhao tells Gu Wang that he wants to study singing at a music conservatory abroad. Gu Wang supports the decision and encourages him to tell Yue Feng 110.

Appearance

• Face and eyes: Has delicate features and peach-blossom eyes; Gu Wang considers his appearance particularly suited to longer hair 8 19 43.
• Build: Slender and lean. At 175 cm, he is shorter than both Gu Wang and Song Zhiyan 19 34.
• Hair and accessories: Lets his hair grow long enough for a teacher to mistake him for a girl during a group photograph. He also wears headbands and hair clips 30 31 34.
• Clothing: Wears conspicuous, youthful outfits, including a pink Pink Panther T-shirt; prefers canvas shoes and skate shoes to sneakers 38.
• Later appearance: By a later school gathering, Gu Wang notices that his fresh, boyish looks have matured into striking beauty 106.

Personality

Shen Zhao is loud, excitable, affectionate, and especially attached to Gu Wang. He frequently hugs him, clings to his arm or neck, and showers him with extravagant praise. Although he claims to be tired of looking at his childhood friend’s face, photographs of Gu Wang immediately turn him into an enthusiastic admirer 8 19 24.

His loyalty is protective rather than status-conscious. He confronts Jiang Chi over insults toward Gu Wang and distrusts He Qinghuan’s renewed interest because he fears Gu Wang will be hurt. At his birthday celebration, he wishes that, if He Qinghuan is sincere, his love for Gu Wang will be deeper and longer-lasting than Gu Wang’s love for him 2 26 38.

He is impulsive with money but attentive to other people’s feelings. He buys useless novelty products and quickly exhausts his allowance, yet makes a point of enthusiastically appreciating his classmates’ birthday presents so they will not feel embarrassed beside expensive gifts 35 38.

Romantically, he is slow to recognize what is happening around him. Yue Feng’s jealousy repeatedly confuses him, even as he becomes accustomed to Yue Feng’s care. He also has little sense of personal boundaries, whether borrowing his deskmate’s accessories or pulling up his friends’ trouser legs to inspect their leg hair 31 102 106.

Abilities & Skills

Academic development

Shen Zhao begins as a failing student who dislikes studying, but learns effectively when Gu Wang explains material in accessible steps 1 28 49.

• Gu Wang supplies explanations, formulas, and individually selected practice problems 49 83 102.
• He sometimes copies homework, but feels genuinely ashamed when he disappoints a teacher who has placed hopes in him 73.

Gaming

Shen Zhao enjoys competitive team games, although his enthusiasm exceeds his ability 1 28.

• Offers to play support for Gu Wang and protect him during team fights 1.
• Says he must reach King rank before settling down to study; the supplied chapters do not confirm that he reaches it 12.
• Usually relies on Gu Wang or Song Zhiyan to carry him 28.

Badminton

Shen Zhao plays badminton recreationally with his classmates and childhood friends 34.

• His deskmate Ranran recruits two friends to play three against him, leaving him chasing the shuttlecock around the court 34.
• Even paired with Song Zhiyan, he cannot defeat Gu Wang 34.

Relationships

• Gu Wang — His closest childhood friend and later tutor. Shen Zhao follows his lead almost unquestioningly, fiercely defends him, and shares in his happiness as though it were his own. Gu Wang works to spare him his original fate and supports his eventual independent choice of a music conservatory 1 8 105 110.
• Song Zhiyan — Childhood friend and next-door neighbor. Their friendship consists of constant insults, play-fighting, mutual support, and frequent arguments over Shen Zhao’s spending. Song Zhiyan pays much of the cost of his birthday celebration and gives him limited-edition shoes 7 14 35 38.
• Yue Feng — Pursues him through gifts, meals, attention, and practical care. Shen Zhao initially finds him irritating, but they grow close; Yue Feng’s jealousy over Lin Yuzhi causes conflicts that Shen Zhao struggles to understand. Yue Feng also encourages him to choose his own educational path 38 41 93 102 108 110.
• He Qinghuan — Initially treated with suspicion because of Gu Wang’s past unhappiness and his possessiveness. Shen Zhao later becomes happy about their relationship when he sees Gu Wang’s feelings being returned, though he remains capable of embarrassing He Qinghuan with intrusive teasing 31 32 78 106.
• Lin Yuzhi — A close, playful friend. Their physical familiarity includes a contest over who can kiss the other more loudly, provoking Yue Feng’s jealousy 61 62 93.
• Ranran — His deskmate and badminton partner. They trade barbs, and she attends his birthday celebration 34 38.
• Jiang Chi — An antagonist whom Shen Zhao repeatedly confronts in Gu Wang’s defense. In the original storyline, Jiang Chi’s retaliation leaves him permanently disabled 2 6 8.

Equipment / Items

• STY autumn jacket — A birthday gift from Gu Wang, taken from Shen Zhao’s shopping-cart wishlist; costs tens of thousands of yuan 38.
• Limited-edition collaboration shoes — A birthday gift Song Zhiyan obtains by hiring someone to queue in advance 38.
• Watch — A birthday gift from Yue Feng, which Shen Zhao initially tosses into his backpack without examining 38.

Notable Quotes

“I always feel like whatever people give you, they’re giving it to me too. It makes me so happy!” 105

“I bought it for Wangwang, I bought it for Wangwang! So what if it cost a little more? You’re so annoying!” 106