Xie Wen

Biodata

Background

Xie Wen grew up with Chu Zeshen and Lu Shengfan. The three attended the same kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school before separating for university. During Chu Zeshen’s two years abroad, they saw one another roughly once a year 27.

As the Xie Family’s only child, Xie Wen grew up without siblings competing for the inheritance. His elders openly told him that the family fortune would eventually be his, and he discussed family assets with his friends from childhood 26 255.

He chose finance because it interested him and performed well at university. Although he later became increasingly dissatisfied with working life, he held the position of the Xie Family’s second-in-command and was recognized as an accomplished young businessman in S City 100 179 198.

Personality

Xie Wen is sociable, playful, and protective of his leisure time. He considers freedom more enjoyable than money, deflects his uncle’s attempts to discuss marriage, and refuses Lu Shengfan’s invitation to spend the National Day holiday accompanying him on a business trip 39 100. During the island vacation, he bans work at the villa and goes the entire seven-day trip without touching a document 38 61.

His uninhibited speech frequently gets him into awkward situations. When he first meets Gu Bai, he blurts out that Gu Bai is the Gu Family son who received none of its fortune, then tries to repair the conversation. He is similarly slow to recognize when he has intruded on Gu Bai and Chu Zeshen’s time together 26 75 76.

Despite his teasing, Xie Wen looks out for his friends. He offers to postpone further sea outings after learning that Gu Bai cannot swim, and later draws Gu Bai and Chu Zeshen away from an unwelcome conversation with Gu Ruilin 56 183.

Abilities & Skills

Business and Finance

Xie Wen’s flippant manner conceals professional ability; the narration explicitly cautions against underestimating him 100.

• Financial education: Chose finance out of interest and did well at university 198.
• Executive responsibility: Serves as the Xie Family’s second-in-command 100.
• Business awareness: Keeps track of Chu Corporation’s major partnership with Ket and asks Chu Zeshen about its progress 100.

Event Planning and Hospitality

Xie Wen regularly organizes the group’s entertainment, from yacht parties to a week-long island itinerary 4 27 38.

• Books the vacation villa and arranges meals, outings, and a pool party 35 37 41 54.
• Checks with his companions before allowing Song Xiuling and additional guests to join their fishing trip 47.
• Has a friend who professionally breeds show-quality pets and offers to obtain advice for Chu Zeshen 8.

Gaming

A gaming enthusiast since childhood, Xie Wen eagerly buys new releases and brings a console on vacation 46.

• Bonds with Gu Bai over their shared interest in a newly released game 47.
• Uses Gu Bai’s walkthrough to clear a game he had struggled with 47 85.
• Compiles a gift bundle of games for Gu Bai and Chu Zeshen to play together 85.

Practical Limitations

• Cooking: Mistakes oil for honey while grilling, causing a flare-up and burning the chicken wings; Chu Zeshen extinguishes the flames and takes over 54.
• Fishing: Lacks patience for waiting on a bite. His eventual catch during the island trip is described as his first fish in nearly thirty years 48 49 50.
• Pet care: Initially needs basic guidance, including an explanation of pet raincoats. Before bringing Brandy home, he takes extensive notes from Gu Bai 254 255.

Property & Items

• Private bar: Gu Bai and Chu Zeshen visit his bar to collect Mocha during the island vacation 45.
• Yacht: Hosts the group’s sea-fishing excursion 47 50.
• Game console and games: Brings a console on holiday and exchanges games and walkthroughs with Gu Bai 46 76 85.
• Xie Family private plane: Used for the island trip; its cabin arrangement allows Mocha to travel with the group rather than in the hold 36.

Relationships

• Chu Zeshen — Childhood friend and frequent target of his teasing. Xie Wen initially finds the rumors of Chu Zeshen’s marriage impossible to believe, then repeatedly marvels at how attentive he becomes toward Gu Bai 24 27 51.
• Lu Shengfan — Childhood friend who regularly reins him in. Lu Shengfan warns him about Lin Du, helps resolve his embarrassment over interrupting the married couple, and monitors his drinking while his stomach recovers 24 76 84 183.
• Gu Bai — Friend, gaming companion, and source of pet-care advice. Their shared interests bring them closer, and Xie Wen trades stories about Chu Zeshen’s past for game walkthroughs 47 85 199 200 254.
• Brandy — His female Border Collie, whom he affectionately treats as his daughter or “little princess.” He feeds and plays with her nightly and eagerly promotes a match between her and Mocha 254 255 262 279.
• Mocha — Gu Bai’s dog, whom Xie Wen praises for his intelligence. Xie Wen wants Mocha and Brandy to become a couple despite being reminded that Mocha is neutered 48 254.
• Guan Yuan — His uncle, who urges him to settle down and marry. Xie Wen tries to escape the subject by redirecting the conversation 38 39.
• Guan Ming Jin — His ten-year-old cousin. Xie Wen argues that Ming Jin should learn responsibility through firsthand experience rather than be treated as a small child 39 52.
• Elder Xie — His grandfather. Xie Wen offers birthday wishes onstage and drinks banquet toasts on his behalf because Elder Xie is unwell 83 84 85.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Learning About Chu Zeshen’s Marriage

• Arranges a yacht party for Chu Zeshen and Lu Shengfan while Gu Bai is independently enjoying a fishing trip nearby 4.
• Attends the Gu Family funeral with his parents and comments on the apparent exclusion of the family’s third son 7.
• Initially dismisses rumors of Chu Zeshen’s marriage, reasoning that their close friendship would make such news impossible to miss 24.
• Meets Gu Bai over dinner, learns his identity, and questions Chu Zeshen about accepting their childhood betrothal 26 27.

Island Vacation

• Organizes a holiday originally intended for four friends, privately grumbling when four members of the Gu and Chu families join them 36 37.
• Discovers that his uncle’s promised buffet is effectively a networking event, contrary to his plans for a work-free vacation 38.
• Grows closer to Gu Bai through gaming, fishing, and drinking 47 49 52.
• Participates in the pool battle during which Gu Bai follows him into the deep end and nearly drowns. After Chu Zeshen’s rescue, Xie Wen urges greater precautions for future water activities 55 56.

Friendship With Gu Bai

• Visits the Chu home uninvited and unwittingly interrupts the couple’s private weekend. After Lu Shengfan explains the situation, he avoids Chu Zeshen until Elder Xie’s birthday banquet, where the misunderstanding is settled 75 76 84 85.
• Slips away from a later banquet to drink despite his recently recovered stomach, putting his phone on airplane mode. Gu Bai searches for him, and Xie Wen subsequently apologizes over a speakerphone call 183 184 186.
• At a winery gathering, explains that Chu Zeshen has repeatedly taken the initiative with Gu Bai—introducing him to close friends, arranging outings, holding his hand, and attending to his preferences 199 200.

Raising Brandy

• Reserves Brandy and enthusiastically seeks Gu Bai’s advice, asking so many questions that Chu Zeshen intervenes so Gu Bai can eat 254 255.
• Brings Brandy to meet Mocha and celebrates the successful introduction by treating the Xie and Chu families as prospective “in-laws” 261 262.
• Allows Brandy to stay with Gu Bai and Chu Zeshen while he is away on business, then brings local specialties when he returns to collect her 270 279.
• Jokes that Mocha’s refusal to let Gu Bai carry heavy luggage means Gu Bai is pregnant; Gu Bai responds by reminding him that he is a man 280.

Notable Quotes

“Leave the eating, drinking, and entertainment to me.” 27

“I’d better keep working. Otherwise, I’m afraid I’ll burn through my savings.” 199