Gu Zichu

Biodata

Appearance

Gu Zichu has a refined, gentle bearing that remains noticeable even when he is wearing hospital clothes 65.

• Eyes: Peach-blossom eyes, often partly concealed by his glasses, with long, dark eyelashes 65 127.
• Complexion: Fair, delicate skin; Pei Xuan initially mistook him for a girl when they were children 71.
• Clothing and accessories: Introduced in a well-tailored black suit and silver-rimmed glasses 49.
• Expression and manner: Frequently maintains a courteous smile and elegant, unhurried movements 49 53 135.

Personality

Gu Zichu is courteous, responsible, and attentive to his obligations. He apologizes for Gu Lingchuan’s misconduct without excusing it and accepts that his younger brother needs correction. Although he has long protected and indulged Gu Lingchuan, he also disciplines him and later gives him an important project to gain practical experience 49 51 70 71.

His composure can conceal considerable emotional pain. After Pei Xuan rejects him, he continues handling contracts and meetings while privately struggling to let go. He describes adulthood as repairing one’s heart in private while continuing to do what must be done 65 71.

His gentleness does not mean he will tolerate endless mistreatment. He rejects Pei Xuan’s attempts to blame him for their sexual encounter, refuses to keep waiting for him to mature, and eventually uses leverage to prevent Pei Xuan from cheating him in a business exchange 72 135.

With Pei Ye, Gu Zichu becomes openly affectionate and playful. He asks for kisses, teases Pei Ye about his possessiveness, and insists that care should be mutual. His decision to recover Pei Ye’s inheritance reflects his desire to support his partner rather than simply receive protection 134 136 137.

History

Family and Childhood

Gu Zichu grew up with Pei Xuan, whose protectiveness gradually led him to develop romantic feelings. Pei Xuan comforted him, took him out after arguments with his parents, and carried him to the infirmary when he fainted from low blood sugar. Gu Zichu continued waiting for him through several relationships with women 65 128.

At home, Gu Zichu helped shield his younger brother from the consequences of his behavior. Gu Lingchuan had nearly died after a difficult birth and required major surgery, prompting the family to spoil him. Gu Zichu both cleaned up his messes and punished him when he misbehaved, becoming the person Gu Lingchuan feared most 49 51.

Country A Project and Meeting Lu Xingchen

Gu Zichu and Huo Chuyun brought Pei Xuan into Huo Corporation’s Country A project, giving him a possible route home after his parents confiscated his passport. During their meeting, Gu Zichu recognized Gu Lingchuan’s voice insulting Lu Xingchen and immediately ordered his brother to apologize 49.

After learning that Lu Xingchen was Huo Chuyun’s partner, he accepted Huo’s demand for a formal, personal apology. He later met Lu Xingchen in Country A, apologized on Gu Lingchuan’s behalf, and asked how Lu had pursued Huo Chuyun. He agreed with Lu’s willingness to act directly on romantic feelings 50 51 53 54.

Rejection by Pei Xuan

After a drunken Pei Xuan initiated intimacy, Gu Zichu confessed his feelings and slept with him. The following morning, Pei Xuan rejected his attempt to kiss him, called him disgusting, and fled 65 71.

On the flight home, Gu Zichu developed a fever and severe abdominal pain and was taken to hospital. Speaking privately with Lu Xingchen, he revealed what had happened. Lu’s advice helped him recognize that he wanted a partner who could stand beside him, not someone he would have to accommodate indefinitely. He resolved to stop pursuing Pei Xuan and concentrate on Gu Corporation 64 65.

After his discharge, Gu Zichu spent much of his time at work and assigned Gu Lingchuan to follow up on a project in his place, avoiding Pei Xuan. When Pei Xuan eventually apologized, Gu Zichu forgave him but did not agree to restore their old closeness 70 71.

Their conversation deteriorated when Pei Xuan insulted him again and then offered to try dating him. Gu Zichu questioned whether Pei Xuan had either the independence or resolve to withstand his family’s opposition. He refused to wait any longer, poured iced coffee over him, and left 72.

Setting Boundaries and Pei Ye’s Courtship

During a three-on-three basketball game, Gu Zichu teamed up with Lu Xingchen and Cheng Zitao against Pei Xuan, Pei Ye, and Gu Lingchuan. After scoring the winning three-pointer, he used the game’s wager to ask Pei Xuan to stop disrupting his life until New Year 104 105 106.

Pei Ye pursued him while respecting his hesitation. At the Lu family banquet, Gu Zichu recognized Pei Ye’s interest but was reluctant to begin another relationship so soon after letting go of Pei Xuan. Pei Ye noticed his resistance and gave him space 113.

At a New Year gathering, Pei Xuan followed Gu Zichu and Pei Ye to a lakeside pavilion and attacked Pei Ye after mistakenly believing they were kissing. A subsequent phone call exposed that Pei Xuan had mocked his encounter with Gu Zichu to his friends. When Gu Zichu tried to stop the ensuing fight, Pei Xuan kicked him away; his glasses fell off, and he slipped and twisted his ankle 127 128.

Beginning a Relationship with Pei Ye

Despite his injury, Gu Zichu treated Pei Ye’s wounds and worried about the consequences of the fight for him. Pei Ye cared for his swollen ankle and explained his family’s pressure to marry a woman. When Pei Ye asked whether Gu Zichu’s concern meant he had feelings for him, Gu Zichu agreed to try a relationship 129 130.

After Pei Ye was expelled from the Pei family, Gu Zichu invited him to spend New Year with the Gu family. He later told Gu Lei directly that he was dating Pei Ye because he liked him, not out of gratitude. His father approved of Pei Ye’s independence and ability to share Gu Zichu’s responsibilities 131 133.

Gu Zichu invited Pei Ye to move into his home near Gu Corporation. After New Year, they began living together, and Pei Ye relocated his company to the neighboring building. Pei Ye also prepared meals for him and encouraged him to rest and exercise 133 134.

Recovering Pei Ye’s Shares

After learning from Gu Lei that the Pei family had withheld Pei Ye’s inheritance, Gu Zichu arranged to exchange a project he had spent three months developing for Pei Ye’s ten-percent stake in Pei Corporation 133 135 136.

Pei Xuan initially supplied a blank document instead of the Share Transfer Agreement. Anticipating trouble, Gu Zichu produced photographs of Pei Xuan in bed with other men and threatened to show them to his father. He obtained the genuine agreement, checked its authenticity, and left without entertaining Pei Xuan’s pleas for reconciliation 135.

Gu Zichu gave the agreement to Pei Ye and reassured him that he was worth the sacrifice. He had sought his parents’ approval before making the exchange. By this point, Pei Ye had also given him a proposal ring, and the couple had informed the Gu family, who welcomed Pei Ye and urged them to balance work with their life together 136 137.

Abilities & Skills

Business Management and Negotiation

Gu Zichu manages Gu Corporation and handles significant contracts and development projects 65 71.

• Participates in the Country A project handover with Huo Chuyun and Pei Xuan 52.
• Gives Gu Lingchuan responsibility for project follow-up while emphasizing its value as both company business and professional training 70 71.
• Participates in the Banana Phone collaboration involving Gu Corporation, Huo Corporation, and Pei Ye’s company 127.
• Anticipates Pei Xuan’s dishonesty, prepares leverage, and verifies the resulting share-transfer documents before accepting them 135.

Basketball

Gu Zichu handles the ball, coordinates plays, and scores from long range 105 106.

• Assigns roles to Lu Xingchen and Cheng Zitao based on their team’s strengths 105.
• Uses a screen to beat his defender, then passes out of a contested layup to an unguarded teammate 105.
• Scores the three-pointer that wins the half-court game 106.

Relationships

• Pei Ye — Business collaborator and romantic partner. Pursues Gu Zichu for nearly half a year before they begin dating; they later live together, and Gu Zichu recovers his withheld shares 127 130 131 134 136.
• Pei Xuan — Childhood friend and former romantic interest. His rejection, insults, possessiveness, and disclosure of their private encounter lead Gu Zichu to end their closeness 65 72 128.
• Gu Lingchuan — Younger brother. Gu Zichu is both his protector and disciplinarian, later entrusting him with work experience 49 70 71.
• Gu Lei — Father. Entrusts Gu Corporation to Gu Zichu, worries about his workload, and supports his choice of Pei Ye 65 133 137.
• Su Qin — Mother. Is deeply concerned for his health and welcomes Pei Ye into the family 66 131 137.
• Huo Chuyun — Longtime friend and business associate; the two are described as close as brothers 49 71.
• Lu Xingchen — Friend and confidant. Supports him after Pei Xuan’s rejection and remains protective as his relationship with Pei Ye develops 65 131.

Personal Items

• Silver-rimmed glasses — A recurring part of his appearance; Pei Ye remarks that they conceal his striking eyes 49 65 134.
• Silver ring — Worn on his left ring finger during his final business exchange with Pei Xuan. Pei Ye is later identified as having given him a proposal ring 135 137.

Notable Quotes

“In the quiet of the night, you take out your heart and stitch it back together yourself. Your heart can sleep, but your hands can't stop. You do what needs doing and keep moving forward even as you fall apart. That is the composure of an adult.” 71

“Pei Xuan, I'm not that easy to push around either.” 72

“You're good to me, and I want to be good to you too.” 137

Trivia

• His favorite dishes include sweet-and-sour pork and stir-fried vermicelli with baby napa cabbage 134.
• He watches Crayon Shin-chan while Pei Ye prepares dinner 137.
• He habitually orders black coffee; Pei Ye intervenes while trying to improve his eating habits 134.