Pei Xuan

Biodata

Background / History

Childhood and Family Expectations

Pei Xuan grew up with Gu Zichu in neighboring, closely connected families. Before Huo Chuyun joined their circle, the two were already each other’s closest companions. Pei Xuan initially mistook Gu Zichu for a girl and, as a child, liked pinching his cheeks and joking that he wished Gu Zichu were a girl 71 107.

His early affection had a protective side: he cheered Gu Zichu up, carried him to the infirmary when he fainted from low blood sugar, and climbed over a wall to take him out after arguments with his parents. He also supported Gu Zichu upon learning that he liked men. These experiences led Gu Zichu to fall for him and hope that his feelings were mutual 65 128.

As his parents’ only child, Pei Xuan was expected to learn the family business. He resented that responsibility, preferring travel and entertainment. His parents sent him to Country A to study and confiscated his passport, preventing him from simply returning home 49 72.

Country A Project

Huo Chuyun and Gu Zichu offered Pei Xuan a route home through participation in Huo Corporation’s Country A project. He eagerly accepted, hoping the work would persuade his father to allow his return 49.

During their meetings, Pei Xuan learned about Huo Chuyun’s relationship with Lu Xingchen. He teased Huo and tried to persuade him to drop his demand for Gu Lingchuan’s personal apology to Lu. When Huo made clear that Lu’s happiness took priority, Pei Xuan apologized for disrespecting him and asked not to be excluded from the project 50 51 52.

The three completed the project handover, and Pei Xuan subsequently met Lu Xingchen in person. Despite knowing Gu Zichu’s sexual orientation, he remained oblivious to his feelings, even boasting that he had concealed them from Gu Zichu’s mother 52 53.

Sexual Encounter and Estrangement

After drinking with Gu Zichu, Pei Xuan became possessive at the thought of him marrying or kissing someone else. He initiated physical intimacy, and the two slept together. Once sober, however, he could not reconcile the encounter with his belief that he was straight and had only dated women. He rejected Gu Zichu, called him disgusting, and fled 65 71.

On their flight home, Pei Xuan avoided sitting beside Gu Zichu. When Gu Zichu developed a fever and severe discomfort, he accompanied him to the hospital but lied to Huo Chuyun about the likely cause. Gu Zichu later told Lu Xingchen what had happened; Lu urged him to stop waiting for someone so immature and irresponsible 64 65.

Gu Zichu withdrew and assigned Gu Lingchuan to handle their shared project. Lu Xingchen’s pointed criticism finally made Pei Xuan recognize that the substitution was deliberate: Gu Zichu no longer wanted to see him 70.

Pei Xuan attempted an apology, but became angry when Gu Zichu said he had moved on. He repeated his insults, then begged to restore their friendship and offered to try dating. Gu Zichu refused, citing Pei Xuan’s financial dependence on his parents, lack of an independent career, and inability to protect a relationship against family opposition. After Pei Xuan gripped his wrist hard enough to leave it red and swollen, Gu Zichu poured iced coffee over him and left 71 72.

Basketball Bet and Pei Ye’s Challenge

At a basketball gym, Pei Xuan repeatedly lost focus while watching Gu Zichu play alongside his youngest uncle, Pei Ye. A reshuffled three-on-three game placed Pei Xuan, Pei Ye, and Gu Lingchuan against Gu Zichu, Lu Xingchen, and Cheng Zitao, with the losers owing the winners a request 104 105.

After losing, Pei Xuan protested Gu Zichu’s request that he stop disrupting his life until New Year. Pei Ye enforced the wager and took him away. In the car, Pei Xuan claimed that sleeping with Gu Zichu made him his, prompting Pei Ye to condemn his treatment of another person as property 106.

Pei Xuan said he had begun studying how to take over Pei Corporation. Pei Ye challenged whether that was enough to resist his parents and contrasted it with his own financial independence, built specifically to defend his freedom to choose a partner 106.

New Year Confrontation

Pei Xuan honored the separation for several months. During a New Year visit to the Song family, he followed Gu Zichu and Pei Ye to a lakeside pavilion, mistakenly believed they were kissing, and punched Pei Ye. He then tried to embrace Gu Zichu and demanded that Pei Ye give him up 127.

Pei Xuan confessed that he loved Gu Zichu and apologized for overlooking the jar of paper cranes Gu had given him. He had only recently found them in storage and read the messages inside, realizing how long Gu Zichu had cared for him 127 128.

A phone call then exposed that Pei Xuan had mocked their sexual encounter to his friends. Pei Ye smashed his phone and attacked him. When Gu Zichu tried to intervene, Pei Xuan kicked him away; Gu slipped and twisted his ankle. Pei Ye subsequently overwhelmed Pei Xuan, leaving him bloodied and requiring hospital treatment 128 129.

Pei Xuan’s parents demanded that Pei Ye apologize at his hospital bedside. Pei Ye refused, and the confrontation ended in his break with the Pei family. Gu Zichu, meanwhile, agreed to begin a relationship with Pei Ye 130.

Share Transfer Negotiation

Gu Zichu later met Pei Xuan to exchange a project he had spent three months developing for the ten percent of Pei Corporation shares belonging to Pei Ye. Pei Xuan attempted to substitute a blank document for the Share Transfer Agreement while pleading for another chance at their relationship 135 136.

Gu Zichu exposed the deception and used photographs of Pei Xuan in bed with other men to compel him to surrender the genuine agreement. Pei Xuan was left watching Gu Zichu reunite with Pei Ye outside the café 135.

Appearance

• Facial features: Thick eyebrows and large eyes; his furrowed brows and hostile expression give him a fierce appearance 49.
• Hair: Initially short and spiked forward, later cut into a buzz cut 49 64.
• Later styling: Appears at the share-transfer meeting with a red buzz cut, a black punk outfit, and a conspicuous lip stud 135.

Personality

Pei Xuan is pleasure-seeking, foul-mouthed, and quick-tempered. He initially rejects business training in favor of doing whatever he wants, and lashes out when frustrated. During the basketball game, he grabs Gu Lingchuan by the collar after a defensive mistake; during arguments with Gu Zichu, he admits that he says cruel things to vent his anger 49 72 105.

His earlier loyalty to Gu Zichu contrasts sharply with his later possessiveness. He can accept his friends’ attraction to men in principle, yet initially rejects his own intimacy with Gu Zichu. Even after expressing remorse and declaring love, he repeatedly treats their shared past as a claim over Gu Zichu’s future. His apologies coexist with further insults, public mockery, and an attempt to manipulate their business exchange 71 72 106 127 128 135.

Relationships

• Gu Zichu — Childhood best friend and former sexual partner. Gu’s long-standing affection ends after Pei Xuan’s rejection and repeated mistreatment; Pei Xuan’s later pursuit does not restore their bond 65 72 133 135.
• Pei Ye — Youngest paternal uncle and rival for Gu Zichu’s affection. Challenges Pei Xuan’s dependence and possessiveness, enforces the basketball wager, and later fights him 104 106 127 128.
• Pei Zheng — Father. Expects him to learn the family business and fiercely defends him after his hospitalization 49 106 130.
• Fang Lin — Mother. Hopes for grandchildren, condemns same-sex relationships, and demands that Pei Ye apologize for injuring her son 65 125 130.
• Huo Chuyun — Longtime friend, addressed as “Brother Huo.” Provides the Country A project opportunity but refuses to excuse disrespect toward Lu Xingchen 49 50 51.
• Lu Xingchen — Friend’s partner and outspoken critic. Initially greeted respectfully as “Brother Lu,” he later confronts Pei Xuan over his treatment of Gu Zichu 53 70.
• Gu Lingchuan — Gu Zichu’s younger brother and fellow project participant. Becomes both a work associate and a basketball teammate, with frequent friction between them 70 73 104 105.

Notable Quotes

“I don't fucking want to learn how to run a company. I just want to go wherever I please and have fun.” 49

“I'm working hard to learn how to take over the Pei Corporation now. What more do you want from me?” 106