Fu Zheng

Biodata

Background / History

Fu Zheng has loved Jiang Che for more than eight hundred years. Jiang Che, who returned to life in another person's body, had forgotten him; he recognizes Fu Zheng's long devotion as something he wants to repay with affection and indulgence 118 125.

Before appearing on the travel show, Fu Zheng had established himself as a celebrated actor with recognition overseas. He also owns Star Sharp Media and has previously interacted with foreign ghost kings, encounters through which he became familiar with Western dining etiquette 90 108 214.

His protectiveness is partly connected to their past. When Jiang Che approaches an ice cave during the glacier excursion, Fu Zheng embraces him from behind and quietly asks him not to enter. Jiang Che understands that he is frightened by the memory of an earlier incident and stays outside with him 125.

Appearance

• Attractive face and physique: Jiang Che credits both with drawing him to Fu Zheng; Fu Zheng confirms the account 150.
• Thin lips: Described during his whispered teasing of Jiang Che in the ski changing room 104.
• Usually expressionless: His restrained public expression contrasts with the tender smile he shows Jiang Che 126.

Personality

Fu Zheng is reserved around others but openly affectionate, indulgent, and flirtatious with Jiang Che. He enjoys feeding him, holding him, and taking photographs together rather than photographing him alone. His attention is so firmly centered on Jiang Che that the narration describes him as caring little about unrelated matters 103 108 115 126.

He is intensely jealous, treating even admiration or gratitude toward Jiang Che as a possible romantic threat. His characteristic response is to pair perceived rivals with other people: Jiang Che notes that he has done this so often that several couples have actually formed, making him an unofficial entertainment-industry matchmaker 97 101.

His competitiveness becomes particularly pronounced when Jiang Che praises another man. After Xie Huan wins Jiang Che's approval with his cooking, Fu Zheng insists on making breakfast and secretly uses ghost power to improve his chances of winning. He is equally willing to manipulate recreational games when doing so secures better food or accommodation for his partner 102 113 118 123.

Despite this possessiveness, Jiang Che can readily redirect him. Fu Zheng follows his lead during an improvised celebrity procession and joins the group's silly mealtime behavior simply because Jiang Che wants him to participate 100 127.

Abilities & Skills

Ghost Power

Fu Zheng is explicitly identified as a Ghost King and uses supernatural power for tasks ranging from movement to manipulating the group's surroundings 102 105 123.

• Supernatural perception: Sees the dishes beneath covered serving plates, allowing him to recognize both desirable food and Pei Tingyun's deception 102.
• Movement enhancement: Uses ghost power to move his snowboard automatically, including uphill, despite being a first-time learner 105.
• Sleep manipulation: Makes the group sleep until eight in the morning so he has time to prepare breakfast without competition from Xie Huan 123.
• Aroma enhancement: Strengthens his breakfast's fragrance to entice the others to eat it 123.
• Intimidating presence: Frightens Number Six into giving him a red plush toy matching Jiang Che's, ensuring they receive the same car assignment 111.
• Emotional leakage: Anticipates that touching something unpleasant unexpectedly could irritate him enough to release ghostly energy 113.

Telepathy and Cooperation with Ghosts

Fu Zheng communicates privately with Jiang Che through thought and enlists their ghost child to influence a filmed challenge 102 113.

• Directs the little ghost boy to nudge the food-roulette wheel away from an apparently unappetizing dish and onto yogurt 102.
• Realizes that Xie Huan can see the child after Xie Huan identifies the protected food choice; he resolves to handle such interference himself in future 102.
• Exchanges telepathic comments with Jiang Che without the other participants hearing them 113.

Acting

Fu Zheng's best-actor reputation makes the others wary of judging whether his reactions are genuine. He convincingly pretends to confuse Xie Huan's and Pei Tingyun's names while deliberately combining them into couple-like names 101 102.

• Calls Xie Huan “Xie Yun,” then refers to Pei Tingyun as “Tinghuan” 101 102.
• Maintains a believable apologetic act when corrected; only Jiang Che recognizes the deliberate matchmaking behind it 101 102.

Cooking

Fu Zheng learns local specialties from chefs wherever he travels because Jiang Che loves food. His ordinary cooking is genuinely good, even without supernatural enhancement 123.

• Prepares specialty breakfasts from multiple countries 123.
• Initially refuses to help Xie Huan cook, indicating that he cooks only for his wife 118.
• His enhanced breakfast earns widespread praise, but its impact fades after the ghost power dissipates; Xie Huan remains the group's acknowledged cooking champion 123 133.

Relationships

• Jiang Che — Husband and the focus of his centuries-long devotion. Fu Zheng frequently calls him “ge” while referring to him as his wife; Jiang Che affectionately calls him A-Zheng 118 133.
• Little ghost boy — Their ghost child, who often rides on Fu Zheng's shoulders. Jiang Che calls Fu Zheng the boy's “big daddy” and warns the child not to copy his cheating habits 93 102 113.
• Pei Tingyun — Fellow entertainer and Jiang Che's former bandmate. Fu Zheng initially regards him with jealousy and encourages his pairing with Xie Huan 90 101 127.
• Xie Huan — Fellow travel-show participant and temporary cooking rival. Fu Zheng also treats Xie Huan's gratitude toward Jiang Che as a possible romantic threat 97 118.
• Number Six / Six'er — The Roaming Group's husky. Fu Zheng intimidates the dog into assigning him a plush toy matching Jiang Che's 111.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Joining the Cauliflower Country Trip

Fu Zheng and Jiang Che join the Roaming Group as guest stars, expanding its membership from five to seven. Pei Tingyun finds them kissing in a hotel restroom before their formal introduction. Fu Zheng reacts jealously to Jiang Che's familiarity with Pei Tingyun, while Xie Huan initially regards the newcomers with suspicion 90 91.

Their public affection also challenges Xie Huan's assumptions about relationships. After Jiang Che kisses Fu Zheng on the street, Xie Huan is astonished to learn that men can kiss other men romantically 97.

Games and the Cooking Rivalry

Fu Zheng repeatedly bends the show's activities in Jiang Che's favor. He interferes with food roulette through their ghost child and wins the touch-guessing game using supernatural assistance, securing the largest room before coaxing Jiang Che into sharing it 102 113.

When Jiang Che enthusiastically praises Xie Huan's dinner, Fu Zheng challenges his cooking supremacy. His magically enhanced breakfast wins the cast's approval, but the effort convinces Jiang Che to bring their marriage registration forward rather than endure more jealousy-driven competition 118 123.

Marriage Registration and Celebration

Fu Zheng considers the trip a destination wedding and deliberately conceals his international driving license to avoid becoming the group's chauffeur. Later, instead of letting Jiang Che simply request leave from filming, he tells the director about their marriage-registration plans and eagerly agrees to let the cast and viewers witness them 109 131.

The couple obtains their marriage certificate at the local registry office. That evening, Xie Huan and Pei Tingyun prepare a celebration with restaurant decorations, a suona performance, and a wedding feast. Fu Zheng and Jiang Che feed each other wedding noodles 133 137.

Supporting the Central Romance

After Jiang Che explains that visiting Northeast China could help Pei Tingyun and Xie Huan become a couple, Fu Zheng enthusiastically supports making it the show's final destination. His enthusiasm is consistent with his habit of pairing off imagined rivals 127.

He also confirms Jiang Che's account of winning him over through looks and physique, encouraging Pei Tingyun to attempt the same approach with Xie Huan 150.

Departure and Later Connection

At the farewell dinner, Fu Zheng and Jiang Che prepare to leave before the group's third stop. During the final scratch-card challenge, Fu Zheng reveals 3,200 in travel funds, helping bring the group's total to 18,000 154 155.

Star Sharp Media later emerges as a possible way forward for Pei Tingyun during his contract-termination difficulties. A note Jiang Che left him reads “Welcome to Star Sharp Media!”, directing him toward the company owned by Fu Zheng 214.

Notable Quotes

“It doesn't matter whether you believe it. All that matters is that my wife likes it.” 118

“Sometimes I really think even the immortal realm isn't as beautiful as the mortal world.”
“Because you're in the mortal world.” 126