Yan Junye

Biodata

Background

Yan Junye grew up in a comfortably well-off household with his parents, older brother Yan Junliang, and pet dogs. Despite the family’s apparent stability, he felt consistently less favored than his brother. Comparisons involving their grades, appearance, and prospects left him feeling like an outsider in his own home. He argued with his parents when younger, but the additional concern he received afterward did not resolve his resentment 1 13 137.

During college, he sought psychological counseling from Pei Bai about his difficulties, only to conclude that Pei Bai’s counseling was ineffective. Yan Junye later worked as a therapist himself, enduring irregular hours, low pay, and excessive overtime 1 72 138.

After ten consecutive days of overtime, he collapsed at his computer and believed he had died. He awakened in a golden retriever’s body, initially delighted at the prospect of being pampered instead of working. That expectation collapsed when he learned that he had been assigned to Chang Yu as a comfort dog 1.

His human body had actually survived in a vegetative state. Gu Hongzhuo had bribed his doctor to withhold lifesaving surgery, while Yan Junye’s parents continued pursuing his treatment 6 13 19.

Appearance

• Human form: Has a gentle, well-behaved appearance, long, thick eyelashes, and thin lips. His innocent looks lead his college friends to underestimate his suggestive sense of humor 13 82 101 139.
• After his coma: Considerably thinner than before, with mild muscle atrophy that initially prevents him from walking safely without help 79 81.
• Golden retriever form: Has sleek golden fur, deep-brown eyes, large ears, and a fluffy golden-and-white tail. Chang Yu estimates his weight at approximately 33 kilograms 1 3.
• Later transformation: Develops dog ears and a large, fluffy tail while retaining his human body. The tail is too thick to conceal inside his trousers 147.

Personality

Yan Junye openly aspires to a life of sleeping, eating, and avoiding unnecessary work. His enthusiasm for becoming a dog comes from years of envying his family’s pampered pets. He sleeps deeply, turns off Chang Yu’s alarm to prolong his rest, and initially considers his comfort-dog title an empty formality 1 8 39 101.

He is sharp-tongued, theatrical, and skilled at appearing harmless while privately complaining. He uses exaggerated grievances, affectionate behavior, and invented stories to escape trouble or get what he wants. His interest in handsome men and expensive gifts is equally undisguised: he browses celebrities as possible replacement owners and becomes delighted when he learns that his accessories are gold 27 54 55 94 125.

His bravado grows when he feels protected. As a human, he had often avoided confrontation for fear of retaliation; as Chang Yu’s dog, he becomes willing to organize payback because he trusts Chang Yu to defend him 31.

Beneath his complaints, Yan Junye is attentive and protective. He takes work involving Chang Yu seriously, sympathizes with mistreated dogs, and would rather face danger himself than see Chang Yu harmed. Nevertheless, his insecurity about being unwanted persists, especially when he fears being replaced or abandoned 109 116 128 132 137.

Abilities & Skills

Psychological Counseling

Yan Junye has experience as a therapist and distinguishes professional counseling from the simpler emotional reassurance expected of a comfort dog 72.

• Helps Chang Yu process jealousy without condemning him for having uncomfortable feelings 103.
• Uses reassurance, affection, and conversation to calm Chang Yu after an upsetting encounter 98.
• Oversees Evergreen Company’s counseling department and checks its staff’s work even while inhabiting the golden retriever 116.

Communication with Dogs

Yan Junye can converse with dogs while occupying the retriever and retains the ability to understand them after returning to human form 11 85 89.

• Gathers information from household pets, neighborhood dogs, and working dogs 14 30 116.
• Uses their observations to uncover family secrets, misconduct, and Pei Bai’s history of spreading sexual rumors 14 116.
• Recruits canine allies and coordinates plans against people who mistreat dogs 31 118 119.
• The ability does not extend to every animal: he cannot understand the sheep encountered during filming 128.

Canine Senses and Human Knowledge

In the golden retriever’s body, Yan Junye combines canine senses with human reasoning and learned habits 5 27.

• Eavesdrops on distant conversations using sensitive hearing 5.
• Detects blood in suspicious povidone-iodine and hospital disinfectant on Chang Yu’s clothes 44 66.
• Operates phones and computers, opens doors, and follows human washing and bathroom routines 1 27 38 72.
• Initially struggles with four-legged movement, reverting to human-like postures when frightened 1.

Body-Swapping

Yan Junye’s consciousness moves between his human body and the golden retriever, but he cannot reliably control the transfers 81 109 113.

• His human body remains unconscious during his later stay in the dog’s body 113.
• He initially suspects that intense anger caused his first awakening 131.
• Chang Yu later concludes that overwhelming love and concern for him and Yan Junye’s family prompted the final return 141.
• The body-swapping stops after that return 147.

Hearing Chang Yu’s Thoughts

In the extras, Yan Junye gains the ability to hear Chang Yu’s inner thoughts, reversing their usual situation 145 146.

• Learns that Chang Yu’s private thoughts are often as suggestive as his own 145.
• Hears ordinary expressions of care, including Chang Yu deciding what breakfast to buy him 146.

Equipment & Personal Items

• Old phone — Given to him by Chang Yu while he is a dog; used to browse handsome celebrities late into the night 27.
• Computer — Used to study how to become a qualified comfort dog before filming 72.
• Gold bell and longevity lock — Accessories whose material he discovers through a Rottweiler, prompting him to request more jewelry 125.
• Wheelchair — Purchased by Chang Yu during his recovery so he can move around and go outside 87.
• Gold-chain bell necklace — Worn in human form during the extras and deliberately shown to Chang Yu 146.

Relationships

• Chang Yu — Initially his frightening owner, later his husband. Chang Yu investigates the harm done to his human body, funds his care, supports his rehabilitation, and recognizes him across both forms. Their relationship faces a serious breach of trust when Yan Junye discovers that Chang Yu has secretly heard his thoughts all along 1 19 78 87 97 133 134.
• Parents — Continue treating him during his coma and accept Chang Yu as his partner. Their devotion during his illness coexists with Yan Junye’s unresolved hurt over their earlier favoritism 13 65 82 137 138.
• Yan Junliang — Older brother and the favored child. Yan Junye is hurt to learn that he hoped Chang Yu would take over his care and reduce the family’s burden 13 131 137.
• Yan Bin — Second uncle whose gambling debts and demands for money trouble the family. Yan Junye worries that dealing with him could endanger Chang Yu 85 90.
• Beibei — The Yan family’s dog and an important source of information about conversations at home. Beibei does not initially know that Xiaotu is Yan Junye 80 85 130 131.
• Kan Jia — College friend and counseling colleague. Learns that Yan Junye has married Chang Yu when Yan Junye calls him “hubby” in front of him 97 101 116.
• Pei Bai — College acquaintance whose counseling disappointed him. Yan Junye later exposes his manipulation of You Hanliu and becomes a target of his hostility 108 109 138.
• You Hanliu — Helps her understand Pei Bai’s schemes and supports her decision to pursue legal action. She credits Yan Junye and Kan Jia with helping her through her difficulties 99 103 108.
• Xi Wu — Repeatedly tries to recruit him for stray-cat-catching outings, to Yan Junye’s displeasure. Xi Wu also arranges veterinary treatment for rescued animals 15 105 131 132.
• The golden retriever — A separate consciousness whose body Yan Junye occupies. After returning to human form, Yan Junye can speak with the dog and tries to explain its unfamiliar circumstances without revealing the body-swapping 94 95.
• The Labrador — The golden retriever’s actual romantic partner, not Yan Junye’s. His recognition that Yan Junye behaves differently complicates Yan Junye’s second stay in the retriever’s body 114 121 122 126.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Life as Chang Yu’s Comfort Dog

• Yan Junye tries to flee after witnessing Chang Yu drag a bloodied man from the bathroom. His escape ends at a dead end, and Chang Yu discovers that he can hear the dog’s thoughts 1.
• He repeatedly searches for a gentler, wealthy replacement owner, including among the Chang family’s guests and celebrities viewed on his phone 8 14 27.
• His conversations with other dogs reveal hidden scandals, including the truth about Chang Yiyuan’s parentage 14.
• Chang Yu exposes Gu Hongzhuo’s interference in Yan Junye’s medical treatment through a recorded confession, obtaining justice while Yan Junye remains Xiaotu 19.

Attempts to Return to Human Form

• Chang Yu visits Yan Junye’s hospitalized human body in Country M. His parents interpret Chang Yu’s concern as romantic devotion and decide to accept him if their son awakens 65.
• A planned restoration ritual fails when Yan Junye mistakes its practitioner for a dangerous fraud and knocks him down before it is completed 74.
• Chang Yu takes responsibility for his medical expenses and care arrangements 78.
• Yan Junye awakens in his human body with mild muscle atrophy. Chang Yu discovers that he can still hear his thoughts 81.

Recovery and Marriage

• Yan Junye’s family leaves him in Chang Yu’s care, believing they are already a couple. Yan Junye admits that he likes Chang Yu 82.
• Chang Yu accompanies him through rehabilitation. After half a month, he can walk without support, though he still cannot run or jump 87 90.
• Chang Yu announces his intention to marry Yan Junye and give him their assets despite the lack of legal recognition. He subsequently brings Yan Junye to a Chang family dinner to acknowledge his place in the family 90 91.
• By the time Kan Jia learns of the marriage, both families know, but the couple has kept it out of the news 97.

Pei Bai and Animal-Welfare Filming

• Yan Junye helps uncover Pei Bai’s paid rumors and manipulation of You Hanliu. After Pei Bai threatens those assisting her, Yan Junye stays close to Chang Yu 108 109.
• The golden retriever becomes a target of Pei Bai’s violence. Yan Junye loses consciousness in human form and returns to the injured dog’s body, while his human body falls into another coma 110 113 118.
• He seeks information and support from other dogs, including a German shepherd and a police Rottweiler, while avoiding the retriever’s Labrador partner 113 118 119 121.
• During filming, he demonstrates comfort-dog behavior with Chang Yu and learns of a police investigation potentially connected to Pei Bai’s family. Pei Bai is later arrested, and injured rescued dogs receive veterinary care 125 128 132.

Mind-Reading Revelation and Final Awakening

• Chang Yu reveals that he has always known Yan Junye was present in Xiaotu’s body. Yan Junye realizes that his private thoughts have never been private around him 133 134.
• He withdraws because he cannot distinguish genuine affection from responses shaped by mind-reading. The secrecy makes him feel exposed and unequal within the relationship 134.
• His distress deepens when family favoritism resurfaces and he fears Chang Yu no longer wants him 137.
• While anxiously waiting for Chang Yu to finish a hospital examination, Yan Junye becomes unresponsive in the retriever’s body and returns to his human body 138.
• He subsequently cares for Chang Yu in hospital, prepares soup, and helps him return home. Chang Yu interprets the awakening as the result of Yan Junye’s overwhelming concern for his loved ones 141.

Extras

• Yan Junye hears Chang Yu’s thoughts in return, discovering both his private desires and everyday attentiveness 145 146.
• Although the body-swapping has ended, Yan Junye unexpectedly grows dog ears and a tail at Evergreen Company 147.
• When Chang Yu temporarily inhabits the rescued calico cat, Yan Junye cares for him, arranges hospital care for his human body, and runs Evergreen Company by relaying his instructions until he returns to human form the following evening 148.