Chu Ci

Biodata

Background / History

Interstellar upbringing

Chu Ci never knew his birth parents. His master found him as an infant and brought him to a military camp, where he grew up. An exceptionally talented martial artist, he had challenged everyone in the camp by sixteen, returning for further attempts whenever he lost. He became the first minor admitted to the interstellar military camp by special exception 36.

The princess consort, Wu Zhou’s mother, treated the young Chu Ci kindly and helped him enter military service. After her death, he pledged to care for her son. Years of campaigning delayed his return to the palace; when he discovered Wu Zhou’s mistreatment, he asked to take him to the battlefield. Wu Zhou became his disciple and someone Chu Ci regarded as family 26 34 41 46 125.

Chu Ci devoted his life to warfare in pursuit of interstellar unity. He repeatedly declined matchmaking offers, placing peace and ordinary people’s welfare above marriage. His ambition was for people across the stars to have food, warm clothing, and safety from war 46.

He eventually died following an enemy surprise attack. Because the concealed battle plan had been known to trusted comrades, he later considered the possibility of betrayal, but the supplied account does not establish a culprit. His principal personal regret was not seeing Wu Zhou ascend the throne 17 59.

The original Chu Ci

The body Chu Ci inherits belonged to a young actor of the same name. The original owner’s history is distinct from the general’s memories 34.

His parents left him with his grandmother, Shen Qingxiu, who raised him using her savings and income from odd jobs. She also spent her retirement money to support his education in the provincial capital. He grew up in poor health and wanted to become an excellent actor while providing for her 34 38.

His mother, Cui Xuemei, resumed contact after discovering that he had entered entertainment. Hoping for maternal affection, he initially transferred her 50,000 yuan out of his 55,000-yuan savings. She repeatedly sought more money for gambling, at one point falsely claiming an injury. His father also contacted him for money 38 39 40.

Without strong resources or connections, the original owner accepted his company’s strategy of attracting attention through notoriety and forced celebrity pairings. Online hostility worsened his mental health, while Cui Xuemei dismissed his requests for comfort. By the time Chu Ci entered his body, he was already close to death 34 35 40.

Arrival in the entertainment world

Chu Ci awakens during the filming of Let’s Fall in Love, initially bewildered by the unfamiliar setting and the concept of a dating show. He discovers that he can hear other people’s thoughts, despite having possessed a different special skill in his former life 1 3 5.

After winning the opening quiz, he receives first choice of partner and additional starting funds. His partnership with Ye Qingzhou becomes central to the show’s appeal, combining competitive teamwork with increasingly intimate tasks 8 12 24 131.

His early successes include:

• Baiting Zhou Jin and Li Muting into triggering a skill card by taking his cap 14.
• Bluffing rival teams about the card he and Ye Qingzhou hold 24.
• Deducing that the Exchange Card can be used twice, then letting rivals take their 500 yuan before reclaiming it 29.
• Completing romantic tasks with Ye Qingzhou, including a candy-wrapper kiss and holding hands with interlaced fingers 12 24.

Lele eventually explains that his original body has died and his soul now inhabits the actor’s body. Chu Ci accepts responsibility for fulfilling the original owner’s wishes: becoming an excellent actor and caring for his grandmother 34.

Protecting his new family

Grandma’s affection gives Chu Ci his first direct experience of familial love. He becomes protective of her while remaining conscious that she does not know her grandson’s body now houses another soul 36 48.

He also refuses to continue the original owner’s financial submission to Cui Xuemei. At her mahjong parlor, he exposes her neglect and demands, then bluffs that legal action could force her to repay the money she has received. With terminology supplied by Lele, he pressures her into severing their mother-son relationship 42 43 44 45 46.

His decision is also preventative: he expects Cui Xuemei to continue demanding money and recognizes that future rivals could exploit accusations of unfilial conduct against him 45.

Establishing himself as an actor

Ye Qingzhou recommends Chu Ci for Reign. Aware of the director’s distrust, Chu Ci requests an audition and explicitly accepts that the role may go to someone else if he is unsuitable 61 62.

He plays Xiao Ziheng, the third prince. Initially, he relies on script study, Lele’s assistance, the director’s instruction, and Ye Qingzhou’s private coaching. His improvement becomes rapid enough that nearly all his scenes are completed in one take after his first difficult days on set 88 93 109.

Over more than six months of filming, acting changes from an obligation into something he genuinely enjoys. His dedication earns the crew’s friendship and willingness to share their experience 109 117.

His audience also expands beyond acting:

• A video of his love-song performance brings him 500,000 additional Weibo followers overnight 93.
• His entertainment-gossip livestreams exceed one million viewers at their peak 117.
• His Weibo following passes five million before Reign airs 117.
• After the drama’s release, his portrayal of Xiao Ziheng receives praise for its controlled expressions, movements, and bearing. He becomes the production’s biggest beneficiary in follower growth 133 134.

Recovering the past and marrying Ye Qingzhou

Chu Ci gradually notices similarities between Ye Qingzhou and Wu Zhou, including their eyes, dimples, and behavior toward him. Nevertheless, he falls in love with Ye Qingzhou before confirming their shared past 17 34 101 125.

By the time he awakens in hospital, he knows Ye Qingzhou is Wu Zhou. He confronts him about both his engineered encounters in the present and his sacrifices in their previous life: studying forbidden books, practicing formations, offering blood, and sacrificing his life to save Chu Ci 127.

Chu Ci does not reject him over their former master-disciple relationship. Instead, he regrets failing to recognize Wu Zhou sooner and overlooking his suffering and feelings 128.

After learning that Wu Zhou’s blood in the Resurrection Array gave him Mind Reading, Chu Ci proposes that they marry immediately. They register their marriage in secret 130.

Their planned public relationship announcement later becomes an unplanned mutual proposal during Chu Ci’s livestream. Both men have prepared rings, and the resulting attention crashes Weibo. They subsequently post matching marriage announcements with photographs of their certificates and rings 141 143.

Later career

The director of Challenge recruits Chu Ci because of his intelligence and performance on Let’s Fall in Love, rather than as a favor to Ye Qingzhou. On the competition show, Chu Ci recognizes an opposing spy, extracts energy from him, and continues matching strategies against his husband 131 150 157.

Following the public proposal, Challenge, and further attention surrounding the Starlight Awards, Ye Qingzhou formally invites him to join CH. A year and a half later, Chu Ci signs with the agency through his own ability 161.

He then joins Ye Qingzhou’s directorial project, The Promise, which dramatizes their interstellar experiences and the soldiers who fought beside them. Ye Qingzhou uses the name Wu Zhou in the film, while Chu Ci uses an alias 161.

Appearance

• Eyes: Beautiful, sharply striking phoenix eyes 1 5.
• Current features: Delicate and comparatively gentle, softening the fierceness of his personality and military bearing 90.
• Original appearance: Approximately seventy to eighty percent similar to his current body, but with sharper features and an air of fierceness acquired on the battlefield 90.
• Women’s clothing: Wears a JK uniform for the first time after the dating show’s second episode; its appearance suits his current body, though he initially feels awkward 89 90.

Personality

Chu Ci is calm under pressure, highly adaptable, and fond of challenges. His childhood habit of repeatedly challenging stronger opponents reflects his willingness to learn from failure rather than retreat from it. He applies that same persistence to acting, accepting instruction and studying until his performances improve 3 36 109.

His sharp tongue conceals a protective, soft-hearted disposition. He is gentle with Ye Qingzhou but openly provocative toward competitors such as Zhou Jin. When a stall owner harbors sexual intentions toward Ye Qingzhou, Chu Ci prioritizes protecting him over the potential damage to his own public image 14 48 77.

Despite his tactical insight, he is inexperienced in romance. He initially misunderstands Wu Zhou’s jealousy and repeatedly interprets Ye Qingzhou’s advances as friendship. He eventually acknowledges that his own nervousness and attraction are signs of love 46 47 49 52 101.

He believes affection should depend on the person rather than gender, wealth, power, or status. Although he readily accepts Ye Qingzhou’s love, he delays going public because he wants their relationship to be regarded as an equal match rather than a means of advancing his career 49 104 110.

Abilities & Skills

Mind Reading

Chu Ci acquires the ability to perceive thoughts after Wu Zhou’s blood affects him within the Resurrection Array. He first notices it when he hears a staff member’s unspoken reaction during filming 5 130.

• Activation: Eye contact allows him to read most people’s thoughts, including through livestream connections 106.
• Multiple targets: He successfully uses it on several guests and staff members, concluding that it is not restricted to one person 17.
• Applications: Detecting manipulation, identifying romantic interest, uncovering entertainment-industry gossip, and testing information during games 17 94 106.
• Exception: He cannot read Ye Qingzhou, because the ability originally belonged to him 130.
• Unconfirmed limits: His early tests cause no discomfort, but he initially does not know its duration or the consequences of overuse 17.
• Information sales: He declines offers from gossip accounts and media outlets to purchase firsthand information 106.

Combat Talent

Chu Ci’s original awakened special skill is described as “possessing top-tier combat power.” In the interstellar world, citizens awaken a special skill at eighteen 5.

• Demonstrates exceptional martial aptitude before adulthood 36.
• Serves as a general and becomes revered as a God of War 92 102.
• Has extensive battlefield experience, including fighting alongside Wu Zhou 26 161.
• His original body’s combat power is distinct from the Mind Reading acquired after resurrection 5 130.

Memory and Tactical Reasoning

Chu Ci can read ten lines at a glance and retain what he reads. His memory supports quiz performance, script study, and recall of entertainment-industry figures 131 138.

• Wins the opening quiz on Let’s Fall in Love 8.
• Infers the Exchange Card’s second use from its name 29.
• Uses feints and psychological pressure to make competitors act to his advantage 14 24 29.
• Recognizes an opposing spy’s poor performance on Challenge and anticipates rival teams’ likely objectives 150 157.

Acting

Chu Ci develops from an inexperienced performer into an actor praised for his portrayal of Xiao Ziheng 109 133.

• Studies character psychology with Lele’s assistance 93.
• Incorporates direction, colleagues’ advice, and Ye Qingzhou’s coaching 109.
• Conveys Xiao Ziheng’s refinement and emotional distance through controlled expressions, movement, and bearing 133.
• Comes to value acting for its own satisfaction, rather than solely as the original owner’s unfinished wish 109.

Singing

Chu Ci has a distinctive, pleasant voice suited to intimate love songs. His bar performance with Yang Zhouzhou attracts substantial online attention 81 93.

• Dedicates “Common Jasmin Orange” to Ye Qingzhou, calling him his “girlfriend” during the show task 81.
• Performs additional love songs with Yang Zhouzhou until his throat becomes hoarse 81.
• Gains a wider audience after Ye Qingzhou posts his singing video online 93.

Notable Productions

Relationships

• Ye Qingzhou / Wu Zhou — Husband and former disciple. Chu Ci once cared for Wu Zhou as family without recognizing his romantic feelings; in their new lives, they become lovers before Chu Ci confirms his identity 46 125 127 130.
• Shen Qingxiu — The original owner’s grandmother. Her unconditional care gives Chu Ci his first tangible experience of familial love, and he commits to looking after her 34 36 48.
• Lele — Longtime companion linked to Chu Ci mentally. Helps him understand the new world, operate modern technology, confront Cui Xuemei, and study his acting role 34 42 45 47 93.
• His master — Found him as an infant and raised him in the military camp 36.
• The princess consort — Wu Zhou’s mother and an important benefactor. Her kindness and assistance inspire Chu Ci’s promise to protect her son 26 41.
• Cui Xuemei — The original owner’s mother. Chu Ci ends her financial exploitation by confronting her neglect and pressuring her into severing ties 43 44 45 46.
• The original owner’s father — An absentee parent who later seeks money after learning of his son’s entertainment career 38 40.
• Chen Wan — An actress whose publicity tactics Chu Ci challenges. His advice helps her change direction; she later develops genuine feelings for him, but he rejects her and asks her to keep his relationship with Ye Qingzhou private 94 105 106 110.
• Ji Sisi — Fellow variety-show guest and Reign cast member. Chu Ci detects her favorable feelings through Mind Reading and avoids encouraging them 106 107.
• Yang Zhouzhou — Collaborator during the bar’s love-song performance 81.
• Zhou Jin — Recurring competitor on Let’s Fall in Love and fellow Reign cast member. Chu Ci repeatedly outmaneuvers him during the dating show’s games 14 29 107.

Notable Quotes

“When you like someone, shouldn't you like their character, their values, and their personality? What does that have to do with gender?” 49

“I'm dating him simply because I like Ye Qingzhou. It has nothing to do with identity, money, power, or status. Even if Ye Qingzhou becomes a beggar on the street one day, I'll still love him.” 110

“An artist really does need their work to make a complete comeback...” 134

Trivia

• Ye Qingzhou’s first use of “Teacher Chu” surprises the guests and viewers because Chu Ci lacks the industry standing normally associated with the honorific 5.
• Chu Ci prefers saying “I love you” rather than “I love you too”: he considers his love independent of whether it is returned 112 136.
• He creates a new WeChat account after arriving in the modern world to escape the original owner’s family connections 136.
• Ye Qingzhou’s company, CH, is named for Chu Ci 125 130.