Ma Xiaoding

Biodata

Background / History

Middle School and Family Connections

Ma Xiaoding attended Experimental Middle School with Xie Sui and Xi Bowen. He was a well-known school bully with followers and a reputation for fighting viciously. Although he rejected the malicious rumors about Xie Sui and considered helping him, he found Xie Sui difficult to approach and never followed through 6 17 18.

His family owed the Meng family a life-saving debt. Grandma Meng introduced him to Song Yu to keep the latter company, and his father later instructed him to look after Song Yu at school. Initially, Ma Xiaoding spoke almost inaudibly out of concern for Song Yu’s health and addressed him as “Young Master”; Song Yu insisted on “Brother Yu” instead 6 16 21.

Summer with Song Yu

Ma Xiaoding gave Song Yu an account of Xie Sui’s poverty, isolation, and mistreatment during middle school. As a Jing City local, he also introduced Song Yu to the incoming students’ QQ group and the school’s Campus Community forum 6 9.

He and his friends posted bad reviews about Zhu Zhixing’s mother. Song Yu subsequently invited him over to study and handed him half of his substantial pile of practice papers, much to Ma Xiaoding’s dismay 14.

Entering Jingcheng No. 1 High School

Grandma Meng arranged for Ma Xiaoding to enter Class 1 so he could accompany Song Yu; his father bluntly stated that his grades would otherwise have placed him in a bottom class. He became Xi Bowen’s deskmate and sat directly behind Song Yu 16 17.

On registration day, he loudly tried to stop older students from photographing Song Yu, only to attract more attention. He also recognized Song Yu as the popular forum user “Your Husband Brother Yu” 16.

When Wang Ci’s followers pressured Song Yu to change seats, Ma Xiaoding threatened them and stood by Song Yu’s refusal. He still regarded Song Yu as physically fragile and checked anxiously that nobody had touched him 18.

The Linqing Street Confrontation

After security interrupted a fight at the school gates, Ma Xiaoding and his opponents moved to an internet café to settle matters through gaming. There, he discovered Zhu Zhixing’s involvement in a scheme against Xie Sui and called Song Yu over 19 20.

He led the group into a pool hall without checking how many people were inside. Confronted by adult thugs, his bravado collapsed. Chen Zhijie challenged him to snooker, demanding that he publicly bark like a dog if he lost; Ma Xiaoding knew eight-ball and nine-ball, but had never played snooker 21.

Song Yu took his place and defeated the attackers. Ma Xiaoding tried to rush to his aid but was restrained, leaving him terrified that his recklessness had endangered the Meng family’s grandson. Witnessing Song Yu’s fighting ability transformed his protective concern into open hero worship 21.

Afterward, he helped take Zhu Zhixing to the middle school’s confession wall. He repeatedly advocated beating Zhu Zhixing, but Song Yu instead made Zhu erase the insults he had written about Xie Sui and promise an explanation to their former classmates 21 22.

Class Duties, Exams, and Outings

Ma Xiaoding hoped to become Chinese class representative and urged Song Yu to take the equivalent position in math. The math teacher mistook his excitement for enthusiasm about the subject and appointed him instead. His attempt to escape the position failed, leaving him responsible for submitting homework despite his failing math grades 26.

His confidence in Song Yu also caused trouble. A forum post nearly exposed Song Yu’s identity, forcing Ma Xiaoding to issue a retraction, and his claims that Song Yu had been a top student in City A contributed to classmates’ inflated expectations before the monthly exams 25 42.

Following the exams, he asked Song Yu and Xie Sui for study advice because he wanted to improve his grades for Jiang Chunian. At the class karaoke outing, he helped sneak in snacks and beer, struggled through a mobile game until Song Yu took over, and later drew the little joker in truth or dare. He refused to name a prospective girlfriend despite visibly reacting to Jiang Chunian 47 49 50.

Appearance

• Build and complexion: Skinny, with wheat-colored skin 6.
• Expressive mannerisms: His eyes widen when surprised, and he blushes and stammers around Jiang Chunian 6 41.

Personality

Ma Xiaoding is boisterous, restless, and fond of theatrical declarations. He imagines himself as a righteous swordsman, a protective knight, or a future school tyrant, often treating confrontations as opportunities to become famous. Song Yu repeatedly tries to redirect that enthusiasm toward studying 16 19 22.

His loyalty is genuine, but his judgment is unreliable. He defends Song Yu against classmates and tries to intervene when thugs attack him, yet he also brings friends into danger without checking the situation first. He becomes frightened when badly outnumbered and readily turns to Song Yu for help 18 21 29.

He admires literary achievement and considers himself a “literary young man,” despite frequently mangling poetry. His usual confidence disappears around Jiang Chunian: he blushes, rambles, and avoids an obvious opportunity to confess his feelings 19 41 50.

Abilities & Skills

Fighting and Leadership

• Led followers at Experimental Middle School and retained enough notoriety to frighten former schoolmates 17 18.
• Is described as fighting viciously, but becomes overwhelmed when faced with adult street thugs 18 21.
• Relies on Song Yu when a confrontation appears too risky or unevenly matched 29.

Chinese and Literature

• Enjoys poetry, essay writing, and discussing Chinese homework 19 41.
• Claims Chinese is his strong subject, although his poetry recitations mix unrelated lines 18 19.
• Correctly identifies that Song Yu misunderstood an essay assignment: its literary title was not the actual topic 41.

Games and Recreation

• Pool: Has played eight-ball and nine-ball, but has no snooker experience when Chen Zhijie challenges him 21.
• Video games: Favors carry roles despite poor results. His internet-café ADC finishes at 1/9, and repeated deaths in a mobile MOBA prompt him to hand his phone to Song Yu 20 49.
• Werewolf: His attempt to confuse opponents with a “seer wolf” claim instead convinces other players to vote him out 32.

Relationships

• Song Yu — Close friend whom he calls “Brother Yu.” He initially acts as Song Yu’s protector, then becomes an enthusiastic admirer after witnessing his fighting ability. Song Yu responds to his antics with teasing, reprimands, and attempts to make him study 6 14 21 29.
• Xie Sui — Former middle-school classmate and current classmate. Ma Xiaoding condemns the rumors spread about him, informs Song Yu of his past, and later offers to beat Zhu Zhixing on his behalf 6 22.
• Xi Bowen — Deskmate and frequent companion. Xi Bowen initially fears his old school-bully reputation, but later openly mocks his poetry, gaming, and romantic awkwardness 17 19 32 50.
• Jiang Chunian — His crush and the Chinese class representative. Her position contributes to his attraction because he has a particular fondness for girls who are good at Chinese. He wants to improve his grades for her, but does not confess during truth or dare 41 47 50.
• Uncle Ma — His father. He instructs Ma Xiaoding to protect Song Yu and reminds him that his Class 1 placement was arranged rather than earned through grades 16.
• Grandma Meng — Arranges his introduction to Song Yu and his placement in Class 1. Ma Xiaoding’s sense of obligation toward her intensifies his panic during the pool-hall fight 6 16 21.
• Zhu Zhixing — An antagonist with whom he has a personal grudge. Ma Xiaoding objects to his insults and schemes against Song Yu and Xie Sui, and helps bring him to the confession wall 16 21 22.

Notable Quotes

“Dad, don’t worry! Whoever breaks Brother Yu’s wings, I’ll destroy their entire heaven.” 16

“Back in middle school, I bent down to pick up a pen, and from then on, I never understood another lesson.” 19

Trivia

• His QQ avatar depicts Sadako with her hair hanging loose. His status reads, “I can crawl out of the TV, but I can’t crawl into your heart” 9.
• He was kicked out of his middle-school class chat after his profile picture frightened the class monitor into crying at night 22.
• He initially writes “qwq” phonetically as “Cue double-you cue.” After learning the emoticon, he proudly uses it three times in one message 25 39.
• During the karaoke outing, he follows Song Yu’s joking advice to plead with an enemy jungler using “qwq.” The opponent continues targeting him anyway 49.