Ji Yunqing

Biodata

Background

Ji Yunqing grew up with Mu Nanyu and is two years older than him. Mu Nanyu was clingy as a child, but abruptly distanced himself after developing romantic feelings at seventeen. Unaware of the reason, Ji Yunqing believed he had done something wrong and was deeply hurt by the change 137 138.

During their school years, Mu Nanyu secretly paid girls to stop pursuing Ji Yunqing. Ji Yunqing only learned about this through Shang Shujue’s inner thoughts, realizing that some girls had approached him to obtain money from Mu Nanyu rather than out of genuine romantic interest 137.

Appearance

• Overall appearance: Elegant and handsome, with a warm, gentle smile 6.
• Relative height: About half a head shorter than Mu Nanyu 138.
• Public disguise: While visiting Shangjing with Mu Nanyu, he wears a heavy disguise and alters his gait to avoid recognition 144.

Personality

Ji Yunqing is gracious and encouraging in his professional role. When advancing Xu Jiaqiao on Draft, he praises the joy his dancing brings and urges him to continue working hard. He initially meets Mu Nanyu’s habitual provocations with a sigh and a faint smile rather than retaliation 6.

He also has a teasing side, dryly praising Mu Nanyu for sharing an obvious phone-search method. His patience has limits, however: after learning why Mu Nanyu mistreated him, he directly explains the hurt those years caused and refuses to let tears substitute for making amends 99 138.

Despite his anger, Ji Yunqing remains affectionate toward Mu Nanyu. He wipes away his tears during their reconciliation, but declines his confession and leaves any future relationship dependent on how sincerely he behaves 138.

Abilities & Skills

Singing and Entertainment Work

• Introduced on Draft as the “prince of love songs” 4.
• Evaluates contestants as a mentor and can approve their advancement 6.
• Works as an actor; his filming schedule includes rain and snow scenes 137.

Hearing Shang Shujue’s Inner Thoughts

• Can hear Shang Shujue’s otherwise unspoken commentary and revelations about people’s futures 6.
• Hears the account of his own predicted death while filming on a mountain set, away from Shang Shujue 136.
• Learns the reasons behind Mu Nanyu’s hostility and his concealed romantic feelings through these revelations 137.

Judgment Under Pressure

• Correctly reasons that Ren Daiqi is probably waiting for someone rather than preparing to seize Shang Shujue immediately 100.
• Persuades the wavering mentors to follow Shang Shujue’s evacuation advice, arguing that staying could give their enemies leverage over someone unwilling to abandon them 101.

Story Role / Major Arcs

*Draft* and the Mentors’ Alliance

Ji Yunqing and Mu Nanyu’s joint invitation to Draft surprises viewers, who regard them as sworn enemies. Ji Yunqing enters with the other mentors and later approves Xu Jiaqiao’s advancement 2 4 6.

After hearing Shang Shujue expose the contestants’ tragic futures, Ji Yunqing proposes that the mentors help him accumulate merit. The group agrees to assist him privately, hoping that doing so will enable him to help them escape their own miserable fates 6.

Restaurant Encounter

While dining with the other five mentors, Ji Yunqing overhears Shang Shujue investigating Ren Daiqi and Su Youchuan. He participates in the group’s discussion of Ren Daiqi’s intentions, then urges everyone to leave according to Shang Shujue’s instructions. All six mentors return safely to the training camp 99 100 101.

Predicted Death and Reconciliation

On debut night, Mu Nanyu nearly strikes Ji Yunqing backstage before the other mentors restrain him. The outburst follows a mistaken sighting: Mu Nanyu believes he has seen Ji Yunqing entering a couples’ restaurant with a notorious Gu Family playboy 136 137.

Shang Shujue’s inner thoughts reveal a tragic possible future:

• Mu Nanyu’s hostility eventually drives Ji Yunqing into another man’s arms.
• Ji Yunqing subsequently dies in a sabotaged car crash and explosion.
• Mu Nanyu later takes his own life 136.

These are foretold events, not Ji Yunqing’s present status. Hearing them leaves him pale and shaken. He takes leave from filming and heads back to the hotel to find Mu Nanyu 136 137.

During a phone call, Mu Nanyu apologizes and admits his jealousy. Ji Yunqing establishes that he mistook someone else for him, then confronts him in person about years of unexplained distancing. Mu Nanyu confesses his love, but Ji Yunqing rejects the confession as insufficiently sincere and only conditionally permits him to begin courting him 137 138.

Courtship in Shangjing

Shang Shujue has Nuomi send Ji Yunqing and Mu Nanyu a peace talisman each after learning about their situation 139.

The pair later meet Shang Shujue and Song Yanqing while out together in Shangjing. Ji Yunqing explains that filming has stopped for a week after an anti-fan sabotaged the second male lead’s wire and seriously injured him. Although Ji Yunqing and Mu Nanyu are seen holding hands, Mu Nanyu explicitly identifies himself as the pursuer rather than an accepted partner 144.

After dinner, Ji Yunqing straightens Mu Nanyu’s collar and teasingly asks how long winning him over will take. Mu Nanyu promises to persevere; Ji Yunqing smiles and tells him he will be watching 145.

Relationships

• Mu Nanyu — Childhood friend, fellow mentor, apparent rival, and eventual suitor. Ji Yunqing remains receptive to his courtship without formally accepting him in the documented chapters 137 138 144 145.
• Shang Shujue — Contestant whose inner thoughts warn him of his fate and expose Mu Nanyu’s feelings. Ji Yunqing advocates helping him and later feels profound gratitude toward him 6 101 136 137 145.
• Xu Jiaqiao — Contestant whom he encourages and advances on Draft 6.
• Sister Zhen — Manager who arranges for him to leave filming when he becomes unwell 137.
• Xiao Zhang — Assistant instructed to accompany him after he leaves the set 137.

Notable Quotes

“I think that’s pretty good. If possible, let’s all lend a hand. We can count it as accumulating merit for him.” 6

“You were so clingy when you were little, and then you suddenly grew distant. I was so hurt...” 138

“...That depends on how you behave.” 138