Xu Chen

Biodata

Background / History

Before joining Tianhuan Entertainment, Xu Chen left a company where she had experienced trouble and made enemies. Her former employer subsequently suppressed her career so severely that she nearly left the industry. Director Gong was friendly with her but could offer only limited help. The newly established Tianhuan hired her when other companies were avoiding her, allowing her to rebuild her career under Fu Chi 97.

Managing Fu Yunyi gave Xu Chen a secure professional foundation as his popularity grew. By the time she considered signing Xia Zhiyi, she was financially comfortable enough that taking on an additional artist—even one who earned little—did not threaten her livelihood 76 97.

Personality

Xu Chen is principled without being naïve about the entertainment industry. Director Gong considers her a rare combination of conscience, competence, and industry savvy, specifically noting that she does not excessively exploit her artists. She strongly dislikes Huanyu’s coercive practices and wishes she had enough evidence to send its executive Zhao Changye to prison 83 97.

Her working style favors clarity over tact: she establishes expectations early to avoid wasting money, time, energy, or emotional effort. She appreciates emotionally stable artists because they are less likely to create impulsive problems, but respects their decisions rather than demanding obedience 73 113 185.

Xu Chen is often exasperated by the contrast between her two clients. Fu Yunyi requires frequent supervision despite being intelligent, while Xia Zhiyi generally handles interpersonal problems himself. His unexpected disclosures—especially his relationship with Fu Chi—nevertheless repeatedly catch her off guard 132 209 338.

Abilities & Skills

Talent Management

• Career planning: Recognizes Xia Zhiyi’s potential as an actor and proposes developing him into Tianhuan’s next flagship star 69.
• Long-term development: Supports a gradual debut rather than demanding immediate fame or profits; initially considers a solid performance sufficient for his newcomer role as Yan Yan 134 159.
• Scheduling: Coordinates Xia Zhiyi’s university timetable with work and explicitly promises to protect his student life 112 124.
• Staffing: Plans assistant replacements in advance and supervises Ming Taotao, who moves from being Fu Yunyi’s prospective assistant to working with Xia Zhiyi 113.

Public Relations and Industry Connections

• Monitoring: Uses company staff and industry contacts to track livestreams, rumors, hostile publicity, and potential privacy breaches 92 97 174.
• Crisis response: Handles scandals and online attacks while keeping her artists focused on filming or studying 173 174 220.
• Information security: Generally avoids hiring paid online commenters against rivals because those services may sell information to the opposing side 174.
• Professional boundaries: Advises clients to notify her before announcing relationships so she can prepare an appropriate response 319.

Negotiation and Representation

• Contracts: Presents Xia Zhiyi’s A-tier contract and offers to explain its terms rather than assuming that his unusually fast reading is sufficient 88 89.
• Official liaison: Discusses tuition procedures, contracts, and confidentiality requirements for Xia Zhiyi’s martial arts teaching with the authorities 127.
• Client autonomy: Confirms Xia Zhiyi’s wishes before refusing Lou Wangxing’s requests for an apology meeting 185.
• Limits: Does not claim martial arts expertise; during discussions with officials, she leaves technical matters to Xia Zhiyi rather than risking an uninformed statement 135.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Recruiting Xia Zhiyi

• Initial interest: Xu Chang repeatedly recommends Xia Zhiyi after seeing his looks and martial arts ability. Xu Chen refuses to pursue someone whose interest in entertainment—and even age—she has not established, but agrees to seek his contact details after learning he is appearing on Incredible Life as a non-celebrity guest 10.
• Formal approach: She contacts Xia Zhiyi through Director Gong, proposes an acting career, and arranges an in-person meeting. Fu Chi unexpectedly accompanies her on the trip 68 69.
• First meeting: Xia Zhiyi’s calm, mature manner overturns her expectation of a flamboyant teenager. Fu Chi’s unusually direct interest in him leaves her wondering whether she should withdraw; she ultimately gives them privacy 73 74.
• Signing: Xu Chen brings an A-tier contract. After testing Xia Zhiyi’s claim of photographic memory, she accepts his ability and completes the signing. She also leaves a work phone with Director Gong so Xia Zhiyi can contact her during filming 88 89.

Protection and Early Career

• Huanyu’s interest: During the charity-auction bidding rivalry, Xu Chen identifies Zhao Changye’s likely attempt to establish a connection with Xia Zhiyi. Following Fu Chi’s warning, she agrees to arrange protection for Xia Wanyi 83.
• Personal security: She later arranges interviews with three female bodyguard candidates and helps organize protection for Xia Zhiyi’s family 112 125.
• Official teaching work: She represents Xia Zhiyi in discussions about confidential martial arts instruction, including formal tuition arrangements. Officials initially suspect that she encouraged his acting ambitions at the expense of other work 127.
• Police follow-up: After the incident involving Lou Wangxing’s manager, Xu Chen obtains hotel surveillance footage and heads to the police station 156.
• Smear campaign: When Zhou Kai hires paid commenters against Xia Zhiyi, she orders her team to reduce attention on her new artist and release evidence of Zhou Kai sleeping with fans as a distraction 174.

Expanding Work and Managing Conflicts

Later Career and Extras

• Reduced acting schedule: Xu Chen removes planned roles and engagements when Xia Zhiyi takes on important confidential work. She retains a film commitment because he personally wants to continue it 305.
• Salary concerns: With less work to arrange for him, she feels uncomfortable receiving the increased base salary attached to managing another artist. Tianhuan’s salary-plus-commission system pays her even when Xia Zhiyi has no engagements 305 306.
• Audition interference: At Xia Zhiyi’s request, she contacts Director Min Chengye about suspicious interference surrounding his historical-drama audition 308.
• Marriage publicity: After learning that Xia Zhiyi has proposed to Fu Chi, she confirms that he does not want to suppress the relationship news or invite media attention to the wedding 319.
• Continuing supervision: She warns Fu Yunyi about possible involvement in a neighboring-villa scandal and later explains that Xia Zhiyi needs her chiefly for business negotiations, whereas Fu Yunyi still requires closer oversight 333 338.

Relationships

• Xu Chang — Younger brother. His persistent recommendations help initiate her pursuit of Xia Zhiyi, although his late-night calls irritate his overworked sister 10.
• Fu Yunyi — Established client and the financial foundation of her management work. She values his intelligence but frequently criticizes his reluctance to use it outside essential work 76 209.
• Xia Zhiyi — Client who calls her “Sister Chen” and repeatedly expresses trust in her judgment. She increasingly limits her involvement to professional matters as she recognizes his independence and ability to protect himself 88 145 209 338.
• Fu Chi — Employer whose support enabled her career recovery. She trusts his competence and moral standards, but his interest in—and eventual relationship with—Xia Zhiyi initially bewilder her 69 97 132 288.
• Director Gong — Professional friend who knew her during her earlier difficulties. He considers Xia Zhiyi fortunate to have her as his manager 97.
• Ming Taotao — Subordinate and Xia Zhiyi’s assistant. Xu Chen supervises her assignments and coordinates her work with Xia Zhiyi 113 125.
• Zhao Changye — Huanyu executive whom she has encountered professionally. She regards his respectable public image as a cover for coercion and manipulation 83.

Notable Quotes

“That's good. The more capable you are, the more opportunities I can fight to get you.” 89

“You don't have to follow everything I say. It's just a suggestion.” 185

“My point isn't whether you've won your girlfriend over. It's that if you're going to announce your relationship like Xia Zhiyi, tell me beforehand.” 319