Ruan Mei

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Ruan Mei (阮梅)
Alias(es)	A Ruan; Mei
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Genius Society, Member #81; Herta Space Station; collaborator of the Interastral Astronomical Society 8 9 40
Occupation/Role	Life-science researcher; academic speaker; Bai Heng's employer and research supervisor 9 39
Status	Alive; publicly identifies Bai Heng as her lover 40
First Appearance	Chapter 1, as “A Ruan” 1

Background / History

Ruan Mei and Bai Heng were childhood companions. At school, A Ruan was isolated because of her unusual interests and personality; Bai Heng openly called her his best friend, encouraging the other children to accept her. When her family left for deep space to conduct life-science research, Bai Heng gave her a plum-blossom-carved Ruan Lyre he had made himself. 2

At nineteen, Bai Heng confessed to her. Ruan Mei neither accepted nor explicitly rejected him, but privately recognized that the confession had disturbed her emotions. 4

Following Bai Heng's apparent death, Ruan Mei spent six centuries trying to understand emotions and waiting for the possibility of their reunion. Herta states that Ruan Mei's work—creating life, cultivating planets, and studying the laws of life—initially stemmed from that lost relationship. Ruan Mei ultimately relied on Bai Heng's prediction that they would meet again centuries later. 7

She kept Bai Heng's battle-scarred sword, Nameless, for over 600 years. When Bai Heng arrived at Herta Space Station, she used her tactile perception to confirm his identity and learned that he retained memories of their shared childhood. 8 10

Appearance

Ruan Mei is portrayed as a tall, refined woman with fair skin, dark hair, and clear light-green to emerald-green eyes. Her poised appearance and restrained manner make her conspicuous even when she attempts to travel anonymously. 7 37 59 103

• Usually maintains a calm, elegant expression, even in tense situations. 6 9
• Wears high heels decorated with plum blossoms. 10
• Has been seen in water-blue silk brocade with white gauze accents at an exhibition. 167
• Her dark hair and delicate features are often contrasted with her cool, scholarly demeanor. 38

Personality

Earlier in life, Ruan Mei was emotionally detached and struggled to understand both affection and reminiscence. Even after centuries of studying emotion, she admits that each answer she finds feels incomplete. 7

Her reunion with Bai Heng reveals a far more vulnerable side: she cries upon suspecting he has returned, becomes visibly unsettled when asking whether he remembers her, and later reflects on whether she can be a suitable partner. 7 8 60

Ruan Mei remains observant, composed, and intellectually exacting. She can be quietly possessive of Bai Heng, uses pointed questions to test him, and reacts sharply to the possibility of him being taken away for experiments or flirting with others. Her affection is often expressed through practical care, teasing, and understated protection rather than overt displays. 9 10 58 168

Abilities & Skills

Life-Science Research

As Genius Society Member #81, Ruan Mei is a prominent researcher in life sciences and conducts advanced biological research.

• Presented research on resurrecting an Emissary of The Propagation at an interstellar academic forum. 39
• Her research history includes creating life, cultivating planets, and studying the laws governing life, according to Herta. 7
• Can identify pastry ingredients through taste with notable precision. 38

Tactile Perception

Ruan Mei describes touch as her habitual method for “opening perception.”

• Examined Bai Heng by touch and detected partially healed hidden injuries as well as improvements to his constitution. 38
• Used tactile contact during their reunion to verify whether Bai Heng was truly the person from her memories. 8
• Possesses access to Truth Serum for verifying statements, though she deliberately chose not to use it on Bai Heng. 8

Scientific and Technical Adaptability

• Used an Aetherium Chip and a supplied code formula to alter reality at a basic level, instantly heating pastries. 38
• Insisted on personally debugging any Simulated Universe test involving Bai Heng before its data was provided to Herta. 58

Equipment / Associated Items

• Nameless — A battle-scarred ancient sword preserved by Ruan Mei for over 600 years. It can be stored as a collapsing silver cube and deployed as a sword approximately three feet seven inches long. Ruan Mei later returned it to Bai Heng, its original owner. 8 10
• Aetherium Chip — A temporary chip obtained through a Punklorde hotel event; Ruan Mei used it with a formula table to heat food. 38
• Salted plum blossom cakes — A recurring gift she prepares for Bai Heng, reflecting their shared history and her preference for sweets. 10 58

Relationships

• Bai Heng — Childhood friend, former fiancé, research assistant, and lover. Ruan Mei waited roughly 600 years for his return, confirmed his reincarnated identity, and publicly acknowledged their relationship. 7 9 40
• Herta — Fellow Genius Society member and collaborator. Their relationship is competitive and familiar, marked by academic cooperation, teasing, and arguments over Bai Heng and milk tea. 6 39 58
• Jingliu — Bai Heng's other partner. Ruan Mei learns of Jingliu's long wait for Bai Heng and agrees to meet her rather than treating her as an enemy. 166 170
• Ruan Mei's parents — Life-science researchers who left for deep space during her childhood. They later express a wish to meet Bai Heng after Ruan Mei tells them she has found her soulmate. 2 108
• Topaz — A professional contact through the Interastral Astronomical Society's negotiations. Ruan Mei agrees to cooperate with the Society while requesting Bai Heng as her sole designated assistant. 8 9
• Bonesm — An interstellar collector and naturalist acquainted with Ruan Mei. He recognizes Bai Heng as her lover and expresses interest in attending their future wedding. 168 170

Story Role / Major Arcs

Reunion at Herta Space Station

Ruan Mei initially dismisses the arrival of Interastral Astronomical Society representatives, but changes her mind after seeing Bai Heng's information. She recognizes him as her long-lost fiancé, approaches him directly, and verifies his identity through touch and shared memories. 6 7 8

After confronting Bai Heng over his apparent avoidance, she accepts his explanation that his memories had only recently returned. She secures his assignment as her research assistant as part of her cooperation with the Interastral Astronomical Society. 9 10

Punklorde Academic Forum

Ruan Mei invites Bai Heng to Punklorde for an academic event and an auction. During the forum, she presents research on resurrecting an Emissary of The Propagation, then publicly declares that she already has a lover while refusing to expose Bai Heng to the audience. 36 39 40

Outside the forum, she and Bai Heng spend time exploring Punklorde, playing arcade games, trying fast food, and visiting an aquarium. These experiences lead Ruan Mei to acknowledge her emotional changes and uncertainty over when she accepted his feelings. 58 59 60

Glamour Star Visit

Ruan Mei secretly travels to Glamour Star to surprise Bai Heng, concealing her itinerary and using a false name to avoid attention. Bai Heng accompanies her to a banquet, introduces her to Shilna, and later learns that Ruan Mei's parents wish to meet him. 103 104 108

Finlay-V Reconciliation

After a period of distance, Ruan Mei agrees to meet Bai Heng on a boat during a rainstorm on Finlay-V. She admits regret that she may not be his ideal match, while Bai Heng reassures her that he has not forgotten her. 165 166

At an exhibition, Ruan Mei and Bai Heng present themselves as a couple and discuss commitment, his complicated relationship with Jingliu, and the possibility of future weddings. Ruan Mei ultimately expresses willingness to meet Jingliu and even considers simultaneous wedding arrangements if necessary. 167 168 170

Notable Quotes

“Call me A Ruan.” 8

“I already have a lover.” 40

“But by the time I realized it, you were already gone.” 60

“Spending a lifetime together, supporting each other through thick and thin, that's probably it.” 166