Jiang Jinyue

Biodata

Background / History

Childhood and Early Romance

Jiang Jinyue grew up next door to Gu Xingye in Li City. Unlike the outspoken Gu, he preferred quiet reading and solitude to wealthy society’s receptions. At fifteen, Gu became captivated by him during a summer dinner party at the Jiang residence and began showing him exceptional patience and consideration 42.

Jiang gradually returned Gu’s affection and accepted his confession. Their early relationship included mountain outings, shared music on the rooftop, seaside sunsets, and walks through the snow. Although Jiang initially regarded Gu’s jealousy as ordinary affection, Gu increasingly interfered with his friendships and privacy 42.

Escalating Control and Distrust

Gu’s possessiveness developed into demands that Jiang report his activities and abandon social connections Gu considered unnecessary. Jiang repeatedly compromised, hoping to ease his insecurity, but their relationship settled into a cycle of arguments, apologies, and reconciliation. Gu sometimes harmed himself while seeking forgiveness, making it harder for Jiang to leave 42.

One major rupture occurred when Gu forcibly removed Jiang from a café meeting with a childhood friend who had returned from abroad. Ji Ran recognized the incident from the original novel, where Jiang subsequently accused Gu of treating him as property 15.

Members of the Gu Family’s side branches later circulated forged photographs suggesting Jiang had been unfaithful. Hurt by Gu’s immediate accusations, Jiang refused to defend himself and proposed ending their relationship. He moved back to the Jiang residence and cut off contact during a six-month estrangement; Zhao Pingchuan later heard that Gu had conceded and they had reconciled 17.

Arranged Marriage and Disappearance

The Jiang Family attempted to secure a business partnership by arranging Jiang’s marriage to another wealthy family’s young master. Threatened with financial restrictions and action against the Gu Group, Jiang reluctantly attended a meeting. His prospective partner assaulted him by the throat, leaving him unconscious and requiring hospitalization 18.

Rather than support him, the Jiang Family demanded that he apologize to his attacker and preserve the proposed match. Exhausted by pressure from both his relatives and Gu, Jiang disappeared. Each side accused the other of hiding him, turning his disappearance into a public feud 18.

Jiang rented an ordinary apartment across from Ji Ran and Zhao Pingchuan. He remained hidden for three months, avoiding his usual bank cards and communication channels. When Gu finally located him, Ji Ran warned him not to return, but Jiang believed further escape was futile. Gu rejected his request to be left alone and took him back 20 21 22.

Confinement and Depression

Back at Gu’s residence, Jiang was guarded to prevent another escape. He discovered files investigating Zhao Pingchuan and Ji Ran, recognized Ji Ran as the neighbor who had warned him, and memorized his contact information. Hoping to protect them, he explained that Zhao had played no part in his disappearance. Gu instead treated his defense of Zhao as further grounds for suspicion 24.

After failing to defeat Hengtu commercially, Gu accused Jiang of siding with Zhao and sexually assaulted him. Jiang lost consciousness, developed a high fever, and was hospitalized. When he awoke, he no longer responded to Gu’s apologies 25 26.

Jiang later attempted suicide while confined at the villa and survived emergency treatment. Doctors diagnosed severe depression and warned Gu about the risk of another attempt. Gu became more attentive, but Jiang remained emotionally distant. He also rejected a kitten Gu brought him, unwilling to have it trapped in the house alongside him 30 31.

Saving Ji Ran

Jiang overheard enough of Gu’s arrangements to warn Ji Ran about a planned attack. Using a shopping trip for his eldest uncle’s birthday gift as cover, he slipped away from his bodyguards, contacted Ji Ran, and instructed him to leave his car and go to Zhao Pingchuan. Jiang then took the car himself and drove toward the location targeted by Gu’s truck scheme 33 34 35.

He survived the collision with multiple fractures and a moderate concussion. Zhao believed Jiang’s actions reflected serious self-destructive tendencies and the possibility that he regarded death as an escape; Jiang’s exact intentions were not directly explained. Police accepted the truck driver’s account of negligence, although Zhao recognized the incident as attempted murder 34 35.

During a hospital visit, Jiang apologized to Ji Ran and Zhao for their repeated involvement in his troubles. Both assured him that they did not blame him. Seeing their mutual trust, Jiang recognized the kind of relationship he had once hoped to have himself 35.

Freedom and Life Abroad

After Jiang’s discharge, Gu finally agreed to let him go, promising to stop having him followed and to handle the Jiang Family. Jiang did not return to the villa or retrieve his belongings. Gu also prevented his relatives from searching for him 40.

Jiang cooperated with treatment for six months. Once his depression improved, he applied to an overseas university and resumed his studies abroad. He eventually reconnected with old friends and became able to discuss his past calmly. Although Gu remained on his contact list, Jiang regarded him solely as someone from his past and had no intention of contacting him again 40 42.

Appearance

Jiang is slender and delicately featured, with a quiet bearing that Ji Ran compares to white porcelain; his appearance is explicitly described as masculine rather than feminine 18.

• Eyes: Black and gemlike, though increasingly vacant during his confinement and illness 22 26.
• Clothing: Appears in a light-colored trench coat at the café and later a khaki trench coat over a white shirt 15 29.
• Physical decline: Becomes noticeably thinner, pale, and frail as his circumstances worsen 22 29.

Personality

Jiang is reserved, proud, and freedom-loving. He dislikes noisy receptions and insincere socializing, preferring books and quiet surroundings. His pride can make him refuse to explain himself when accused unjustly, as during the forged-photograph incident 17 42.

Despite his aloof manner, he is considerate toward others. He repeatedly accommodates Gu’s insecurity, worries about implicating innocent neighbors, and remembers Ji Ran’s small act of kindness. His later silence toward Gu follows years of exhausted arguments and broken promises, rather than his original temperament alone 24 29 42.

Relationships

• Gu Xingye — Childhood neighbor and former lover. Their youthful romance deteriorates into surveillance, isolation, confinement, and abuse. Gu ultimately releases him, and Jiang moves on without resuming their relationship 40 42.
• Ji Ran — Former neighbor who warns him when Gu finds his apartment. Jiang remembers his kindness and later saves him from Gu’s planned attack. Ji Ran visits him in hospital and offers help if he wants to leave Gu 22 24 34 35 40.
• Zhao Pingchuan — Former neighbor whom Gu wrongly suspects of helping Jiang escape. Jiang tries to clear his name and later admires the trust between Zhao and Ji Ran 24 35.
• Jiang Family — Relatives who provide material comfort but disregard his wishes in matters of marriage. Their pressure contributes to his disappearance; after gaining his freedom, he does not wish to see them 18 40.
• Unnamed childhood friend — Meets Jiang for afternoon tea after returning from abroad. Gu forcibly ends the meeting, creating a major rift in their relationship 15.

Story Role

• Original novel: Jiang is introduced as its “white moonlight” protagonist shou. Ji Ran understands his relationship with Gu as a central plot built around repeated quarrels and reconciliations 15 17.
• Changed outcome: Rather than remaining entangled with Gu, Jiang gains his freedom and pursues his own life. Ji Ran explicitly considers this outcome better than the original book’s plot 40.
• Dedicated extra: “Stars and Moon” recounts Jiang and Gu’s relationship from adolescence through separation, ending with Jiang’s recovery and independence 42.

Notable Quotes

“A-Ye, can you let me go? Just pretend you didn't find me today.” 22

“Gu Xingye, since you hate me so much and refuse to believe me, why are you so determined to keep me here?” 24

“Good. It's wonderful that the two of you are like this.” 35