Yu Sheng

Biodata

Background

Yu Sheng debuted at seventeen and became an indisputably popular young star within three years. Although his industry standing did not match Gu Xuanlin’s, his popularity was not necessarily far behind. Before appearing together on Real Life, he had acted in a production with Lin Weiluo, giving them an established friendship 4 12 24.

He specialized in sports during high school, a background he later used to recommend himself as Shen Shuangjian’s teammate for a chase game 12.

Appearance

Yu Sheng’s appearance contrasts sharply with his exuberant behavior: his unsmiling face looks cold and almost digitally sculpted, while his smile makes him seem approachable and boyish 4 24.

• Build: Tall and lean, with a frame large enough to envelop Shen Shuangjian 4 38.
• Features: Deep-set, mixed-race-looking features; this describes his appearance rather than confirmed ancestry 4 24.
• Youthful details: His face retains some fullness in the cheeks and lacks a mature man’s angular definition 24.
• Hair: Naturally fluffy and unstyled during his early attempts to grow closer to Shen Shuangjian 25.
• Recurring imagery: Compared to an aloof wolf when expressionless and a loyal large dog when smiling 24 38.

Personality

Yu Sheng is enthusiastic, persistent, and unusually open about his feelings. He pursues Shen Shuangjian without concealing his intentions, despite his manager’s objections and the loss of fans. Unlike cast members who hesitate over their reputations, he explicitly places the possibility of love above his career 60 73.

His apparent innocence is not entirely uncalculated. He uses smiles, pleading expressions, and claims of friendship to make physical closeness seem natural. He sometimes treats Shen Shuangjian’s attempts to create distance as opportunities to hold his hand or move closer. The narration also notes his double standards when he becomes furious over Xie Jinghui’s similarly deliberate intimacy 25 26 32 38 104.

His attention nevertheless includes practical consideration. He learns Shen Shuangjian’s food preferences, adjusts his cooking to small reactions, and confines his messages to the hours when Shen Shuangjian is awake. When explicitly asked not to hug him at the desert filming location, he lets go 54 96 119.

Although easily jealous of his rivals, Yu Sheng eventually accepts that his love is unrequited. After leaving entertainment, he acknowledges that he and Shen Shuangjian were never together and chooses to let his pursuit end once Shen Shuangjian’s own love has begun 166.

Abilities & Skills

Athletics

• Specialized in sports in high school 12.
• Offers to help Shen Shuangjian win the doubles chase game, whether they are catching opponents or running from them 12.

Breakfast Preparation

• Begins learning to cook after repeatedly reheated milk becomes unpalatable and Shen Shuangjian stops drinking it 119.
• Privately tests breakfasts and adjusts them according to how much Shen Shuangjian eats and whether he shows discomfort 119.
• Serves almond milk heated for forty seconds during filming; later specifies forty-three seconds as the ideal preparation at his shop 119 165.
• Remains less successful with complicated lunch and dinner dishes 119.
• Eventually serves milk and croissants that customers want to recreate at home 165.

Escape-Room Leadership

• Recognizes that the frightening effects are staged and takes the lead with a flashlight 78.
• Offers to stay behind and hold off apparent danger while the others run 78.
• Hopes to appear dependable to Shen Shuangjian, but also feels relieved when he initially seems unafraid, since genuine distress would make Yu Sheng unwilling to continue 78.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Filming and Courtship

Soon after meeting Shen Shuangjian, Yu Sheng tries to arrange a team that will place them together. Gu Xuanlin instead pairs himself with Shen Shuangjian and sends Yu Sheng to the others. Yu Sheng later directly invites Shen Shuangjian to partner with him for the chase game 5 12.

His courtship becomes increasingly visible during the journey to the forest filming location. He brings breakfast, shares jokes on his phone, and leans against Shen Shuangjian while resting a hand on his waist. On the bus, he draws a heart pierced by an arrow on the window for Shen Shuangjian to see. Shen Shuangjian sleeps in his arms during the journey without realizing it, but pulls free of his wrist once they arrive 24 25 26.

Forest Stay and the “Best Friend” Approach

Xie Jinghui’s familiarity with Shen Shuangjian immediately unsettles Yu Sheng. Although Xie merely says they have met a few times, Yu Sheng hears the answer as a triumphant declaration of rivalry 28.

When Shen Shuangjian falls ill, Yu Sheng brings chicken congee, checks his forehead, and declares that he has long considered him his best friend. The declaration affects Shen Shuangjian, who has little experience of such direct friendship. Yu Sheng’s subsequent closeness, encouraged by Lin Weiluo, draws increasingly hostile attention from Xie Jinghui and Gu Xuanlin 38 39.

Desert and Beach Filming

Yu Sheng continues sending messages between shoots, offering supplies and invitations even when Shen Shuangjian rarely replies. In the desert, he openly competes to care for him and joins Xie Qingchi in presenting youth and physical strength as advantages over Xie Jinghui 49 60.

By the beach shoot, his public pursuit has cost him five million Weibo followers within a few months, along with prospective endorsement deals. Lin Weiluo warns that even his remaining loyal fans may leave. Asked whether he would quit entertainment, he answers that he accepts that outcome 73.

After the escape-room outing, Yu Sheng joins Shen Shuangjian by the sea and asks whether he likes anyone, what sort of person he likes, and whether he would accept someone like Yu Sheng pursuing him. Shen Shuangjian does not understand the implication. Yu Sheng nevertheless resolves to continue loving him while Shen Shuangjian’s own love has yet to begin 80.

Continued Pursuit

Shen Shuangjian eventually approaches Yu Sheng for advice about being ignored by someone. Yu Sheng recommends meeting and talking with the person, while joking that the situation resembles his own unanswered messages. Shen Shuangjian regards him as a friend but finds his constant enthusiasm difficult to answer 96.

During later filming, Yu Sheng continues preparing meals and competing for time beside him. He becomes visibly angry when Xie Jinghui deliberately embraces Shen Shuangjian during a game, and unsuccessfully tries to impress Shen Sixian with his cooking 104 111 119.

His attempts to secure Shen Shuangjian’s attention increasingly fail: Shen leaves the beach with Xie Jinghui and later gets into Xie’s car before noticing Yu Sheng’s intended invitation. Yu Sheng eventually returns to his unanswered seaside questions and sends a confession by message 141 144 153.

Retirement and Life After Entertainment

Yu Sheng Studio announces that he will permanently suspend all work and activities. The announcement includes the termination of his company contract and negotiated compensation and amicable termination agreements for his endorsements 161.

His departure sparks renewed debate about his unrequited love, with the Shengjian pairing trending alongside discussion of Shen Shuangjian and Xie Jinghui’s relationship. Commenters dispute whether Yu Sheng’s devotion should be admired and reject claims that Shen Shuangjian owes him reciprocation 162.

Yu Sheng later runs a seaside shop serving milk and croissants. When recognized, he reflexively answers with the bright manner of his former public life before returning to his courteous shopkeeper demeanor. He tells a customer that he and the person he loved were never together, then accepts that his own pursuit has ended 165 166.

Relationships

• Shen Shuangjian — Friend and unrequited love interest. Yu Sheng’s declarations of friendship earn an unusual degree of trust and tolerance, but Shen Shuangjian does not reciprocate his romantic pursuit. Yu Sheng ultimately accepts this without claiming that they had dated 38 96 166.
• Lin Weiluo — Former acting colleague, friend, and early adviser in his courtship. She encourages his persistent approach, helps normalize his closeness with Shen Shuangjian, and later warns him about the damage to his career 12 31 38 73.
• Xie Jinghui — Principal romantic rival. Yu Sheng resents his intimacy with Shen Shuangjian, challenges his behavior during games, and makes pointed comparisons between their attentiveness 28 104 147.
• Xie Qingchi — Rival who occasionally joins him against Xie Jinghui. Their shared emphasis on youth does not prevent mutual hostility; Xie Qingchi also mocks Yu Sheng’s cooking 60 111.
• Gu Xuanlin — Fellow cast member and rival for Shen Shuangjian’s attention. Gu blocks Yu Sheng’s early team arrangement and later reacts coldly to his physical closeness with Shen 5 32 39.
• Shen Sixian — Shen Shuangjian’s elder brother, whose approval Yu Sheng unsuccessfully seeks. Shen Sixian regards his attentiveness as affected and his intentions as suspect 111.

Notable Quotes

“Then I’ll quit. I accept that.” 73

“Third question: if one day someone like me pursued you, Shuangjian, would you say yes?” 80

“A glass of fresh milk with almonds, forty-three seconds in the microwave. That’s just the right temperature.” 165