Wen Ce

Biodata

Background / History

Wen Ce joined his department after finishing his college entrance examinations. His future superior, Wang Qiang, advertised supposedly uncrackable software on forums and websites as a recruitment lure. Bored after his exams, Wen Ce downloaded it and took up the challenge. He later describes his recruitment as the result of a setup rather than a deliberate career choice 1.

By twenty-one, he is the department’s youngest member while also attending university. His colleagues call him a computer genius, but he prefers to regard himself as an ordinary male university student. He keeps his work vague around classmates, presenting it as an internship with flexible hours 1 11.

Before the second semester of his junior year, Wen Ce leaves the dormitory for a relative’s vacant apartment. His unusual work makes dorm life inconvenient, while his difficulty socializing has kept him from becoming close to most roommates. Lin Fan is an exception: his persistent invitations help Wen Ce feel more included at university 2 3 4.

Appearance

• Face: Youthful and handsome, with delicate features that lean feminine. Wen Ce says he resembles his mother 1 24.
• Eyes: Described as gentle when Luo Lianqing sees him without his glasses 10.
• Build: Slim in clothing but muscular underneath, with good athletic stamina 23 24.
• Glasses: Wears nonprescription glasses despite not being nearsighted. They make him feel more confident and, in his view, make his face look less feminine 3 22 24.
• Embarrassment: His ears redden before the rest of his face, a habit Luo Lianqing notices 9 10 17.

Personality

Wen Ce is quiet, socially anxious, and most comfortable at home or in front of a computer. He avoids crowds, dislikes being watched or teased, and finds even routine greetings stressful. These habits lead some classmates to mistake him for aloof or pretentious, though he can maintain friendships and participate in group activities 2 3 4 5.

He is considerate about privacy and personal boundaries. He stops Wang Meng from displaying a girl’s private messages, refuses to spread Luo Lianqing’s embarrassing experiences, and initially removes a like from her photo because he worries she did not intend students to see it. He also maintains a formal distance from her at school to avoid gossip 5 13 17 21.

His reserve does not make him submissive. Wen Ce answers Wang Meng’s insults directly and firmly rejects unwanted romantic attention. Although he respects other people’s feelings, he objects when those feelings are used to make him responsible for relationships or problems he did not create 5 24 37 38.

Romance exposes a gap between his intelligence and experience. He has never dated, struggles to interpret Luo Lianqing’s interest, and seeks advice about holding hands, flowers, and confessing. As his feelings deepen, he becomes more playful and physically affectionate while remaining concerned about her comfort and reputation 37 39 40 44 50.

Abilities & Skills

Computing and Cybersecurity

Wen Ce’s technical ability brings him into government work and repeatedly draws him away from university life 1 32 33.

• Security investigation: Helps Wang Qiang investigate a database intrusion that entered through an internal system; the compromised section concerns bioengineering files 32 33.
• Tracking: Uses code to display a tracked object’s location and movement history, establishing that it remains in his university’s laboratory building 15.
• Malware removal: Restores Luo Lianqing’s computer after a malicious attachment fills its screen with explicit images, then asks her to check whether any files are missing 47 48.
• Technical aptitude: Receives an IQ score of 158 on a test taken when he starts the job 40.

Basketball

Wen Ce regularly plays with Zhao Li and other colleagues, but initially has little opportunity to demonstrate his ability to classmates 9 23.

• Scores successive three-pointers during an interdepartmental game, forcing opponents to begin guarding him 23.
• Helps his team reach a twenty-five-point halftime lead and finish with a twenty-three-point victory 23.
• Attracts Zhou Chi’s repeated attempts to recruit him for a paid basketball game 36 39 41.

Cooking and Household Skills

Wen Ce cooks for himself and later uses shared meals to spend time with Luo Lianqing 8 25 29.

• Knows how to prepare Cantonese food and offers to cook it for her 25.
• Selects ingredients and prepares meals, including a dinner with simmered beef brisket 29 44.
• Keeps his apartment notably clean and orderly 2 24.
• Helps care for Luo Lianqing’s cat, Egg Yolk 21.

Equipment / Items

• Laptop and desktop computer — Used for operational work, tracking, and everyday computing 1 2 15.
• Nonprescription glasses — A habitual accessory associated with his confidence and preferred appearance 3 24.
• Framed photographs — Keeps one photograph of himself with his parents and another of two little girls on his computer desk; the girls are not identified in the supplied passages 2.
• Adult-product samples — Receives a box from Luo Lianqing in connection with her product research and questionnaire 19 21.

Relationships

• Luo Lianqing — His neighbor, university senior, student advisor, and romantic interest. He becomes her first male friend, earns her trust, and gradually falls in love with her. She confesses while they hold hands during a movie 6 18 20 39 50.
• Zhao Li — A colleague and friend who says they have been partners for three years. He brings Wen Ce into operations, visits to vent about work, and offers romantic advice that Wen Ce finds unreliable 1 14 15 39.
• Wang Qiang / Uncle Chou — His superior and recruiter. He is especially protective of Wen Ce and calls on his expertise during the database breach 1 8 32 33.
• Lin Fan — A former dormmate and close university friend. His outgoing nature helps Wen Ce join activities, and he encourages Wen Ce to participate in basketball 3 4 9.
• Liu Shumu — A former dormmate who supports Wen Ce during Wang Meng’s hostility 4 5.
• Wang Meng — A former dormmate whose girlfriend’s earlier pursuit of Wen Ce fuels jealousy. Their conflict escalates into a confrontation before Wang Meng acknowledges that Wen Ce is not responsible 5 23 37 38.
• Qin Yanran — A classmate whose romantic interest he repeatedly rejects. Her attempts to intervene in his conflict with Wang Meng lead him to restate his boundaries 8 9 37.
• Fang Wen / Wenwen — A persistent admirer from freshman year and Wang Meng’s former girlfriend. Wen Ce rejects her renewed confession and tells her not to disregard Wang Meng’s feelings 23 24.
• Zhou Chi — Initially a rival pursuing Luo Lianqing; later a source of dating advice. Zhou Chi repeatedly links their conversations to his attempts to recruit Wen Ce for basketball 23 27 39 44.
• Egg Yolk — Luo Lianqing’s cat, which readily settles in Wen Ce’s lap. Its attachment to him sometimes makes Luo Lianqing jealous 19 49.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Chemical-Theft Operation

Wen Ce first appears working from a minivan in his pajamas during an overnight operation. His team uses a fake chemical containing a tracker to locate thieves. Because the target might recognize his colleagues but few people know Wen Ce’s identity, he is sent into a twenty-four-hour adult toy shop to check on a motionless, rabbit-eared customer 1.

He later verifies that the tracked object has moved from the shop to his university’s laboratory and remained there. After the case passes to a specialist agency, he stops pursuing it independently, accepting that Wang Qiang has reasons for handing it over 15 16.

Encounters with Luo Lianqing

The shop encounter begins a series of awkward meetings with Luo Lianqing. Wen Ce sees her again at a supermarket, accidentally collects her lingerie parcel, and discovers that she lives opposite him. When classes resume, he learns she is also his new student advisor 3 4 5 6.

Their early misunderstandings include his supposed attraction to her and her belief that he and Zhao Li are a couple. Dinner clears up several assumptions, and they agree to become friends. Her disclosure about her difficulty trusting men gives Wen Ce a better understanding of her loneliness 18 19 20.

Database Breach and Reunion

An urgent call interrupts Wen Ce’s plans with Luo Lianqing and takes him out of province to investigate an internal-system breach. She approves a week of leave but grows worried when he stops replying. Their reunion after nine days makes his attachment to her increasingly apparent 32 33 36.

Courtship and Confession

After learning that Luo Lianqing has not denied liking him, Wen Ce begins treating romance as a real possibility. He holds her hand during outings, shields her from a passing tricycle, and accidentally brushes his lips against her forehead. He later prepares purple lilacs, dessert, and dinner while planning a confession 39 42 44.

A computer virus briefly interrupts those plans. Once he fixes her computer, they return to his apartment to watch a horror movie. Wen Ce initiates hand-holding, Luo Lianqing interlocks their fingers, and she confesses first. The supplied Chapter 50 passage ends before his response 47 48 49 50.

Notable Quotes

“Liking long legs doesn't mean I like everyone with long legs.” 18

“Though now I have you.”
— After saying he has no friends of the opposite sex 20

“Didn't I say I favored you? Of course I'm on your side.” 49