Yan Ruanning

Biodata

Background / History

Born Xu Ruanning, she adopted her mother's surname, Yan, for her stage name. She left Batang Village while young and occasionally returns for festivals and holidays. Her changed name and stage makeup make it difficult for some younger villagers to connect the famous singer with the Xu family's daughter who once roamed the surrounding mountains 26 27 28.

She became the champion of I Am the God of Song. Cheng Che remembers her finals performance in a red dress, singing an old song that brought the audience to its feet. By the time of their acquaintance, her career has been flourishing for roughly two years 14 27.

Despite her success, her parents continue living in the aging teachers' residential compound near Spring City No. 13 Middle School. She urges them to move to an unused downtown apartment and has bought her father a car, though he cannot drive it. He prefers the school compound because it allows him to supervise his students conveniently 20.

Appearance

• Face: Palm-sized, with a delicate but sharply defined jawline, a high, straight nose, and lips that turn slightly upward even at rest 14.
• Eyes: Dark and bright; after exercise, their moisture is compared to a mist-covered lake 14.
• Complexion: Fair and cool-toned, remaining striking without makeup 14 28 48.
• Figure: Curvaceous, with a bearing that attracts attention even when her face is covered 50.
• Public presentation: Heavy makeup and glamorous stage clothing contrast sharply with her relaxed appearance offstage. She often uses a cap, sunglasses, or a mask to avoid recognition 14 20 29.
• Casual clothing: Seen in pink panda pajamas at home and in a white T-shirt, light blue jeans, and a ponytail when receiving Cheng Che 20 28.

Personality

Yan Ruanning is usually composed, decisive, and comfortable directing work. She recruits Cheng Che without unnecessary ceremony, accommodates his school schedule, and explains his scenes reassuringly. Her teasing side appears immediately: after he recognizes her celebrity identity, she reminds him that he had been calling her “Sister Yan” moments earlier 14 16.

At home, she is much less formal. She sprawls on the sofa, jokes about her own beauty, and complains when her parents compare her unfavorably with Cheng Che. She also becomes briefly jealous of the care her father puts into preparing a backup speech for his prized student 20 28.

Her growing attraction to Cheng Che unsettles her usual confidence. She blushes while watching his school speech, agonizes over what to wear when he visits, and sulks when she thinks he is ignoring her messages. Xiao Zhou recognizes her habit of turning her phone facedown when upset but unwilling to discuss it 20 26 28 44.

She is generous and supportive without dismissing his responsibilities. She gives him an additional filming bonus, encourages his tennis ambitions, and repeatedly acknowledges that he must still take the college entrance examination 17 29.

Abilities & Skills

Singing and Songwriting

An established singer whose major credential is winning I Am the God of Song 14.

• Performs with enough impact to earn a standing ovation during the show's finals 14.
• Releases the song “Midsummer Reply,” whose music video becomes a viral success 23.
• Reads lyrics during her downtime and says she has been working on sports-themed songs. She uses gathering songwriting inspiration as her stated reason for attending Cheng Che's tournament 20 41.

Tennis

An experienced recreational player who initially defeats Cheng Che and can assess his improvement firsthand 17 43.

• Tests his ability before recruiting him for her music video 14.
• Recognizes that his improved serve reflects extensive practice 17.
• Ultimately loses decisively to him during filming and advocates that he consider professional competition 17 29.
• Has watched professional matches and compares his later tournament serve favorably with that level of play 43.

Shopping and Styling

Comfortable with everyday shopping despite her celebrity status 50.

• Learned grocery shopping by accompanying her mother and continues buying food herself when work permits 50.
• Bargains over prices and checks vegetables for ripeness and damage 50.
• Selects clothing according to Cheng Che's proportions, rejecting outfits that look too ordinary or make his shoulders appear excessively broad 50.
• Buys him a fitted black short-sleeved shirt, dark gray cardigan, and black cargo pants 50.

Relationships

• Cheng Che — Initially her tennis hitting partner and a paid performer in her music video. Their connection becomes personal after she watches his school speech and discovers that he is her father's student from neighboring Pond Village. She develops a clear attraction to him, attends his matches, and welcomes his visit to her filming location; they are not explicitly established as a couple in the supplied chapters 14 20 28 41 49 50.
• Xu Zhiqiang / Old Xu — Her father and Cheng Che's homeroom teacher. She teases him about favoring his students, while he remains protective of Cheng Che's education 20 28 29.
• Yan Ping — Her mother and the source of her stage surname. Their exchanges are affectionate but blunt, especially over Ruanning's untidy habits and reluctance to run errands 20 28.
• Xiao Zhou — Her assistant, responsible for scheduling, transport, and work coordination. Xiao Zhou facilitates contact with Cheng Che and frequently teases her about her interest in him 14 26 41 44.
• Old Chen — A tennis acquaintance who recommends Cheng Che and introduces her to him. He openly laughs when Cheng Che fails to recognize her 14.
• Su Jianqiu — A fellow Life Slowed Down participant who catches her when a startled rooster causes her to lose her balance. Su Jianqiu also notices her interest in Cheng Che and privately enjoys the possibility of a romance 48 49.

Story Role / Major Arcs

“Midsummer Reply” Music Video

While visiting Spring City to film a hometown tourism promotion and additional music-video footage, Yan Ruanning needs a replacement for an unavailable professional model. Old Chen's recommendation leads her to Cheng Che, whose looks and tennis ability exceed her expectations. She offers a one-day local shoot that will not interfere with his studies 14.

She guides him through the classroom scenes before playing a genuine tennis match against him for the cameras. His rapid improvement convinces her that he should consider going professional. Xiao Zhou pays him 3,000 yuan for the shoot 16 17.

After Cheng Che's school speech trends online, she approves an early release of the completed video. “Midsummer Reply” draws strong streaming numbers and introduces him to a much wider audience 21 23.

School Speech and Family Connection

Delivering a speech manuscript her father forgot at home, Yan Ruanning unexpectedly sees Cheng Che addressing the school. His presence captivates her and changes her view of someone she had previously regarded as an ordinary work acquaintance 20 26.

She later requests his WeChat contact but mistakes his failure to accept as deliberate aloofness. When he unexpectedly visits her family's Batang Village home, they discover both their family connection and the mundane cause of the misunderstanding: he did not recognize her dog-profile-picture account and had been given a different work account 26 27 28.

During the family meal, she defends his tennis potential to her father. Afterward, she gives Cheng Che a red-envelope bonus separate from his filming fee 29.

National Youth Games and the Mushroom House

While filming Life Slowed Down near Hang City, she obtains leave to watch Cheng Che compete in the National Youth Games. She sends him photographs from the stands and is impressed by how much stronger he has become 41 43 45.

Their proposed meal is first complicated by missed messages, then canceled because she must return for the show's livestream rehearsal. Cheng Che subsequently arranges a surprise visit through Xiao Zhou and arrives at the Mushroom House, where she introduces him to the cast as her friend 44 47 48 49.

The two shop at a market and clothing store with the production crew following them. On the tricycle ride back, she watches him quietly and recalls a poem about someone watching scenery while becoming part of another person's dream 50.

Notable Quotes

“With you playing like this, it would be a waste not to go pro.” 17

“The money for filming the music video was your fee. This is a bonus. I'm the boss. Don't refuse.” 29

“This face of mine is a money tree in the city and a troublemaker in the village.” 29

Trivia

• Her personal WeChat profile picture depicts her dog; Cheng Che mistakes it for a pig's head 28.
• She needed three attempts to pass the second test of her driving examination 49.
• Xiao Zhou's claim that she and Cheng Che have known each other since childhood is explicitly a lie told to the variety show's director 41.