Cen Xia

Biodata

Background / History

In his original world, Cen Xia was abandoned at an orphanage's gates and grew up without parental care. He later worked as a professional racing driver for several years. After quitting, he spent his days idling at home, where a friend's younger sister recommended novels to him 15 16.

He transmigrated into a world combining several novels, occupying the body of an introverted, reclusive academy student. His host body's parents had built a resort business from nothing. Although their wealth placed the family only in Kanliter Academy's fourth tier, his mother transferred him a monthly living allowance of 500,000 3 4 6.

Cen Xia initially treated the setting as an immersive game rather than a permanent life. He avoided becoming emotionally invested, including declining an invitation to visit his host body's parents because he did not know how to face them. His original goal was to survive school, graduate, and possibly return home once the story ended 3 15.

Appearance

• Hair: Black, with thick bangs that can conceal half his face 9 10.
• Build: Well-proportioned and fit, with a defined back and waist; Lu Mian observes that he is less burly than his own description suggests 30 34.
• Legs: Described as pale, long, slender, straight, and without body hair 30.
• Teeth: Has pointed side teeth that he runs his tongue over when anticipating trouble or feeling irritated 40 49.
• Clothing: Outside his uniform, he wears ordinary casual clothes, including long-sleeved shirts, jeans, loose T-shirts, and shorts. Lu Xiao remarks that he does not give the impression of a wealthy student 26 30.

Personality

Cen Xia's outward timidity is often deliberate. He lowers his head, stammers, and acts meek to avoid attracting dangerous students' attention. Even after the World Will's restrictions ease, he continues using this persona when it seems less troublesome than confrontation 3 4 31 40.

His caution repeatedly conflicts with his compassion. He tries to distance himself from the protagonists, yet helps Lu Mian escape confinement, resists the World Will to assist Lin Jiandu, and eventually rescues Shi Su in full view of his tormentors. He also provides quieter forms of care, such as searching for Shi Su's lost pendant and reassuring Grandma Lu about her grandson 10 30 35 38.

He is sarcastic, observant, and willing to challenge authority. His internal commentary mocks contrived plots and ineffective antagonists, while his conversations with the World Will become increasingly confrontational. During Shen Si's equipment-room trap, his apparent nervousness masks excitement rather than helplessness 17 18 40 49.

Despite his new family's wealth, Cen Xia remains frugal and unpretentious. He eats on the cafeteria's cheapest floor because he sees no reason to spend more, and tells Lu Xiao that his parents—not he—have money. He describes himself as straight and initially struggles to understand the romantic dynamics around him 3 26.

Abilities & Skills

Knowledge of the Novel Plots

Cen Xia knows the first halves of three novels by the same author, identified as Zifeiliyu when the books appear together. He uses their contents to recognize protagonists, anticipate incidents, and interpret connections between seemingly separate storylines 10 15.

• Access: Encounters the books in a white dream-space; the third book's appearance requires him to finish reading before he can leave 10.
• Organization: Records plot summaries and relationship diagrams in a notebook, concentrating on scenes involving NPCs 15.
• Limits: Has only the books' first halves. Their merged chronology is unclear, and omitted events or independent character choices make his knowledge increasingly unreliable 15 17 24.
• Unconfirmed theory: Suspects that advancing all three first-half storylines may unlock their second halves 17.

Racing

Cen Xia retains experience from his former career as a professional racing driver 16.

• Impresses Ding Yiheng during a track outing, despite claiming that he has only raced “a few times” 9.
• Has been away from a track long enough to feel tense and exhilarated during his return 9.

Archery

Cen Xia possesses practiced archery fundamentals and muscle memory, though he tells Ding Yiheng that he previously tried the sport at a park 31.

• His stance and movements impress the senior assigned to instruct him 31.
• Narrowly defeats Qian Yuan, a third-place youth archery competition medalist, in a six-arrow match 31 32.
• Shoots with a relaxed but focused manner that attracts He Wangsheng's attention 32.

Gaming

• Carries Ding Yiheng through ranked matches despite the latter's poor play, raising him three tiers over two days 14.
• Regularly plays in a four-person group with Ding Yiheng, Shi Su, and Fang Sheng 14.
• Demonstrates confident jungle play, invading enemy territory and escaping approaching opponents 15.

Strength and Close-Quarters Fighting

• Remains unmoved when another onlooker repeatedly tries to shove past him 6.
• Kicks away Shen Si's lackey and carries Shi Su out of the rooftop confrontation 35.
• Breaks free from restraint, twists Shen Si's arms behind his back, and uses his knee to immobilize a leg 41.
• Is not invulnerable: Shen Si escapes his hold, and their ensuing fall leaves Cen Xia bruised, numb, and temporarily unable to push him away 41 42.

World Will Restrictions

Equipment / Items

• Black softcover notebook and ballpoint pen — Used to map the novels' plots and character relationships 15.
• Mobile phone — Used for the school forum, gaming, group chats, and communication with the protagonists. Its still-connected call with Lu Mian helps convince Wen Xingzhou that Cen Xia has information about his disappearance 1 14 30 50.
• Basic club bow and arrows — Issued during Archery Club practice and used in his match against Qian Yuan 31 32.

Relationships

• Ding Yiheng — A close friend first made during chemistry lab. He introduces Cen Xia to racing outings and the Archery Club, while Cen Xia supplies notes and carries him in games. They also go together to rescue Shi Su 5 9 14 18 35.
• Shi Su — Initially someone Cen Xia fears helping because of the World Will's punishment; later a close friend whom he openly protects. Shi Su fears losing him and privately regards their restaurant outing as a first date, while Cen Xia suggests bringing their other friends next time 1 14 35 38 47.
• Lin Jiandu — Grows close to Cen Xia after his intervention against Ling Xian. He stays beside Cen Xia in the infirmary, cooks for him, shares naps with him, and seeks his attention when Cen Xia carries Shi Su 10 11 20 37.
• Lu Mian — A fellow Go student and frequent companion. Cen Xia becomes involved with his family and repeatedly helps him; Lu Mian initially interprets these actions as romantic interest and later finds himself physically attracted to Cen Xia 16 24 26 30.
• Lu Xiao — Lu Mian's sister. She welcomes Cen Xia into their home, invites him to her band's performance, and repeatedly claims that he likes her brother 25 26 29.
• Fang Sheng — A member of his regular gaming group. Supplies updates from the He Family banquet and guides Cen Xia toward its restricted main courtyard 14 47 49.
• He Wangsheng — Develops an interest in painting Cen Xia after watching him shoot. Cen Xia repeatedly refuses to model, initially misunderstanding the request as requiring nudity 32 34.
• Shen Zhong — Initially coerces Cen Xia into participating in Lu Mian's humiliation. Later requests his contact information and asks him to report any approach by Shen Si 3 31 40.
• Shen Si — An antagonist whom Cen Xia defies while rescuing Shi Su. His retaliatory equipment-room ambush becomes a physical struggle between them 35 40 41.
• Wen Xingzhou — First encounters Cen Xia snooping outside a police operation and has him brought in for questioning. Cen Xia later seeks his help when Lu Mian disappears 28 29 50.
• Pei Huaiyi — Initially curious about Cen Xia's collapse episodes. Later uses an unsolicited selfie with him as proof of plans with a friend, then apologizes when Cen Xia objects 22 45.

Story Role / Major Arcs

From Background Character to Participant

Cen Xia begins by watching Shi Su's persecution while remembering the pain inflicted for previous interference. His attempts to remain uninvolved fail when Shen Zhong's group drags him into their harassment of Lu Mian. Lu Mian ultimately makes Shen Zhong withdraw, ending the immediate threat 1 3 4.

After secretly freeing Lu Mian from a locked classroom, Cen Xia collapses. He later resists the same punishment to return to Lin Jiandu, who is being restrained by Ling Xian. The incident leads to another infirmary stay and the appearance of the third novel 10.

Friendships gradually replace his isolation. Discovering that unscripted assistance is possible allows him to help Shi Su more freely, while his first direct negotiation with the World Will establishes a stated route home 14 18.

The Lu Siblings and the Police Operation

After finding Lu Mian working as a server, Cen Xia follows him home and meets Lu Xiao. Their ordinary family life exposes gaps in the novel's account, especially Lu Mian's need to earn money despite his connection to the wealthy He Family 24 25 26.

Under his revised agreement with the World Will, Cen Xia tries to arrange a meeting between Lu Mian and Wen Xingzhou around rooms 806 and 808. His improvisation instead gets him treated as a suspect and taken to the police station alongside the Lu siblings. They are questioned, sign confidentiality agreements, and receive a ride home from Wen Xingzhou 27 28 29.

At their home, Cen Xia discovers that Grandma Lu—already dead at this point in the original story—is alive and hospitalized. He realizes that Lu Mian's night work pays her medical expenses and that the siblings' futures have diverged from the books 29.

Publicly Defying Shen Si

Cen Xia's archery victory draws He Wangsheng's interest, but he rejects the president's repeated modeling requests. Soon afterward, he finds Shen Si tormenting Shi Su on a rooftop during a storm. With He Wangsheng absent from his original rescuer role, Cen Xia takes Shi Su away himself 32 34 35.

Shen Si retaliates with an equipment-room trap. Cen Xia anticipates the ambush and fights back; their struggle leaves both temporarily unable to get up. Once free, Cen Xia conceals the confrontation from the worried Shi Su and agrees to dinner and a movie with him 40 41 42.

The He Family Banquet

Cen Xia initially considers the He Family's formal announcement of Lu Mian's identity beyond his NPC role. When Lu Mian disappears, the World Will brings Cen Xia into the estate and warns that a new plot node threatens Lu Mian's existence unless the necessary protagonists are present 46 49.

After challenging the World Will's threats, Cen Xia continues searching anyway. Lu Qianyu helps him enter the restricted main courtyard, where he overhears an exchange implicating He Qi before finally finding Wen Xingzhou 49 50.

Cen Xia shows Wen Xingzhou the ongoing call from Lu Mian and explains that he is in a wardrobe and in a bad state. However, he cannot identify the room, leaving the search unresolved in the provided account 50.

Notable Quotes

“There's no way I can force... anyone who already has thoughts of their own to take a path they don't like.” 27

“I don't blame you. You did nothing wrong. You're just too righteous, too courageous, too kind.” 38

“Will we die, or will you be destroyed?” 49