CHARACTERS
Main Characters
HE YU: 贺予: A nineteen-year-old university student with a rare mental illness.
XIE QINGCHENG 谢清呈: He Yu’s former doctor, who currently works as a medical school professor.
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Supporting Characters
XIE XUE 谢雪: Xie Qingcheng’s younger sister, and a lecturer at He Yu’s university.
CHEN YAN 陈衍: A police officer and family friend of Xie Qingcheng. Nicknamed “Chen Man.”
LÜ ZHISHU 吕芝书: He Yu’s mother, a wealthy businesswoman.
HE JIWEI 贺继威: He Yu’s father, a wealthy businessman who is often away from home.
LI RUOQIU 李若秋: Xie Qingcheng’s ex-wife.
JIANG LIPING 蒋丽萍: The morality advisor in charge of He Yu’s screenwriting/directing class.
QIN CIYAN 秦慈岩: Xie Qingcheng’s former colleague, who was killed by the angry son of a patient.
ZHUANG ZHIQIANG 庄志强: A mentally ill homeless man.
JIANG LANPEI 江兰佩: The now-deceased patient who burned down Cheng Kang Psychiatric Hospital.
LIANG JICHENG 梁季成: The former director of Cheng Kang Psychiatric Hospital.
DUAN-LAOBAN 段老板: A mysterious figure working in the shadows.
WEI DONGHENG 卫冬恒: A senior drama student at Huzhou University.
ZHENG JINGFENG 郑敬风: A veteran criminal investigator and former colleague of Xie Qingcheng’s parents.
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Name Guide
Diminutives, Nicknames, and Name Tags
DA-: A prefix meaning “big” or “elder,” which can be added before titles for elders, like “dage” or “dajie,” or before a name.
DI/DIDI: A word meaning “younger brother.” It can also be used to address an unrelated (usually younger) male peer, and optionally used as a suffix.
GE/GEGE: A word meaning “older brother.” It can also be used to address an unrelated male peer, and optionally used as a suffix.
JIE/JIEJIE: A word meaning “elder sister.” It can also be used to address an unrelated female peer, and optionally used as a suffix.
LAO-: A prefix meaning “old.” Usually added to a surname and used in informal contexts.
LAOSHI: A word meaning “teacher” that can be used to refer to any educator, often in deference. Can also be attached to someone’s name as a suffix.
LAOBAN: A word meaning “boss” that can be used to refer to one’s superior or the proprietor of a business. Can also be attached to someone’s name as a suffix.
SAOZI/-SAO: A word meaning “elder brother’s wife.” It can be used to address the wife (or informally, girlfriend) of an unrelated male peer.
XIAO-: A prefix meaning “little” or “younger.” Often used in an affectionate and familiar context.
XUEZHANG: Older male classmate.
XUEDI: Younger male classmate.
XUEJIE: Older female classmate.
XUEMEI: Younger female classmate.