An impoverished classmate of Chen Yan from a family that ran a Southern Goods Store on Nan Shi Street. His father lost the business due to pedantic arrogance and merchant conspiracies. He was hired as a tutor for three taels per month but resigned after three days due to the children's mischief including being splashed with ink and pricked by thorns in his seat cushion. Later his wife Lin Yuebai convinced him to sell his family shop to the Chens and work as their accountant.
