Cheng Ke

**Cheng Ke** (程恪, *Chéng Kè*) is one of the main characters in the *Jie Yao (Antidote)* light novel and anime. He leaves his job and meets Jiang YuDuo as he begins his life anew.

## Background

Having paper hurled at him, he was told the Cheng family does not need useless people and he was told to leave the family home. He enjoys sand painting, boxing, and living by his own self management.

## Story

### Episode 1

Cheng appears physically repulsed at an open waste bin. His revulsion intensifies when he spots the contents behind the trash, which has insects there as well. Kicking the trash over, unknown to him, it accidentally falls near a kitten. He sees Jiang run up to him who assaults him. Asking why he did that, he replies what does he care if he kicks one.

Returning his punches, Cheng kicks Jiang off him then asks if both he and Chen are going to fight him when he arrives with a baseball bat to reinforce Jiang. He sees the fuss is over a kitten that was in the trash can. Having his Hu Kou thrown to him, he asks if Jiang is here to check it.

Handed Jiang's number on a piece of paper, on the way back he scoffs at the "business card" and bins it. Having forgotten his phone at home, Cheng then notices he is being followed by Chen and stops walking as he rounds a corner to await his approach.

Asking if he has a phone, requesting it to sign into a messaging app, Si Xin, to call a friend he hears he should wait for Jiang to come and offer his since he has unlimited data. With Chen playing his game, he decides never mind about the phone and heads to leave before coming face to face with Jiang. Asked what he motive for coming here is, he returns the questions, why he sent someone to follow him.

Using his phone, his call to Liu goes unanswered before he is contacted by another business friend, Xu. Cheng remembers where his offices are and thanks Jiang before he leaves. He then tosses him his watch believing that was what he wanted.

Dropped off at an X10 building by a taxi, he is handed the keys to a room and after showering, he remembers his past. Having lived twenty years without effort or trouble, with achievements and all, Cheng thinks now he will be relying on himself and wonders how it will go.

Handing the keys back to Xu after seeing him, he is found by his brother but refuses all offers of help. He is shown apartments at a housing agency by Xiao. Stating his occupation to be a sand-painter, Cheng clarifies he paints using sand. Riding on the back of a moped, he is shown an apartment at the heart of the business district. Without really listening to any of the details, Cheng says it is fine and would like to sign the contract desiring to move in tonight.

By around 2pm, he receives a call who he thinks is from his mother, before finding that the landlord arrive and it is Jiang.

Receiving his phone number again, Cheng is sure he wants to rent the apartment despite Jiang saying he can back out. After heading to the supermarket, he arranges to use a woman's trolley having not noticed them at the front. Using the shower at his new apartment, he calls Jiang since the water is cold. Waking up in the morning he speaks with Xu via telephone to arrange to eat together later, as he prepares to make instant noodles using a wok frying pan. Preferring to eat out rather than call "him", Cheng finds Jiang inside the elevator bleeding from a head injury. Watching as he tends to his wound in the bathroom, after he asks Jiang for his help since when he turns a dial the oven will not turn on.

In the evening he comes across his brother, Yi flanked by two accomplices, but declines the outwardly kind offer to eat with them. Spotting Jiang approach with others, he confirms in his mind that he is a gang leader. Cheng accepts Jiang's invitation to the restaurant instead. Thanking him, Cheng is told to bring his friend to dine with them. After Xu arrives, he is introduced to two other gang members, Ah-Liang and Da Bing. Cheng had not heard the news from Xu, that his brother has transferred a bar for him to manage. With the gang heading to a garage to help hostages, Cheng heeds Jiang's order to head home and there speaks to Liu concerning his distance to his brother, and on his new friends.

Finding one at a store, he calls Jiang on whether he can install a new water faucet. Having that done, from Jiang's description he realizes the 580 Benz outside the apartment complex is his brother's car. Telling Jiang to keep the watch he is returning since it was from his brother, he later calls Xu to asks whether he told Yi where he was living now. He then wants to have a drink with him and meets Xu at the Lei Si bar.

Saying that he hopes he is not disturbing Jiang when he calls him, Cheng announces he has forgot his keys at home. Following a map to his apartment, Cheng hears that Jiang's sister has the spare key since she is the actual landlord. Deciding to sleep on the sofa even when offered the bed to sleep by himself in, his crying brings Jiang to the room where Cheng asks him if he is useless. Speaking, he mentions sand painting and demonstrates it using salt instead to create an image of Jiang's cat on the table.

Woken up by Chen, as they walk together he sees Jiang run across the road. Cheng pushes Chen away and heads after him. He appears shocked to find Jiang with blood dripping down his arm.

Asking if he is all right as Jiang has his hand bandaged, Cheng is unconcerned at being seen by those who were in the alley. Certain that he does not need to be followed, Cheng is escorted back to his nonetheless and agrees to call Jiang should anything strange occur. As he sketches on a tablet device, he receives a call from Xu that tomorrow's exhibition will rely entirely on his sand-painting. Heading to the balcony, he sees someone deliver a food package to Jiang then calls via mobile to ask what he is doing in front of his home. Busying himself with his art in preparation for the next day, Cheng finds that Jiang has waited outside. Joining him to wrap a scarf around him, Cheng brings him inside and receives help with adding the duvet round the quilt. He tucks the covers around Jiang before finding that he is hot from a fever. Wondering what he is supposed to do for a fever, Cheng thinks of medication and intends to buy some. With pharmacies closed, he hands Jiang some hot water thinking the fever will go down after sweating.

Watching over him until he falls asleep, in the morning Cheng heads to the exhibition and introduces Jiang as his friend to the receptionist. He had sent Xu to bring Jiang in since it was an invitation only event, and within Cheng show cases his sand art with cameras displaying his creations on the walls of the room. One is a realistic sand painting of Jiang.

Afterwards, Cheng asks him how he is doing and whether Jiang feels better from his fever. He speaks with a collaborator but declines to met others in favour of returning to Jiang.

With Jiang and surrounded by gang member including Ba Pie he follows the order to run and call the police. Cheng's hand is trembling over his phone and not willing to leave he returns to the confrontation and avoids a crowbar being swung at him. After he wraps his entire scarf around Jiang's bleeding hand and in the car with Chen insists on taking him to hospital. There he calms Jiang by rubbing his back. At home Cheng finds his brother and mother have come to visit. With Jiang raising whether he should hide Cheng replies there is no need and in conversation he asks whether his mother is an interrogator for questioning Jiang and offers her a mandarin. With them wanting him to return home Cheng Ke answers Cheng Ye why would he admit he was wrong to their father, more so when he is unsure what the issue is to begin with. After they leave he answers that with Jiang being his landlord it is none of his business, then realizing Jiang just told his mother he was his landlord otherwise she would be worried to death if someone like him were his friend.

At a restaurant together Cheng mentions that he does not have any friends like the ones Jiang has then hears that Jiang can be that friend for himself. Outside as he describes how the food was nice a car speeds round the corner and Cheng answers Jiang that he shall check where he is walking now. As Jiang stands watch on the apartment balcony Cheng says he has been like that for four to five hours and to come inside. As he attempts to rouse Jiang from a nightmare Cheng is strangled by him. After his words fail to reach Jiang who is in an aggravated sleepwalking like state Cheng kicks him away then holds him all the while enduring his thumps. When Jiang falls unconscious of his own accord Cheng answers his phone and tells Chen it is him speaking. When Jiang departs Cheng questions Chen whether this has happened before and if Jiang has any psychological issues. Clarifying that he is not saying that Jiang is crazy Cheng finds his concern was taken the wrong way. Receiving a call from Xu and meeting him with Xiao he sees the recording of his sand painting has become an online hit. Pleased to hear that there are other possible collaborations Cheng did not think when he really needed it that it could become his profession.

## Personality

He is described as good, yet with no concept of money, Cheng displays the latter by not negotiating his new apartment, just accepting the stated cost. Though guessing he is unlucky to be caught in a fight, he still defends himself and fights back, preparing to engage against two people at once. All the while he was nonchalant at the situation, sustaining and giving back punches. His aloofness also affects his daily activities, and he largely declines help from others, a rare instance was asking Jiang for help with making instant noodles. Cheng is thoroughly repelled by germs, physically overcome with revulsion at an open trash bin, to showing concern at Jiang using his towel, sharing a can he has drank from and requesting unopened toiletries. Stating that he had never been more scared in his life Cheng's fear that Jiang would get killed is what caused him to return to a fight.

## Appearance

He has turquoise eyes, messy light brown hair and wears a shirt with the top buttons undone with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Over this is a jumper like garb that he has tied over his shoulders, he had a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch.

## Relationships

### Jiang YuDuo

His first interaction with Jiang YuDuo is when they fight near some trash cans because Cheng Ke had knocked over a can that had a kitten hiding in it. As such, he is suspicious extremely suspicious of Jiang in the beginning. After handing Jiang his watch, he hopes they will not meet again in the future. Cheng was not initially receptive to Jiang's acts of kindness, and was largely determined to begin his life anew by himself. This changed when Jiang invited Cheng to dine with him, instead of Cheng's brother Yi. Cheng addressed him as third bro and thanked Jiang for his help. He introduces him to Xu as his landlord. Cheng eventually grows to see Jiang as a friend, and shows concern after Jiang's hand is hurt, and for when he says he is being stubborn staying out in the snow. His view of Jiang being stubborn is also voiced when he says Jiang made himself ill. In the original novel he is physically attracted to Jiang YuDuo and has a crush on him, despite thinking Jiang is heterosexual. He also kisses him in the original novel several times, though Jiang Yuduo does not reciprocate those kisses nor rejects them. Cheng Ke is also one of the only people who suspects Jiang Yuduo may have mental health problems, and becomes one of his closest confidants.

### Chen Qing

Preparing to fight him unarmed when he arrived with a baseball bat, Cheng later found that he was being followed by Jiang's accomplice. He assumed he was Jiang’s younger brother or a driver, or something else. He feels Chen is too obedient to Jiang since he complied with an order to not follow him when he could have been in danger.

### Liu TianCheng

A friend he calls, and speaking later Cheng tells him he can associate with whoever he wants when Liu comments on the new friends he saw Cheng with. He is one of Cheng's ex-friends who stopped associating with him after he got kicked out.

### Xu Ding

A company president friend of his who offers him a place to stay. He calls him to eat together at the Lao Ma Tou restaurant. Cheng receives the offer to have his art work hosted by him, and is encouraged in this avenue. Cheng was not particularly close to him before friends wise yet began speaking more after he left home.

### Xiao Zhang

The estate agent who suggested apartments to move into. Cheng did not pay too much attention to what was on offer and the benefit of each.

### Ah-Liang

One of Jiang's gang members who helps seat him at the restaurant they dine in.

### Cheng Yi

His younger brother who he declines help from, and tries to avoid contact with. He received his watch from him for help with a project which he took as a sign that their relationship was improving.

### Ba Pie

Rival gang of Jiang Yuduo's gang. Cheng Ke forces them to apologise for their previous actions after threatening to expose their illegal business to the police.

### Father

His father exiled him from their home, and thinks his sand painting is not honest work.

### Mother

Getting along well with her Cheng still insists he is not returning to the family home.

## References

1. ↑ Episode 1
2. ↑ Episode 2
3. ↑ Episode 3
4. ↑ Episode 4
5. ↑ Episode 5
6. ↑ Episode 6