Character Relationship Map: Hero

Characters

• Shen Yue (played by Zhou Xun) — protagonist

  Shen Yue is one half of a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair living together in Wuhan during the COVID-19 outbreak. She contracts the virus and must share a home with Li Ju, leaving the two women...

• Li Zhaohua (played by Jackson Yee) — supporting

  Li Zhaohua is a young man in Wuhan who becomes infected during the pandemic. His girlfriend, Zhou Xiaolu, is separated from him in Beijing by the lockdown and cannot return to care for him, so they ma...

• Chelsea Leung (played by Sammi Cheng Sau-Man) — supporting

  Chelsea Leung is married to Darren Ho, and they are raising two children while balancing work and family life. As the pandemic disrupts their lives, disappointment in her husband and unresolved marita...

• Chelsea's Mother (played by Nina Paw Hei-Ching) — supporting
• Li Ju (played by Xu Di) — supporting

  Li Ju is part of a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair living together in Wuhan when the COVID-19 pandemic begins. She contracts the virus alongside Shen Yue, and the two must cope with illness und...

• Chelsea's Father (played by Henry Fong Ping) — supporting
• Zhou Xiaolu (played by Huang Miyi) — supporting

  Zhou Xiaolu is Li Zhaohua's girlfriend and is in Beijing when the pandemic separates them. Because lockdown measures prevent her from returning to Wuhan to care for him after he becomes infected, they...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Chelsea's Father → Chelsea Leung (father)
• Chelsea's Mother → Chelsea Leung (mother)
• Li Zhaohua → Zhou Xiaolu (Romantic Girlfriend) — Their romantic relationship is tested by infection, distance, and lockdown restrictions.

  The plot describes Li Zhaohua and Zhou Xiaolu as a young couple in love, with Zhou Xiaolu identified as Li Zhaohua's girlfriend.

• Shen Yue → Li Ju (Family Mother-in-law) — Their family relationship is strained by longstanding mother-in-law and daughter-in-law tensions.

  The plot explicitly identifies Shen Yue and Li Ju as a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair living together during the pandemic.

Story Analysis

The pandemic tests family intimacy and romantic commitment through illness, confinement, and forced separation.

Plot Progression

1. Outbreak Under One Roof — The COVID-19 pandemic strikes Wuhan, and Shen Yue and Li Ju both become infected. Their illness forces the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to remain together under one roof.
2. Family Tensions Surface — Shared confinement leaves Shen Yue and Li Ju with only each other for company. Their longstanding family tensions become increasingly difficult to avoid while they cope with illness.
3. Love Across Lockdown — Li Zhaohua becomes infected in Wuhan while Zhou Xiaolu remains in Beijing. Lockdown prevents her from returning, so the couple depends on frequent video calls.
4. Connection Under Pressure — The pandemic tests both the family relationship and the romantic relationship through illness, isolation, and distance. Daily communication continues, but emotional strain remains unresolved.