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"Having grown up with people of similar backgrounds, I thought I should only cherish the F4's friendship. It wasn't until your appearance did I realize how interesting life is. I wish I could be like you, as strong as a weed."
—Lei's letter to Shan Cai[src]

Hua Ze Lei (Chinese: 花澤類; pinyin: Huāzé Lèi) was a student at Ying De Academy. He was a member of the F4 with his friends Dao Ming Si, Xi Men, and Mei Zuo. Lei was romantically involved with his childhood friend Teng Tang Jing, though it ultimately ended. He later became close friends with Dong Shan Cai and developed feelings for her.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Lei was born around 1980[2] to the wealthy Hua Ze family. In kindergarten, he became friends with Dao Ming Si, Xi Men, and Mei Zuo, who were also heirs to powerful families. As a child, Lei had trouble in social situations and often sat in the corner, while the others played together. Teng Tang Jing helped bring him out of his shell and his social skills began to improve.[3] Jing taught Lei to hang upside in order to stop his tears.[4]

College[]

Lei and his friends had formed the F4 by the time they had enrolled at Ying De Academy. As a group, they ruled the school and were allowed to do anything they wanted because of their families' influence. Those who stood up to them were given a red slip and bullied by the other students. Lei typically seemed bored with the game and usually did not get involved.[5]

Meeting Shan Cai[]

Lei-forehead-kiss

Lei kisses Shan Cai on the forehead

"When I was a kid, a friend told me you could stop your tears from flowing if you stand upside down. Do a handstand when you want to cry."
—Lei repeats Jing's advice to Shan Cai[src]

Lei first saw Dong Shan Cai after Si had knocked over a basket she had been carrying. He picked it up and briefly made eye contact with her. After Shan Cai received a red slip, she came to the rooftop that Lei frequented. He lent her his handkerchief though he claimed "I'm not interested in other people's affairs." The following day, he saved Shan Cai from two men. Despite acting gruff again, Lei comforted her when she began to cry with his handstand trick. The day after, Shan Cai thanked Lei for his actions.[5] Lei and Shan Cai met at the rooftop again, despite him saying he would not return. He was looking forward to Jing's return from France, which put him in a good mood. However, once she returned, Lei became moody. Later, he saved Shan Cai from a mob. Si became angry and ended their friendship.[3]

Lei went on a cruise for spring break with his friends, though Si was still angry with him. That night, he danced with Shan Cai at the party. After kissing Si, Shan Cai told Lei that it was an accident though he replied that it was "no concern of [his]." The second night, Lei became angry at Jing and accused her of "toying" with his feelings. He then kissed her, but stopped when she did not resist.[6] Some days after returning home, Lei attended Jing's twenty-fourth birthday party. She announced her plans to return to France for the foreseeable future. The next day, Shan Cai questioned Lei on whether he was "going to let her go," but he knew Jing had made up her mind. He became angry at Shan Cai for interfering after she begged Jing to stay. However, her words eventually convinced him to follow Jing to France.[4]

Return to Taiwan[]

Shan-Cai-and-Lei

Shan Cai and Lei on their date

"I've finally understand why Si is in love with you. I do not know exactly how I feel towards you. Xi Men and Mei Zuo said I was making you a substitute for Jing. Perhaps I did think you could make me forget Jing. Had I not came back, you and Si might have had a fruitful relationship. I'm sorry."
—Lei to Shan Cai after the basketball match[src]

In Paris, Lei and Jing lived together for awhile. He described it as "the most memorable time of [his] life." However, Jing soon became busy with school and work, making her unable to spend time with Lei. He returned to Taiwan after news of her supposed engagement to a Frenchman broke out. After his return, Lei masked his hurt feelings by acting flirty with women, including Shan Cai. On a trip to Okinawa, Lei spent the night at the beach. Shan Cai came upon him and he asked her to hold for a bit. The next night, she returned to the beach and Lei kissed her when she cried for him. Witnessing this, Si punched Lei in retaliation. Back in Taiwan, Si officially kicked Lei out of the F4. That Sunday, Lei took Shan Cai out on a date. The pair walked around and flew kites at park, where Lei fell asleep on her shoulder.[7]

Later, Si vowed to have Lei and Shan Cai expelled from school. Si's sister, Dao Ming Zhuang, suggested a basketball match to determine what would happen. Despite a weak start, Lei brought his team close to winning. It ultimately ended in a draw when Si suddenly quit. That night, Xi Men and Mei Zuo locked Lei and Shan Cai in the Dao Mings' guest room. Lei admitted to Shan Cai that he was in a way using her as a "substitute" for Jing. The next morning, he told Xi Men and Mei Zuo that he could not betray Si. Before Si left for New York, Lei whispered to him that Shan Cai actually liked him.[8] He returned within two days and the F3 went to his place to see him. They waited for a while, before Lei pointed out that he probably went to visit "someone important." The next day, Si chastised Lei for waiting to the last second.[9]

Supporting Si and Shan Cai[]

Lei-ShanCai-and-Si

Lei, Shan Cai, and Si at school

"Shan Cai, we're his childhood friends. But it's the first time we've seen him behave like this. He is serious about you. I suppose you've realized it?"
—Lei to Shan Cai[src]

Later, Lei and his friends looked for Si, when Shan Cai went missing. After Si got beaten protecting Shan Cai, the F3 played a joke on her by pretending Si was dead. Per Si's request, Lei, Xi Men, and Mei Zuo later beat up his attackers.[10] The F4 picked up Shan Cai for Si's birthday party and helped her find a suitable dress for the party. After Shan Cai caught the attention of Dao Ming Feng, Si's mother, Lei tried to help by lying about Shan Cai's family background. He, Xi Men, and Mei Zuo helped Si and Shan Cai escape, when his mother tried to kick her out. A few days later, Mei Zuo and Xi Men related information about Si's fiancée He Yuan Zi to Lei and tried to convince him to help seduce her. Lei refused to interfere in the matter. Si's mother invited Lei over and tried to manipulate him into pursuing Shan Cai, which failed.[11]

Afer Si and Xiao Zi started dating, Shan Cai asked Lei to tell him to treat Xiao Zi nicer, but he instead told her to "stay out of their affairs." Sometime after school, Lei and Shan Cai ran into each other at a café. Coincidentally, Xiao Zi and Si arrived and joined them. Xiao Zi then invited them to her family's villa, which Lei readily agreed to. That night, Lei saved Shan Cai when she fainted in the hot spring. He comforted her the rest of the night and lent his back for her to cry on in the morning.[12] When Shan Cai's parents moved away, Lei, Xi Men, and Mei Zuo checked up on her. Feng arrived shortly after them and a fight between her and Shan Cai ensued. Once Feng left, Shan Cai declared she would not "concede defeat" to her and the F4 offered their support.[13]

Reuniting Si and Shan Cai[]

Lei-Shan-Cai-and-Qing-He

Lei and Qing He find Shan Cai

Shan Cai: "Do you regret it?"
Lei: "I do. I regret giving up the relationship so easily. I should have persisted. Shan Cai, do you understand? Giving up your relationship with Si will be your biggest regret in life. By betraying your own feelings and rejecting Si, you will feel as remorseful as I do."
— Lei's plea for Shan Cai to acknowledge her feelings[src]

When Si's mother returned to Taiwan, Lei suggested to Si that he move out to "reduce friction" for everyone involved.[14] Lei later spoke with Shan Cai and warned her that Feng would likely attack her friends. The following day, Qing He reported that Shan Cai had disappeared. They questioned Si about the situation, but he refused to say anything about it. Si then began acting like his "old self", and several attempts by Mei Zuo and Xi Men to cheer him only aggravated him further. After Si's and Xi Men's explosive fight, the F3 decided to abandon any effort to make Si happy. They then focused their energy on figuring out why this situation happened.[15]

After Qing He learned where Shan Cai was, Lei tried to get Si to go with him to retrieve her. Lei and Qing He brought her back to Taipei, where Lei provided her with a place to stay. After seeing Shan Cai distressed over Si, Lei informed him that he would be pursuing Shan Cai romantically. Si took the news calmly, the opposite reaction that Lei was hoping for. Lei then began spending a lot of time with her. One night, Lei walked her home and pleaded with her to acknowledge her love for Si. When they reached her home, they found a gift left by Si for her.[16] Content that Si had finally faced his feelings, Lei revealed his plan to Xi Men and Mei Zuo and left Shan Cai a letter again encouraging her to face her feelings, before heading to Japan to help his father with the family business.[17]

After Si went missing, Lei returned to Taiwan to aid his friends. The F3 approached Xiao Zi to obtain the details of their upcoming wedding. When she informed that the engagement was forced by their parents, they decided to rescue Si. Lei, Xi Men, and Mei Zuo were able to reach Si's room and avoided the new security with Ms. Yu's help. However, they were ultimately caught by Si's mother. Mei Zuo finally called Si's sister to intervene.[18] Thanks to Zhuang's words, Feng left Taiwan and left Si and Shan Cai alone.[19]

Post-college[]

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Physical appearance[]

Lei, like his fellow F4 members, was generally considered good-looking. He had brown hair that ended about an inch above his collar, while his bangs almost covered his eyes. Lei favored button-down shirts with either short sleeves or long sleeves, which he typically paired with khaki pants.

Personality and traits[]

As a child, Lei was extremely quiet and introverted to a point that Xi Men described him as showing symptoms of autism. Lei gradually came out of his shell and was able to develop some social skills through the help of Jing. By college, Lei still retained much of his introverted personality. He had a very small group of friends with Shan Cai being the only person he let into his circle. Lei sometimes came off as gruff or uncaring, though he really just disliked being involved in other's affairs. However, he would interfere in situations for the sake of his friends, especially Shan Cai.

Lei slept up to fifteen hours a day and rarely went to night clubs with his best friends. He was also proficient in several musical instruments.

Etymology[]

His surname, Hua Ze (花澤), is made up of two characters. The first means "flower" and is also the first character in his manga counterpart's surname.[22] The second means "pond," "damp," "luster," etc.[23] His given name, Lei (類), has the same character as the original's first name. It can translate to "class," "group," or "category."[24]

Behind the scenes[]

Photo-icon
Boys Over Flowers Wiki has 53 images related to Hua Ze Lei.

Portrayal

See also: Category:Rui Hanazawa portrayals

Appearances[]

References[]

See also[]


Meteor Garden (2001-02) characters
Main characters

Dao Ming Si | Dong Shan Cai | Hua Ze Lei | Mei Zuo | Xi Men | Ye Sha

Supporting characters

Ah De | Ah Lun | Ah Mei | Ah Song | Ah Yuan | Aisa | Bai He | Chen Qing He | Da Xin | Dao Ming Feng
Dao Ming Zhuang | He Yuan Zi | Li Zhen | Mi Mi | Sha Ge | Shan Cai's father | Shan Cai's mother | Teng Tang Jing
Qian Hui | Xi Men's father | Xi Men's mother | Xiao Geng | Xiao Shun | Xiao You | Xin Xin | Ya Men | Yi Lin
Yin Xiao Qiao | Ms. Yu | Zhang Xiao Hong

Minor characters

Ah Shu | Ah Xiang | Ah Yan | Aisa's mother | Dao Ming Cheng | Fortuneteller | Gao | Jing's parents | Lei's date
Liu | Liu Shu Hao | Mai | Mei Jia | Mei Zuo's date | Mei Zuo's mother | Principal | Professor | Qing Yong
Shan Cai's boss | Thomas | Wang Xiao Long | Xi Men's date | Xiao Touh | Xiao You's father | Xiao You's mother
Xu Shao Yang | Yu Tian | Yuan Zi's father | Yuan Zi's mother | Zhong Ze

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