Who is Shu Fu from The Good Person of Szechuan and what is their importance?

Shu Fu is the owner of the barber shop. He is a wealthy man, who is in love with Shen Teh and wants to make her his wife. To win her love, he offers her the chance to use his warehouses for homeless shelters. He also gives her with a blank check and tells her to make it out for any amount. While his offers seem to be generous, however, he only makes them in order to gain her good favor.