Current 4.2 rating is too low so I'm giving it a boost.

This isn't a 5-star work though, because although the premise is there, the writing is weak. I love MC's character development. I think the author did well in writing about his inner thoughts and behavior. It's very much like how it is when you are in a toxic relationship.

Everything and everyone else around the MC was written poorly, and this is where the quality collapses. Everyone else felt flat and the plot itself was so... just there? The author... more>> tried to inject some action and drama but ended up turning what could have been a cathartic healing novel into a plain old dog blood soap opera.

Which is a shame because we have a great MC whose healing journey could have been explored more, and the story would have been more meaningful.

All in all, it felt juvenile but it was a good attempt regardless. <<less

characters:

mc: xiao yu

ml: zhou chen

thoughts: ... more>>

Spoiler

1. MC needs a good wake up slap fr
2. ML is lowkey (highkey) a stalker; its not overly done but its definitely there. Idt ML didnt mean anything by it at first but who tf stalks the kid of some dead person youve met once or twice at a hospital. Not surprising ML developed untowards feelings for MC with how obssessed he was.
3. MC cranking up the victim complex in front of ML to get sympathy points is some good shit. Straight out admits he gave a performance (in that scene where he was coerced to marry his ex) so that he can make himself extra pitiful.
4. i like how ml's house became mc's respite and safe space. I like how the author described it in almost a fairy tale way; physically detached from the rest of the world, full of life and flowers in bloom 24/7, maids and butlers at mc's beck and call. Everythings rose tinted and its cheesy af but I liked it.
5. the ending with the kidnapping was dumb as hell. The story couldve done without. It adds nothing to the plot, both ML and MC already realized their feelings before some crazy coocoo decided to hijack their moment. But whatever.
6. idk what to think of the ex's ''redemption'' which is him basically getting burnt to a crisp and sent to the icu for full body burns. Hes s*um and deserves jail, but was that necessary lool
   
   [collapse]

overall thoughts: very very dogblood. Honestly wasnt expecting it to turn out like this from my first impressions. So much sh*t happened in the end it felt like the author wanted to cram every single face slapping trope in the span of 10 chapters. Ngl I lost my sense of immersion after that.

despite all that tho, I still like the novel. Its got pretty writing, MC is cute and ML is a picture perfect boyfriend. I like what its trying to tell, I think it tackled issues of ab*se and healing decently. <<less

I thought it was a good read!

I'm not a particularly sensitive person but I'm aware that some alot of the early and maybe later chapters would be upsetting for mainstream readers. So, heed the tags, people! (In other news, water is wet).

So:

• Plot 5.8/10 - Kept me engaged, eventhough it's nothing TOO surprising or unique, but I got what I expected from the summary and tags. There's quite some humor and fluff mixed in too in later chapters.
• Characters 5/10 - A quarter of the cast have major mental health issues that would greatly benefit from therapy, and that's always fun to read and rage about! Surprisingly they didn't totally annoy/bore me so have a solid 5!

Anyway, I enjoyed the range of characters in the story. There is a barely-noticeable lack of... more>> fem charas except for those mentioned in passing, but eyy we got plenty of dog-blooded family drama anyway 😂 nothing, too* hair-pulling though, imo!

Give it a try if you're in for a passive read on the angsty-er side, though again- heed the tags! [Nothing graphic though BTW] <<less