Summary

... Read More

Xie Zhiyuan is a third-year university student majoring in sculpture at Q University, but he secretly works as a Puppet Master. This profession is passed down through families and is unknown to ninety-nine percent of humanity. Puppet Masters make leather puppets for a hidden humanoid species called Jingren. Jingren are ancient human ancestors who lost all body hair, pores, and skin texture over evolutionary time. They survive by wearing custom-made puppets to blend into human society. The puppets are handcrafted from pig skin boiled into leather water mixed with a special gel, then spread onto glass sheets with skin patterns. Once solidified, the skin is peeled off, laid on wire frames, and sculpted into human shapes.

Xie Zhiyuan entered this profession a year ago after his childhood friend Zhao Yufeng died in a car accident that decapitated him. Zhao Yufeng's family used hereditary witchcraft to allow him to survive by parasitizing his soul into a small scarecrow. The scarecrow crawls onto Xie Zhiyuan's body, often manifesting as a mouth on his arm that can speak. They are saving money to buy a fully human-like doll body, which costs over a million yuan, for Zhao Yufeng to control permanently. At their current saving rate of ten to twenty thousand a year, it will take a hundred years, but Xie Zhiyuan continues to make puppets to earn money.

Xie Zhiyuan lives in a rental apartment outside school where the rooms are filled with unfinished humanoid skins suspended on wire frames. The apartment has a large pot where animal skins are boiled. He juggles his studies with his secret work. In school, he is the class monitor of Sculpture Class 1, but he has a fraught relationship with Li Yanqiao, the minister of the Disciplinary Inspection Department. Li Yanqiao is a cleanliness freak with an obsession for order. Earlier, Xie Zhiyuan entered the art classroom and maliciously mixed all of Li Yanqiao's paints together, ruining them. Li Yanqiao later discovers this through surveillance footage.

One day after classes, Xie Zhiyuan skips a lecture and falls asleep on a bench on the lawn. It rained previously, and the bench is still wet. When he wakes up, his light-colored jeans are soaked on the buttocks area with water. He tries to dry them by straddling a restroom windowsill, pretending to smoke while airing his pants. Li Yanqiao finds him there and confronts him about the ruined paints. A physical altercation erupts. Li Yanqiao pins Xie Zhiyuan's head under a running faucet, dunking him in water. When Li Yanqiao's hand accidentally touches Xie Zhiyuan's wet pants, he assumes Xie Zhiyuan has wet himself from fear. Xie Zhiyuan panics that Li Yanqiao will spread this rumor. Desperate to prove it is only water, Xie Zhiyuan wipes his wet pants and shoves his hand under Li Yanqiao's nose, demanding he smell it. Li Yanqiao struggles and kneels him in the groin. In chase, Xie Zhiyuan tackles Li Yanqiao to the ground and straddles him, frantically rubbing the water from his hands onto Li Yanqiao's butt to demonstrate it is just water. A female student appears and witnesses the scene, screaming. Other students stick their heads out of classrooms. Xie Zhiyuan's hands remain on Li Yanqiao's buttocks. Li Yanqiao slaps Xie Zhiyuan across the face and orders everyone to stop taking photos. The incident goes viral on the school confession wall. Rumors quickly escalate: Xie Zhiyuan is accused of sexually harassing Li Yanqiao in the corridor, with some saying he failed a confession and assaulted him. Both lose eligibility for scholarships and awards that year. Xie Zhiyuan's counselor scolds him harshly.

That evening, Xie Zhiyuan finishes dinner and packages a completed puppet for a delivery. He tapes the package thoroughly and writes "Confidential Delivery" on it. He rides a broken pedal tricycle given by a street sweeper to the client's high-end apartment building. At the elevator, he passes a mysteriously dressed man in an identical black windbreaker, hat, and mask, whose posture strikes Xie Zhiyuan as arrogant and familiar. He arrives at the client's door, finding it open and the room dark. The client, a Jingren, lies on the floor in a pool of blood. The Jingren begs for help. Xie Zhiyuan steps over him, places the puppet in the living room, then exits. He bends down, smiles politely, and asks how the client will pay the remaining balance. The Jingren pleads to be saved first, promising payment and compensation. Xie Zhiyuan picks up a thin gold chain on the floor next to the Jingren, declares that this covers the balance with extra for cleaning his stained jeans, and leaves the apartment, closing the door on the dying client. The story indicates Xie Zhiyuan's cold, pragmatic nature in his dealings with the supernatural world, prioritizing money for Zhao Yufeng's body over the life of a Jingren. The introduction of the mysterious man suggests a future connection. The incident with Li Yanqiao has permanently damaged Xie Zhiyuan's reputation at school, but he continues his double life, preparing to face the consequences of his actions and the ongoing need to provide for his parasitic friend. The worldbuilding establishes an urban fantasy setting where secret human species coexist with humans under strict agreements, and Puppet Masters operate in the shadows to maintain this balance while pursuing their own goals. The main driving force for Xie Zhiyuan is the procurement of a new body for Zhao Yufeng, a goal that requires immense financial resources and influences every decision he makes, including his callous treatment of a dying client. The conflict with Li Yanqiao, rooted in personal antagonism and a public humiliation, remains unresolved and threatens Xie Zhiyuan's academic future. The narrative concludes with Xie Zhiyuan back in his apartment, having secured payment for the puppet, and the scarecrow Zhao Yufeng present on his arm. The overnight work to prepare the puppet left Xie Zhiyuan tired, but the need to continue earning money persists.

Associated Names

梅雨霁
Latest Release
DateGroupRelease
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c85
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c84
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c83
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c82
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c81
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c80
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c79
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c78
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c77
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c76
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c75
2026-05-29lightnovelasia c74

Community Reviews

Rating(4.2 / 5.0, 69votes)
5 stars
32(46%)
4 stars
22(32%)
3 stars
15(22%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)

Popular reviewsMore Reviews»

... Read More
As a reader, the best thing about this novel is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously where it shouldn’t, but knows when to pull back and show real emotion. The balance between jokes about wet pants and the heartfelt goal to save a friend is commendable. I also love the sense of space: the cramped rental apartment, the bright school corridors, the luxury apartment building — each setting has its own colour. The “automated note-taking” style of writing (short paragraphs, frequent dialogue, interjections) makes for a fast read. I finished these three excerpts in one sitting. Now I need to know what happened to the Jingren client, who the elevator man is, and how the school reputation damage will affect Xie’s puppet deliveries. Also, I want to see Li Yanqiao’s full backstory. This is a solid binge-read, and I recommend starting it.
... Read More
Finally, the “Author’s Notes” add a layer of metatext that I appreciate. It shows the writer is not taking themselves too seriously. Sharing the dream about the flat porcelain creatures humanizes the author and invites readers into their creative process. In web serials and fan works, author’s notes are common, but in an excerpt it feels like extra flavour. It makes me want to follow the author to see more behind-the-scenes thoughts. The note ends with a question: “What would you reaction be?” That direct engagement with the audience is charming. I think including more such notes (without spoiling plot) could build a strong community around the story. It’s a small thing, but it makes the reading experience feel like a conversation.
... Read More
The kiss scene hasn’t happened yet, but the potential for antagonist-to-lovers tension is thick. The “identical outfits” encounter in the elevator — the description “a bit arrogant and annoying” immediately makes Xie think of Li Yanqiao. Then the hand-on-the-ground, the “cold as winter snow” voice — it’s classic identity mystery setup. I am already imagining the reveal scene where Xie finds out Li Yanqiao is also involved in the Jingren underworld. The mutual realization could be epic, filled with “so you’re the pervert who touched my butt” and “so you’re the creep who mixes paints” dialogues. The chemistry is off the charts even in hate mode. Their current dynamic (perceived harassment versus clean freak) is a perfect enemies-to-lovers foundation. I just hope the romance develops slowly and naturally, with both retaining their sharp tongues.
... Read More
Overall, this is one of the most entertaining urban fantasy/comedy openings I’ve read. The characters are distinct, the humor lands, and the world has depth. I oscillate between laughing at the absurdity and being intrigued by the dark implications. The three excerpts together create a strong hook for the story: we have a protagonist with a supernatural secret, a chaotic daily life, a brewing rivalry, and a mystery murder that he has gotten tangled in (via the elevator man). I would definitely continue reading. My main recommendation would be to balance the comedy and horror more carefully as the story progresses, and to avoid losing sight of the emotional core (friendship, sacrifice). If it maintains the same energy, this could be a binge-worthy series.
... Read More
The idea of “confidential delivery” for human-like puppets is genius. It works as a plot device, a comedy generator, and a worldbuilding detail all at once. The backstory of the tricycle purchase and the street-sweeping uncle gives it a life of its own. I also enjoy the specific detail about the chain slipping and making a mournful squeal — it paints a pathetic picture of this guy struggling to transport a humanoid package on a broken bike. The fact that he passes a row of luxury cars while parking his tricycle shows the gap between his world and that of his wealthy Jingren clients. This is a classic underdogs-catering-to-wealthy-monsters setup that works every time. I want to see more of his struggle to make ends meet while also dealing with campus disasters. The economy of the Puppet Masters could be a rich vein for storytelling.
... Read More
The second excerpt ends with a scene of the protagonist in despair, covering his face and lying on bed, ignoring calls. This moment of defeat after the school humiliation feels genuine. The counselor’s line about losing scholarship is a serious consequence that grounds the comedy. It’s good that the author doesn’t let Xie escape without repercussions. Also, Zhao’s laughter at his misfortune from the scarecrow form adds to the feeling that he has no allies in his misery. But then they have a tender moment when Zhao laments about wanting a body, and Xie says he’s saving money. It hints that beneath the banter, Xie is not just a reckless party boy. The ability to show vulnerability and loyalty in brief beats makes me care about their quest. The scene ends with mention of rain and warm yellow light from dusk to dawn, which is a nice atmospheric close that signals a new phase.
See all reviews

Characters

See all characters

Custom lists

See all custom Lists