I'm a bit conflicted about the space system appearing. On one hand, it's a classic survival web novel cheat, and I usually find those satisfying. On the other hand, the famine and family betrayal were so brutally realistic that the sudden addition of Nuwa's Tear and a magical farm felt a little jarring. But I'll roll with it because the space seems limited right now. Just a small spring and one square meter of dark soil. It's not an instant win button. She has to figure out planting and seeds. The fact that she immediately used two catties of corn to test planting in the space made sense. She's desperate and needs food yesterday. I'm curious if this will stay a minor supplement or become a major plot point.
The dialogue between her and Song Xingwen at the end had a good dynamic. She's deferential but not sycophantic, and he's experienced but not cold. Their "Brother Song" exchange felt earned after her frankness about wanting to become a task-taker.
2 The pacing after the exam slows down again. She takes a two-day rest, then shops more. I wanted to see her immediate reaction to being in the past—how does the air smell? How do people treat her? The emotional landing is missing.
1 I appreciate how the author doesn't make Xiao Chen instantly adopt his new life. He keeps going back to thoughts about returning home, about being confused, about missing his old world. That's realistic for someone who just died and got reborn into poverty. The struggle between accepting this harsh reality and hoping for a way back feels very human, and I'm curious if finding a way home becomes his main motivation or if he eventually abandons it.
The detail about the previous warden marking the documents with over 90% red ink is both funny and terrifying. It’s a visual joke that effectively communicates how insane the job is without needing long explanations. The fact that Shi Lan fell asleep reading it also says a lot — either she’s overwhelmed, or she’s the right kind of oblivious to handle this place. I’m leaning toward the latter.