I must say, the comedic elements and the food descriptions in this novel are absolutely delightful! They provided moments of levity and made the reading experience much more enjoyable. However, my enjoyment came to a screeching halt when it came to the male lead (ML). Unfortunately, he was portrayed in a way that I found to be downright repulsive. His extreme lustfulness and the staggering number of children and wives he had left me feeling uncomfortable and frustrated. As a modern woman, I simply cannot fathom accepting such a situation, regardless of how culturally or historically accurate it may be for that time period. It feels unrealistic for a contemporary heroine to tolerate a partner who embodies these outdated ideals, especially when the narrative glosses over the moral complexities of such behavior. In fact, I found myself wishing passionately for the main character (MC) to leave him behind and forge her own path. I tried to soldier through the narrative, but it became increasingly difficult to overlook his behavior. Ultimately, I reached a point where I could no longer ignore the toxicity of the relationship, forcing me to drop the novel altogether. It’s truly a shame, because had it not been for the ML’s character flaws, I would have eagerly rated this story a solid five stars.
I wonder if Liu Xuewei will recover from her fake injuries now that the MC is gone. And what will happen to the divine bone left on the floor? There are so many loose ends that make me want to keep reading. The author planted seeds for future conflicts perfectly.
The skill acquisition via practice is well done. Wang Xuan learns “Tracking” simply by paying attention while hunting. It feels natural within the game system. I hope we see more skill learning like this.
The writing style has a nice balance between emotional interiority and external action. I love how we get Li Mai's inner turmoil – the whirlwind of emotions, the tears held back, the nervousness – but also clear, cinematic scenes. Zhou Songyan spinning the baijiu glass between his fingers, the smoke ring he blows, the limited edition Bentley in the rain. The author knows when to zoom in on a small, telling detail. The prose has a slightly translated feel (which makes sense since it's originally Chinese), but it works for this kind of romantic drama. It has a certain rhythm that heightens the melodrama without becoming overwrought.