The ending of this section with the meal being served and the family standing around frozen in conflict is a great cliffhanger. You want to know what happens next: will they eat together? Will Old Madam force a decision? The author knows how to keep the tension simmering without a big fight. That’s skill.
Honestly, the pacing is breakneck. In the first three chapters we get: reincarnation, zombie awakening, a fight, a dog attack, a mysterious doctor, a pill, and a brother. It’s like every trope speedrun. I’m not bored, but I also feel like I haven’t had a moment to breathe. The story needs to slow down and let the relationships develop.
Shen Baozhu is a tricky character to read. On the surface, she seems innocent, stumbling into Fang Yi's arms at the ice rink, blushing and apologizing. But you can't help feeling there's something deliberate about it. The way she visits Shen Qi in prison at the end of the flashback, handing over a divorce application and saying "your existence has delayed him" - that's not innocent. That's calculated cruelty. The author plays it sly, letting you decide if she's genuinely naive or just acting that way. Either interpretation makes her frustrating in a good narrative way.
The pacing is good, alternating between exploration, loot, and danger. It kept me scrolling.
2 I have to mention the little malicious grin. The wet nurse said she “smiled creepily.” That is such an eerie and realistic detail for a baby with an adult mind. Normal babies smile involuntarily. Her smile is deliberate, often sarcastic or rebellious. That tiny behavioral quirk sets her apart as “other” and explains why servants might feel uncomfortable around her. It’s a clever way to make her supernaturally aware status be felt by the characters.
The romance takes a DARK turn immediately. "Su Qinghuai started kissing my neck..." What the hell, man. He saves her from a forced marriage and then tries to assault her in the wilderness. This guy is definitely the main villain, not a love interest.
The preparation of the villa was strangely satisfying. High voltage fences, water recycling, and a full gaming setup. A zombie that spends the apocalypse playing video games in between eating tons of beef is an absurdly cozy image. He knows how to live (or un-live).
Wei Chenghé is the typical hot-headed little brother and I am here for it. His anger at the MC is totally misplaced, but teenager logic checks out. The MC absolutely ignoring his tantrums was perfect. She doesn't have time to deal with a kid crying when she has an empire to steal from. I hope he gets a good character arc and learns to respect her when she starts saving their lives on the exile road. He has potential for growth.