One last thing: the use of the word "civet cat" is interesting. Most Chinese novels use "spirit cat" or "demon cat" but here it's specifically "civet cat" which is a real animal. That gives a more grounded feel. The "white gloves" on his paws and the tabby patterns make me picture a specific cat breed. That visual helps with immersion. I hope the author keeps that level of detail for other beasts and settings.
Here’s something that bugs me though: the loan shark subplot. Wu An apparently borrowed money under his own name to pay for beating up Xiaofang’s new fling? And now he’s got debt piling up. But he doesn’t seem too stressed about it yet. I’m hoping this doesn’t just get handwaved away with “I’ll earn money fishing.” Ten thousand yuan in 2012 with loan shark interest is not pocket change. If the story’s going for a realistic redemption angle, that debt needs to be a real obstacle. Otherwise, it feels like the author introduced conflict just to forget it when it’s convenient. Let’s see how it plays out.
The candy scene with Xiang Zhihang is one of those details that's going to pay off huge later. Du Qingyang gave him something for free without expecting anything back. In a story where everyone else has transactional relationships, that single act of kindness stands out. Plus, it's smart writing—she did a divination on him, so we know he's destined for greatness. That's not a throwaway scene. The candy wrapper in his pocket, the sweetness he never knew—this is going to be his emotional anchor.
“不知名的剑仙”—— I love that the strongest one doesn’t even have a real name. He is just the sword guy. It makes the group feel less like specific characters yet and more like a collective of lost bums. I am hoping they get fleshed out as individuals later.
I gotta say, the opening scene with the speech really hooked me. Seeing Jiang Wu just standing there in the heat, annoyed at the leaders' grand talk – it's so relatable. Who actually enjoys those long, drawn-out speeches? Especially when you're a construction worker who just wants to get paid and go home. And the way his colleagues talk about Director Bai? Classic, but it shows the work culture. It sets up Jiang Wu as a regular guy, not some hero-in-waiting. He's just fed up with the bullshit, like any of us would be.