Mountain and River Pillow

The author is one of my favorite writers, ever since I read *Grand Princess*. Therefore, I have no doubt about the quality of this novel.

I’m puzzled as to why this novel only has a 3.8 rating. Thankfully, I decided to give it a chance anyway.

The story is somewhat cliché, but it remains enjoyable. I admire how the author adds extra layers of depth, elevating what could have been a mediocre and cliché narrative to a higher level.

As expected, every aspect, from the plot to the character development, is well-polished. It may not be perfect, like a masterpiece, but I believe it’s more than sufficient.

I’ll unapologetically recommend this novel. However, as I often mention in my reviews, everyone has their own tastes. Reviews serve as a reference, but readers are free to decide whether they want to continue reading or not. Why not give it a try before making up your mind?

Even with the occasional bumps in translation, this is a beautifully and masterfully written story. The inescapable tragedy of the Wei family left me deeply upset. Despite the limited time we spent with them, I found myself crying real tears for the gentle husband we would never get to know, and the brothers who didn’t make it home to their wives and children. If this weren’t so well written, I might have cursed the author for being excessively cruel, but the way so many conspiring factors piled up against them really makes it feel like fate. They were so helplessly entangled in the political intrigues of a crumbling dynasty that it’s no wonder the Wei family couldn’t escape being backstabbed and used as a scapegoat. Their loyalty to an incompetent and treacherous family proved to be their downfall.

I found it fascinating that in both lives, some things could not be changed, almost as if it was the power of a character's fate. The sister didn’t marry Wei Jun as a substitute bride and chose another husband to escape hardship, but still ended up a wartime widow. The Wei family men still died on the battlefield, falsely accused, and Wei Yun still returned as the only surviving avenger. And Chu Yu still accompanied a man during the darkest moments of his life as he sought justice for himself and his family.

Perhaps fate writes in broad strokes, and the power of humans lies in filling in the blanks with whatever happiness we can. In the first life, Chu Yu chose a man who didn’t know how to appreciate her and gave him everything. Her fierce loyalty, passionate spirit, and robust health were all spent on warming the coldest, darkest winters of a man’s life. She chose differently in her second life, but she still shows that same stubborn willingness to burn up her life for the sake of others. Hopefully, it will all be worth it this time.

In some ways, this story almost seems like a purgatory for the ex-husband, who only realized in retrospect that the most precious things are the sacrifices made for you in the dark, the single burning candle offered to you when you needed it the most. This time, he’ll have to suffer and survive in the dark by himself, which, as Wei Yun puts it, is possible but so much harder now that he has known the light. I can’t wait to see how much he regrets.

I dropped this novel a little while ago. I want to share my thoughts on it, though I doubt it will be very helpful. I didn’t even finish half of the novel.

I’m here to express my frustration.

The author killed off my favorite character almost immediately after introducing him 😭. He deserved so much better.

From the beginning, I knew that this WY guy would end up being the male lead. There were mentions of him in practically every chapter, even when he wasn’t physically present. His backstory was tragic, as most male leads' are. But, sigh... My WJ could have been such a sweet husband. He was in love with the main character, and their interactions were adorable. Maybe he seemed a bit dense, but he was just a softie at heart.

In terms of plot, it’s actually quite engaging. The main character isn’t the only one who has been reborn. She’s our typical overpowered reborn protagonist, and I was curious to see how fate would deal with her ex-husband in this new life. However, I couldn’t bring myself to continue reading after WJ died 😔.

This isn’t a very positive review, is it?

That’s all. You should still give it a try.

I mostly MTLed the novel but was captivated by what a unique couple they made. It's refreshing to read a story where the male lead is younger than the female lead and is so devoted to winning her over. The female lead is mature and intelligent. I really loved both the male and female leads.

I really enjoy it for the political intrigue. I can do without the previous-spouse crematorium chasing or the romance with the ML. There is character growth for some of the villains and side characters, as well as the main characters, which I really appreciate.

Still in the early chapters, but I have to say, wow! And I don’t say that lightly. Rebirth stories are all the rage right now, and to be honest, there are more bad ones than good.

At first, it reads like a typical rebirth story with a naive young miss who falls for the wrong guy, ruining her future at the instigation of her manipulative stepsister. At first! But as you keep reading, you get so immersed in the story!

What I appreciate so much is that the protagonist never really blames anyone but herself for her own downfall. She’s not obsessed with revenge and just moves on to start her new life without being too focused on her ex or her manipulative stepsister. So when she says she’s over him, there’s no doubt! She’s completely indifferent.

The main character is mature, and as the plot progresses, you forget she’s only 15 because of how she carries herself. She doesn’t let past misfortunes bring her down, and she’s confident without turning into a one-dimensional Mary Sue. I really need to emphasize that twice! The writing is so engaging that I was moved to tears when the male lead returned with the caskets.

The only downside is that the translation isn’t great. But everything else is definitely five stars.

This one is awesome! If you've read the author's previous works like *Grand Princess* and *Zhuo Yu* (Carven Jade), you'll definitely love this one.

The heroine is reborn, having already lived her life to its bitter end. In her first life, she married the second male lead and ran away from her fiancé. After dying and being reborn, she decides to marry the man she was originally supposed to marry in her first life. But then, a long story ensues...

Her husband dies, leaving only the youngest brother of the husband's family. Can you guess what happens next?

The original title of this novel is "The Eldest Wife is My Wife."

Our heroine is Chu Yu, and our hero is Wei Yun, both from military families. I really love all the supporting characters; some of them have amazing stories of their own. Chu Yu is so jaded, and I felt pity for Xiao Qi, but when they decide to give their relationship a try, it’s pure awesomeness. I really love Chu Yu. Wei Yun's confession is just so heartbreaking. As usual, MSB loves to torture all of her male characters (which is why I love reading this).

Give it a try!

4.8/5 9.8/10

Brother-in-law x Sister-in-law

**Spoiler**: Although it was a happy ending, I wasn't very satisfied with it. Chu Yu and Wei Yun agreeing to let their child become an emperor, in my opinion, is not the best decision. The child has to show filial respect to the former emperor, who is actually the mastermind behind the killing of Wei Yun's family, while pretending to be the child of the former emperor and the eldest princess. Making the eldest princess the regent also seems like a poor choice. It would have been better if Wei Yun had proclaimed himself as emperor.

The first third of the story focuses on the two of them relying on each other. The next third is about them pushing and pulling, trying to figure out their relationship. Finally, the last third is dedicated to the romance, which can be frustrating for someone looking for more romance from the start, but they were still sweet moments.