- #1
This is a very easy cookie to chew, but it's just one cookie (too short).This is a glossed over version, not really deep, so don't expect anything profound from this novel. At times, especially at the ending when time skips began to show up, I could only think - so, author you don't even bother anymore? How things changed quickly without much explanation is what you're left with. I'm surprised this novel is on NU even, it's nothing remarkable to be honest, indeed it's short and easy, but leaves you with nothing except "been there, done that".Wen Yue saves a girl and lands into a novel (cliche, I know), now she's married to Zhou Yao who has an unfriendly look towards her. He has a tough attitude, but he's actually not unreasonable, so ML in this story is quite likable. He has few initial irritating remarks that poured out in the one and only argument, but in general he was quite fine. Having no place to go or turn to for Wen Yue it is actually a good thing to be married and be protected.I actually was not against the fact that Wen Yue was a homebody in the previous life, as she explains, so she has homely hobbies and does not like to go out, she mostly doesn't like to contact people and be in conflict, so she confesses that without Zhou Yao she would likely not survive. It's not like a heroine who knows everything and has amazing business acumen, it's cool to watch those success stories, but it's not bad to see some real people. The true heroine is close to Wen Yue though. No, literally, they're friends. Thus Wen Yue helped the heroine escape some of the tragic plots in the novel that "shaped her as a person".Thus she logically decides to have a good life with Zhou Yao, even if they're more of a co-habitants for most of the story (but Zhou Yao is pretty respectful and of course his mind was not at it at first, which is understandable).In the end she finds out that Zhou Yao's reputation is nothing more but a trick from his envious relatives, in general he has a tough mouth but a soft heart and helps his two friends who had not the best fate in this village.Actually Zhou Yao is pretty handy and he saw opportunities outside, thus in the eyes of farmers he was idle, because he didn't farm, but he actually did business where everyone couldn't see. In the end due to his growing "inferiority", but actually he didn't want to shame Wen Yue, he decided to go to a bigger city and start business (this is more to the end of the novel). A good chunk of the novel is just daily interactions, some cooking, Zhou Yao warming up to Wen Yue, their interactions with people who are friends, several gossip situations with "original villains" and moving out because of Wen Yue's studies and taking everyone with them, including the OG heroine, her sister, Zhou Yao's friends and their relatives. And the novel wraps up really fast, with several time skips, which are just... This is where I had a little complaint, because FMC mentions that Zhou Yao changed after few months and finally "grew up" from irritable youth to a mature man, but honestly I didn't feel the significance of it since author glossed over a lot of things.Now. I'm not trying to comment and say this thing is the copy of other novels (obviously it is though, those tropes and situations are nothing new), but it reminded me of the novel I read "Transmigrated as the Ex-Wife of the Villain Who Dotes on His Daughter" which is way longer and more complicated with having more interpersonal relationships, changes through time, changes of character and character growth. I say reminded only because MMC in this ex-wife novel also has few friends, also has a scene where he loses his temper despite the consequences, he also takes his two friends to fly with him outside when doing business. Of course it has more drama etc. So while I was reading I just felt it's too short and shallow. But if you prefer such novels then go ahead and read it.My only real complaint would be... why would author make her so mysophobic and accentuate as if everyone else is sloppy? Like not washing hands, not wiping dust, not sweeping floor etc. As if before her coming everyone is a dirty unwashed person. With her they don't preserve water or firewood. And it also does not glue up, people are said to wash and clean like by the river, but then she mentions that they don't wash themselves (like her uncle who washes once a weak). I mean period novel or not, I kinda don't believe it a bit?Anyway yeah, I think I've said what I wanted to mention.Happy reading.
