Okay so this arc is honestly so satisfying to watch unfold. The whole jizong mushroom business is basically a classic underdog-to-success story, but what I love is how the plot keeps layering on new opportunities. First they sell mushrooms, make 30 taels of silver, and everyone's thrilled. But then Lu Qingran doesn't just sit on their success—she pivots to bamboo shoots, and even negotiates to sell the bitterness-removal METHOD separately. That's smart plot engineering right there. The author is building this sense that the family's fortunes are climbing steadily, and each small win opens the door to the next. But here's what really got me—the tension around whether the restaurant would actually buy their mushrooms. Lu Qingran stepping up to cook in front of the manager, making them taste it first, that was a genuine stakes moment. 'If you don't like it, we'll leave'—simple, but it worked. And then the bargaining scene where she quoted 50 wen per jin knowing full well she was being audacious? Chef's kiss. The manager coming back at 30 wen and her accepting immediately showed she's not naive, she knows the market. The bamboo shoot subplot is where the plot gets really interesting though. Yan Erlang tripping over a shoot and almost throwing up from the bitterness—that's setup. Lu Qingran saying 'a step was missing' is the payoff. The author plants these details and then resolves them later. It makes the world feel logical, not random. And the fact that they're already planning to use the bamboo shoot money to repair the house? That's forward momentum. The plot isn't just happening, it's building toward something.
Let me just say this: the tension in this chapter is INSANE and it's all built on these tiny, quiet moments rather than big dramatic explosions. Ji Wanning just got her marriage certificate. She's about to finally leave the Lin family home — something she's wanted for years. And what does she do? She goes straight to confront her mother. Not because she needs answers (she already knows them), but because she needed to SEE it. To hear Sulian say the words out loud and watch her squirm. The stakes here aren't life-or-death, but they're emotional stakes that hit just as hard. The confrontation itself is a masterclass in controlled tension. Ji Wanning doesn't yell. She doesn't cry (at least not at first). She asks one question — "do you think your life now is exhausting?" — and watches her mother unravel. Every line of dialogue is a calculated strike. She's not lashing out; she's dissecting. And then Lin Yun comes in with her entitled complaints — "Why doesn't she just stay in there forever?" — and the reader is holding their breath, waiting for Ji Wanning to either break down or explode. But no. She opens the door and delivers the most satisfying line in the entire chapter: "Fine, I'll move out of here tomorrow." Lin Yun clearly expected her to beg. She smugly assumed Ji Wanning would lower herself. And instead, Ji Wanning just... leaves. No drama. No tears in front of them. The ultimate power move is walking away without looking back. The stakes shift beautifully here — it goes from "will Ji Wanning survive this family?" to "watch her leave them behind." That's when the real victory happens.
Can we just take a moment to appreciate the system? Because honestly, it might be the best-written character in this entire novel. The voice is so distinct — dry, exasperated, occasionally sarcastic, but always somehow caring underneath. [What if I ask you to perform a talent?] 'I'm really good at flipping the wok. I remember no one in our village was better than you before.' [If I had a physical form, if you really performed this, I'd definitely blame you.] You can JUST HEAR the gritted teeth in that response. And then later: [Since you corrected yourself promptly and didn't utter the entire uncivilized phrase, you won't be punished this time.] This thing has standards. It has opinions. It's basically a strict older sibling trapped in Song Yuejiao's head. But it's not just the system — the human dialogue is sharp too. Duan Yuyan's 'Young Master Qiao is paying so much attention to me. If it's not suspicion, could it be that he likes me?' is delivered as a joke but lands like a dart. Qiao Shuang's 'That's not necessary. I'd be grateful if you could just learn these etiquette lessons for me.' after Song Yuejiao declares 'I'd risk everything for you!' — the deadpan response is perfect. And Song Yuejiao's internal voice? 'No way, no way? Is this emperor mentally ill?' 'I don't know whether to call him truly infatuated or a scumbag.' This is a protagonist who thinks out loud and never filters, which makes every scene feel immediate and authentic. The narrative voice balances humor and genuine emotion so well — I laughed out loud and then immediately felt worried for these characters.
I started reading this at like 11 PM and now it's 2 AM and I'm still here. What is wrong with me. The pacing in these first seven chapters is absolutely ruthless in the best way possible. Let me break down why it works so well because I think a lot of authors could learn from this. Chapter 1-2: Murder + Rebirth in under 2000 words. That's it. Most novels would spend an entire chapter on the rebirth setup alone. Here, we get the emotional beats—the betrayal, the death, the confusion, the realization—and we're already moving forward. No filler. No 'and then she fell asleep and dreamed about her past life' nonsense. The transition from the murder scene to the rebirth is seamless. One moment she's being forced to drink poisoned wine, the next she's waking up in her younger body. The author doesn't waste time explaining the mechanics of time travel or whatever. It just happens, and we accept it because the emotional truth is solid. Then we get the banquet setup, the carriage ride, the conversations with Mo Xiang—all of it building toward that moment where Xiao Qi sees Mo Xiang by the lake. And the chapter ends right there, with him approaching, with Qingqing watching, with everything set in motion. It's a perfect cliffhanger because we know what's supposed to happen, but we're also wondering: will it? Can it go differently now that Qingqing is aware? The pacing never drags. Every scene advances either plot or character. There's no wasted dialogue, no meandering descriptions. When the author describes the garden or the dancers, it's always in service of the mood or the upcoming confrontation. I respect this so much.
I just joined webnovel and I've already goten a starters fave ?? I'm kinda hooked right now tho ? craving more ??? Can't wait to see what the figure meant by consequences of a second chance
Hi there, amazing author! I just finished reading your book, and I must say, it’s fantastic! I wanted to reach out and share a few tips that could help boost the performance and visibility of your book even further
why is there an unnecessary warning for the story
it is a great book to read and I'd recommend it to anyone
Story feels like fantasy, and easy to understand, kudos to the writer
rating this book as a good one . the mc has a system, i like those.
gonna rate it 4.0 stars for now.. the translation still needs some work, but it's getting better. like with the names and how who is actually talking kinda confuses the reader. but overall keep up the good work ?.
This is peak.. I love the main character, the tragic events in this novel are very well written. Mc suffers a lot, literally a lot..I hope the author don't drop the novel or I will cry