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Thrice Married to a Salted Fish (Novel) #1
Thrice Married to a Salted Fish (Novel) Vol. 1
An arranged marriage will become the perfect career opportunity for one would-be doctor—that is if a curse doesn’t get in the way.
Ten years of exhaustive study, tedious research, and sleepless nights have suddenly been rendered meaningless for aspiring Imperial Physician Lin Qingyu. In the midst of his work, he receives instructions to put everything aside and marry Lu Wancheng, the sickly son of the marquis—all in the hopes that this sacred union will heal the illness that plagues the young master.
However, Lin Qingyu quickly discovers that Lu Wancheng isn’t just an ill-fated aristocrat—in fact, the man has a mysterious twinkle in his eye, and insights that could help Lin Qingyu outmaneuver even royalty. With that, Lu Wancheng proposes an idea to his new male bride, one that will help send Lin Qingyu back home to continue his studies and fulfill his dreams.
As feelings bloom between these new allies, a dark truth looms over their tenuous bond—one that threatens to rip them apart in both sickness and health.
436 pages, Paperback
Published November 11, 2025
82 people are currently reading
1440 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
November 21, 2025
Beautiful petty gremlin x sweet adorable enabler. Love these scheming sworn brothers 😂. Once this novel is completely published, it will be my #1 rec to new to danmei readers. Politics-light, humor, romance, easy to follow plot, lovable characters, and just so well written. Expect to feel all the emotions ❤️💔❤️🩹
MC: Smart, aloof, cold, cunning, loyal, manipulative, holds grudges
ML: Charismatic, clever, loyal, kind, “lazy” in everything but his pursuing of MC, shameless yet embarrassed, green flag when it comes to consent ✅
** Despite all the political scheming with the court, their relationship is nothing but complete honesty and bluntness with the ML confessing things even when he is so embarrassed 🤣
✔️Transmigration (but not from the POV of the person who TM)
✔️Historical
✔️Political/ court intrigue
✔️Slow burn
✔️Pining
✔️Power couple
✔️Together in multiple lifetimes
“Are you mad because I take too many naps?”
MC: Smart, aloof, cold, cunning, loyal, manipulative, holds grudges
ML: Charismatic, clever, loyal, kind, “lazy” in everything but his pursuing of MC, shameless yet embarrassed, green flag when it comes to consent ✅
** Despite all the political scheming with the court, their relationship is nothing but complete honesty and bluntness with the ML confessing things even when he is so embarrassed 🤣
✔️Transmigration (but not from the POV of the person who TM)
✔️Historical
✔️Political/ court intrigue
✔️Slow burn
✔️Pining
✔️Power couple
✔️Together in multiple lifetimes
“Are you mad because I take too many naps?”
Read
May 20, 2025Putting one of the most gut-wrenching scenes in the whole novel as a cover is real crazy work, but okay! I love this novel so much!
November 18, 2025
5/5
My New Favorite Obsession! 💖
I wasn't expecting how this story played out! Wow! This was really good! I can't get enough! I love how Lin Qingyu and Lu Wancheng are so in tune with one another!
Lin Qingyu is so cunning, smart, and has an evil inner self that Lu Wancheng can see, and I love it! They both made me laugh! They are amazing characters who love to do bad things together, if you know, you know. The flirting between these two! In my opinion, from day one they're in love, even though they're "obviously" straight! Love this cunning and scheming couple!
"Of course. I love the way you look when you use poison."
Did I decide to continue on with this novel? Yes, yes I did! Will I still be buying all the volumes the moment they come out? Hell yes I am!
Happy Reading!
❤️🩹Spoiler Warning❤️🩹
Lin Qingyu was arranged to marry Lu Wancheng to extend Lu Wancheng's life. Lu Wancheng is chronically ill and doesn't have more than six months to live. Lin Qingyu hated the idea of being a male wife so much that he planned to poison Lu Wancheng.
The conniving these two do! Dear lord, I loved it so much. If anyone insults Lu Wancheng in any way, Lin Qingyu will find a way to plot their death! Of course, it's vice versa, but Lu Wancheng, with his weak body, needs help from Lin Qingyu.
The way Lu Wancheng would say certain phrases made me know immediately that he was transmigrated! And he was transmigrated from saving someone's life, only to die in this new life! Sob, sob, sob! I cried so hard reading the ending of this volume! I knew that Lu Wancheng was going to die, and I wasn't ready for it!
My New Favorite Obsession! 💖
I wasn't expecting how this story played out! Wow! This was really good! I can't get enough! I love how Lin Qingyu and Lu Wancheng are so in tune with one another!
Lin Qingyu is so cunning, smart, and has an evil inner self that Lu Wancheng can see, and I love it! They both made me laugh! They are amazing characters who love to do bad things together, if you know, you know. The flirting between these two! In my opinion, from day one they're in love, even though they're "obviously" straight! Love this cunning and scheming couple!
"Of course. I love the way you look when you use poison."
Did I decide to continue on with this novel? Yes, yes I did! Will I still be buying all the volumes the moment they come out? Hell yes I am!
Happy Reading!
❤️🩹Spoiler Warning❤️🩹
Lin Qingyu was arranged to marry Lu Wancheng to extend Lu Wancheng's life. Lu Wancheng is chronically ill and doesn't have more than six months to live. Lin Qingyu hated the idea of being a male wife so much that he planned to poison Lu Wancheng.
The conniving these two do! Dear lord, I loved it so much. If anyone insults Lu Wancheng in any way, Lin Qingyu will find a way to plot their death! Of course, it's vice versa, but Lu Wancheng, with his weak body, needs help from Lin Qingyu.
The way Lu Wancheng would say certain phrases made me know immediately that he was transmigrated! And he was transmigrated from saving someone's life, only to die in this new life! Sob, sob, sob! I cried so hard reading the ending of this volume! I knew that Lu Wancheng was going to die, and I wasn't ready for it!
November 14, 2025
This is one of my all-time favorite books and the official English translation was my most anticipated read of the year. What I really love about this story is how earnest the MCs are towards each other, they prove their sincerity through their actions as they wholeheartedly devote themselves to supporting each others’ ambitions and wellbeing. I mean, they also spend a lot of time scheming to destroy anyone who has ever wronged them in any way (no matter how slight) but morally grey characters deserve happy endings too. Lu Wancheng is a lazy salted fish and Lin Qingyu can be cruel and petty but they match each others’ freak in a way that makes me so happy. That said, the scene depicted on the cover is the most emotionally painful scene that I can recall reading in a book and with my emotions so raw from my dog’s recent passing it had me straight up sobbing.
November 23, 2025
“And Lin Qingyu was wearing his wedding robes and a huadian, just like he had on the day he and Lu Wancheng first met.”
I will never recover from this. What an absolutely stellar arc of a story. The last 5 pages are stained with my tears. 100/10.
I will never recover from this. What an absolutely stellar arc of a story. The last 5 pages are stained with my tears. 100/10.
November 27, 2025
"Although the reason you and I met was unfortunate, we've come all this way together, and I've come to see you as a close friend. A thousand taels of gold are easy to find, compared to the difficulty of meeting a kindred spirit. I...will always remember Lu Wancheng."
I went into this volume wondering why so many readers were hooked. The first half just didn’t catch my interest, and I kept trying to figure out what everyone else was seeing. I stayed with it, though, and I’m glad I did. Once the story settles into its real momentum, the tension sharpens, the emotion deepens, and the mix of wit, medical detail, clever banter, and political maneuvering starts to hit with precision. The world feels rooted in ritual and tradition, shaped by etiquette, belief, and a social order that pushes every choice.
The heart of the book sits with Lin Qingyu and Lu Wancheng. Their dynamic works because each stands strong in a different way: Qingyu with his cool intelligence and guarded warmth, Wancheng with humor, fragility, and a bold charm that cuts through the gloom. They spark whenever they share a scene. Their friction fuels the narrative, and the slow shift from arrangement to something more honest lands with quiet force. Readers who appreciate smart characters, sharp dialogue, and bonds built through steady growth will likely connect with them. Those sensitive to forced marriage dynamics, illness, or heavy household scheming may find the tone intense, but the emotional payoff runs deep.
By the time I reached the final chapters, the story had me fully hooked. The twists tighten, the complications build, and the emotional pull hits with real impact. The mystery around Wancheng adds a thread that keeps the momentum clean and focused. And while the first half didn’t draw me in, the second half hit so hard that I closed the book in tears and immediately went looking for an FTL version to keep going. For readers who want layered character work, rising tension, and a blend of sharp humor with real feeling, this volume is well worth the time.
Date Read: 2025.11.27
I went into this volume wondering why so many readers were hooked. The first half just didn’t catch my interest, and I kept trying to figure out what everyone else was seeing. I stayed with it, though, and I’m glad I did. Once the story settles into its real momentum, the tension sharpens, the emotion deepens, and the mix of wit, medical detail, clever banter, and political maneuvering starts to hit with precision. The world feels rooted in ritual and tradition, shaped by etiquette, belief, and a social order that pushes every choice.
The heart of the book sits with Lin Qingyu and Lu Wancheng. Their dynamic works because each stands strong in a different way: Qingyu with his cool intelligence and guarded warmth, Wancheng with humor, fragility, and a bold charm that cuts through the gloom. They spark whenever they share a scene. Their friction fuels the narrative, and the slow shift from arrangement to something more honest lands with quiet force. Readers who appreciate smart characters, sharp dialogue, and bonds built through steady growth will likely connect with them. Those sensitive to forced marriage dynamics, illness, or heavy household scheming may find the tone intense, but the emotional payoff runs deep.
By the time I reached the final chapters, the story had me fully hooked. The twists tighten, the complications build, and the emotional pull hits with real impact. The mystery around Wancheng adds a thread that keeps the momentum clean and focused. And while the first half didn’t draw me in, the second half hit so hard that I closed the book in tears and immediately went looking for an FTL version to keep going. For readers who want layered character work, rising tension, and a blend of sharp humor with real feeling, this volume is well worth the time.
Date Read: 2025.11.27
November 20, 2025
I’m so obsessed with this novel. I can’t believe it’s so underrated compared to some other danmei.
The end broke me so bad 😭 like i know he was going to die but holy fuck. It made me so much sadder than i thought.
The end broke me so bad 😭 like i know he was going to die but holy fuck. It made me so much sadder than i thought.
danmei-tbr
October 26, 202412/26/24
MTSF nation we won!!!
MTSF nation we won!!!
November 29, 2025
so cute !!! but damn i knew what was gonna happen and still teared up at the end
"perhaps they were what the scholars called soulmates"
their dynamic was so fun to read, especially qingyu's responses to wancheng's teasing
exhibit A: "every other beauty insults their husband by calling them a bastard. then physician lin comes along and calls me a swine right off the bat. as i'd expect of my wife"
"fuck off"
"i can't" he whined shamelessly
and we love wancheng being qingyu's #1 enabler and defender when it comes to his secret poisonings and gremlin tendencies 🫶🏼
the cover is so evil... excited to continue and see how the rest of the transmigration plays out!
"perhaps they were what the scholars called soulmates"
their dynamic was so fun to read, especially qingyu's responses to wancheng's teasing
exhibit A: "every other beauty insults their husband by calling them a bastard. then physician lin comes along and calls me a swine right off the bat. as i'd expect of my wife"
"fuck off"
"i can't" he whined shamelessly
and we love wancheng being qingyu's #1 enabler and defender when it comes to his secret poisonings and gremlin tendencies 🫶🏼
the cover is so evil... excited to continue and see how the rest of the transmigration plays out!
November 18, 2025
i never expected to cry so much reading a novel titled MARRIED THRICE TO SALTED FISH but BOY was i wrong because i was sobbing even though i knew it was going to happen!!!
December 17, 2024
[5/5] ✦
November 27, 2025
Well, I can't believe I ever worried I might not enjoy this book just because I usually don't buy books without knowing them or the author beforehand.
But oh my god, this book was so good I can't straighten out my thoughts. I sobbed so hard at the ending, and the three month wait until volume 2 will be painful although worth it.
I definitely recommend this novel, but especially if you've never read a danmei! It's really beginner friendly, and I'm kind of wishing it was my first one, although I love tgcf with all my heart XD
My friend asked while I was reading this if I think she'd enjoy it. My answer is 100% a yes. The characters are so special, the story is easy to follow, the dialogue is well written, and the plot is easy to predict but not in a bad way? It's more so like you're less likely to get confused while reading. The only thing I noticed were some typos, such as there being two of the same words right next to each other. (example: there there )
But oh my god, this book was so good I can't straighten out my thoughts. I sobbed so hard at the ending, and the three month wait until volume 2 will be painful although worth it.
I definitely recommend this novel, but especially if you've never read a danmei! It's really beginner friendly, and I'm kind of wishing it was my first one, although I love tgcf with all my heart XD
My friend asked while I was reading this if I think she'd enjoy it. My answer is 100% a yes. The characters are so special, the story is easy to follow, the dialogue is well written, and the plot is easy to predict but not in a bad way? It's more so like you're less likely to get confused while reading. The only thing I noticed were some typos, such as there being two of the same words right next to each other. (example: there there )
December 5, 2025
I can't even say which of these two cuties I love more 😔 my sweet little schemers :(( 💗
December 21, 2025
so what do i do now? kill myself??????
December 11, 2025
4.75 stars?? OMFG!! That was sooooo much more painful than I even expected!!😭 .
Genuinely had me bent over & FULL ON GASPING OUT HEAVING SOBS!!😭😭 & went through 4 tissues!! More painful than even Yuwu 🫠. I wish this entire series was out.🫠
My Favorite Quotes/Paragraphs: (✨fav is last✨)
⚠️Spoilers below⚠️
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇"Qingyu, this is the first Mid-Autumn Festival we`re spending together and it's also our last." Lu Wancheng looked at the bright moon in the sky and smiled lightly, "At next year's Mid-Autumn Festival, will you...will you still remember me?"
Lin Qingyu raised his head and looked at the same bright moon Lu Wancheng was looking at. He said, "Although you and I started off in an ill-fated relationship, as we've kept each other company, I have grown to regard you as a confidant and a close friend. Money is easy to obtain, but friends are hard to find. I-... will always remember Lu Wancheng." 🥺
Always remember... Lu Wancheng?
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇Lu Wancheng looked at him for a while, and said, "Qingyu, do I have to sleep in the guest room tonight?"
Lin Qingyu's heart moved and he asked, "You didn't sleep well in the guest room?"
Lu Wancheng said slowly, "No, it's not that." He was about to say something more when he heard Huan Tong rep outside, "Young Master, Imperial Physician Hu is here."
(...)"Proper business was important but Lin Qingyu didn't forget it was about the time for Lu Wancheng to drink his medicine, "Huan Tong, take Young Master Hou back to his room to drink his medicine."
Lu Wancheng looked at Lin Qingyu's rapidly receding back, a complicated expression on his face. Huan Tong walked up to him and said, "Young Master Hou, let me push you back to your room."
Lu Wancheng was silent for a long time. Suddenly, he smiled and whispered, "Huan Tong, what should I do if I'm a little depressed."
Huan Tong said, puzzled: "Why is Young Master Hou depressed?"
Lu Wancheng thought about it for a while and said, not quite sure, "It seems because... I'm the only one who isn't used to it." 😔
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇Lu Wancheng looked back. "Wish?"
"Yes. As long as the Buddha hears it, he will definitely help us achieve our wish."
Lu Wancheng, sitting in his wheelchair, looked at the golden Buddha statue above the hall. A solemn treasure, looking down at all beings.
Lu Wancheng thought about it for a while, and said with a low smile, "Then... I hope he will always be happy." 😫
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇The cold air invaded his body and Lu Wancheng was overcome with a heart-rending coughing fit. As if he could no longer keep standing, he slowly slipped against the wall. Lin Qingyu quickly walked out of the study and shielded him from the wind and rain with his body. "Stop talking and get in the room first."
(...)Lin Qingyu grew silent. He had never seen such a Lu Wancheng before: it was as though he were tied down by shackles he couldn't break free of. He was completely different from the young man who was leisurely whistling on the porch that day.
He had always disdained Lu Wancheng for being too lazy, too big-hearted to care about anything. But now, instead, he hoped that Lu Wancheng could spend what little time he had left as simple and unthinking as before. 🥺😫
After an unknown length of time, Lu Wancheng's grip suddenly tightened, breaking the silence, "Qingyu."
Lin Qingyu said. "I'm here."
"I think," a darkness flashed Lu Wancheng's eyes, sharp and deep, but in the end, he was ill after all and his face remained pale, his mouth reeked of blood and his lips were as red as blood, "... I want Xiao Cheng's life."
Lin Qingyu's chest grew slightly hot. He turned his hand over and held Lu Wancheng's trembling wrist. He said warmly. "En, you need help?"
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇"By the way, is Doctor Lin preparing for my funeral?" Lu Wancheng said with a smile, "The other details don't matter but can I choose the coffin myself?"
"...Why?"
Lu Wancheng joked, "I want to pick one that's comfortable to sleep in." 🫠
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇Okay, alright. Just a friend and confidant.
But the passing of a close friend would still hurt and make one sad.
"I don't want to be even be a close friend anymore." Lu Wancheng was a little anxious, "Just treat me as... a tool."
A tool... a tool to be thrown away after use? A tool without any emotional involvement?
Lu Wancheng wanted him to do this?
Lin Qingyu sneered. "Lu Wancheng, who do you take me for?"
Lu Wancheng was stunned: "...Qingyu?"
"Do you think that after you die, I will be like other widowers, washing my face with tears all day, seeking death, tiring of living?" Lin Qingyu's voice was cold, like a snowy winter day, "You think I will abandon myself to despair, remain at a standstill, live my life missing you? You are wrong. Lu Wancheng. If I was so vulnerable and indecisive, when I married you, I would have smashed my head to my death on our bridal bed." Lin Qingyu looked at Lu Wancheng. his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. He said calmly. "Don't worry. I will watch you go, and then...I will live well." 💔🥺
Lu Wancheng stared at him for a long time, his eyes seemed filled with limpid autumn waters. He said, almost like a sigh. "What should I do, Qingyu? You have really... completely grown on my sexuality." 😆
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇Anyway... Lin Qingyu will never ever know what he wanted to express.
Lu Wancheng shook his head. "Not 'gege'. Call me 'Lao Gong'." (Husband)
Lin Qingyu was stunned and asked helplessly, "Do you know what the word "Lao Gong' means in Dayu?"
"I know, it means "eunuch'. right?" Lu Wancheng wanted to talk to Lin Qingyu in his usual teasing tone, but he was in so much pain that he was barely able to show a broken smile. "But the truth is, my lifelong dream has been to go to the palace and be a eunuch."
Lin Qingyu: "..." Lu Wancheng must have already lost all rationality from the pain and so he's able to spout such nonsense.
Lu Wancheng said with difficulty, "Can you let me take this advantage?"
How could he not?
Lin Qingyu gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with the hem of his sleeve and whispered, "Lao Gong."
Lu Wancheng smiled weakly, suppressing the groan that almost overflowed from his mouth because of the pain. He smiled. curving. "That sounds so nice. Thank you, Lao Po." (Wife) 😭😭
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇Lin Qingyu had a complete picture of the situation in the Eastern Palace, but when he talked to Lu Wancheng, he only told him the first half: Xiao Cheng had a headache, the imperial doctors were helpless. If this dragged on, medicines and treatments would be ineffective, even Hua Tuo would find him difficult to treat.
Hearing this, Lu Wancheng said. "Then does that mean I don't need to drink the medicine anymore? The poison is really painful." 💔😭
Lin Qingyu's chest clenched and he said, "If you don't want to drink, don't drink it."
Lu Wancheng looked at him for a while, then laughed, "This maneuver was truly well done. It is worthy of appreciation - (…)”
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇✨"I'm sorry, Qingyu. I don't think I can hold on anymore. But I've worked really hard. Don't be angry."
"I'm not." Lin Qingyu knelt in the snow, holding an umbrella in one hand and holding Lu Wancheng's cheek in the other. His voice was soft as water, "I'm not angry."
"Then, I'm going to sleep for a while. Remember to wake me up."
Lin Qingyu promised him, "Okay."✨ 😭💔😭💔😭
Genuinely had me bent over & FULL ON GASPING OUT HEAVING SOBS!!😭😭 & went through 4 tissues!! More painful than even Yuwu 🫠. I wish this entire series was out.🫠
My Favorite Quotes/Paragraphs: (✨fav is last✨)
⚠️Spoilers below⚠️
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇"Qingyu, this is the first Mid-Autumn Festival we`re spending together and it's also our last." Lu Wancheng looked at the bright moon in the sky and smiled lightly, "At next year's Mid-Autumn Festival, will you...will you still remember me?"
Lin Qingyu raised his head and looked at the same bright moon Lu Wancheng was looking at. He said, "Although you and I started off in an ill-fated relationship, as we've kept each other company, I have grown to regard you as a confidant and a close friend. Money is easy to obtain, but friends are hard to find. I-... will always remember Lu Wancheng." 🥺
Always remember... Lu Wancheng?
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇Lu Wancheng looked at him for a while, and said, "Qingyu, do I have to sleep in the guest room tonight?"
Lin Qingyu's heart moved and he asked, "You didn't sleep well in the guest room?"
Lu Wancheng said slowly, "No, it's not that." He was about to say something more when he heard Huan Tong rep outside, "Young Master, Imperial Physician Hu is here."
(...)"Proper business was important but Lin Qingyu didn't forget it was about the time for Lu Wancheng to drink his medicine, "Huan Tong, take Young Master Hou back to his room to drink his medicine."
Lu Wancheng looked at Lin Qingyu's rapidly receding back, a complicated expression on his face. Huan Tong walked up to him and said, "Young Master Hou, let me push you back to your room."
Lu Wancheng was silent for a long time. Suddenly, he smiled and whispered, "Huan Tong, what should I do if I'm a little depressed."
Huan Tong said, puzzled: "Why is Young Master Hou depressed?"
Lu Wancheng thought about it for a while and said, not quite sure, "It seems because... I'm the only one who isn't used to it." 😔
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇Lu Wancheng looked back. "Wish?"
"Yes. As long as the Buddha hears it, he will definitely help us achieve our wish."
Lu Wancheng, sitting in his wheelchair, looked at the golden Buddha statue above the hall. A solemn treasure, looking down at all beings.
Lu Wancheng thought about it for a while, and said with a low smile, "Then... I hope he will always be happy." 😫
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇The cold air invaded his body and Lu Wancheng was overcome with a heart-rending coughing fit. As if he could no longer keep standing, he slowly slipped against the wall. Lin Qingyu quickly walked out of the study and shielded him from the wind and rain with his body. "Stop talking and get in the room first."
(...)Lin Qingyu grew silent. He had never seen such a Lu Wancheng before: it was as though he were tied down by shackles he couldn't break free of. He was completely different from the young man who was leisurely whistling on the porch that day.
He had always disdained Lu Wancheng for being too lazy, too big-hearted to care about anything. But now, instead, he hoped that Lu Wancheng could spend what little time he had left as simple and unthinking as before. 🥺😫
After an unknown length of time, Lu Wancheng's grip suddenly tightened, breaking the silence, "Qingyu."
Lin Qingyu said. "I'm here."
"I think," a darkness flashed Lu Wancheng's eyes, sharp and deep, but in the end, he was ill after all and his face remained pale, his mouth reeked of blood and his lips were as red as blood, "... I want Xiao Cheng's life."
Lin Qingyu's chest grew slightly hot. He turned his hand over and held Lu Wancheng's trembling wrist. He said warmly. "En, you need help?"
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇"By the way, is Doctor Lin preparing for my funeral?" Lu Wancheng said with a smile, "The other details don't matter but can I choose the coffin myself?"
"...Why?"
Lu Wancheng joked, "I want to pick one that's comfortable to sleep in." 🫠
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇Okay, alright. Just a friend and confidant.
But the passing of a close friend would still hurt and make one sad.
"I don't want to be even be a close friend anymore." Lu Wancheng was a little anxious, "Just treat me as... a tool."
A tool... a tool to be thrown away after use? A tool without any emotional involvement?
Lu Wancheng wanted him to do this?
Lin Qingyu sneered. "Lu Wancheng, who do you take me for?"
Lu Wancheng was stunned: "...Qingyu?"
"Do you think that after you die, I will be like other widowers, washing my face with tears all day, seeking death, tiring of living?" Lin Qingyu's voice was cold, like a snowy winter day, "You think I will abandon myself to despair, remain at a standstill, live my life missing you? You are wrong. Lu Wancheng. If I was so vulnerable and indecisive, when I married you, I would have smashed my head to my death on our bridal bed." Lin Qingyu looked at Lu Wancheng. his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. He said calmly. "Don't worry. I will watch you go, and then...I will live well." 💔🥺
Lu Wancheng stared at him for a long time, his eyes seemed filled with limpid autumn waters. He said, almost like a sigh. "What should I do, Qingyu? You have really... completely grown on my sexuality." 😆
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇Anyway... Lin Qingyu will never ever know what he wanted to express.
Lu Wancheng shook his head. "Not 'gege'. Call me 'Lao Gong'." (Husband)
Lin Qingyu was stunned and asked helplessly, "Do you know what the word "Lao Gong' means in Dayu?"
"I know, it means "eunuch'. right?" Lu Wancheng wanted to talk to Lin Qingyu in his usual teasing tone, but he was in so much pain that he was barely able to show a broken smile. "But the truth is, my lifelong dream has been to go to the palace and be a eunuch."
Lin Qingyu: "..." Lu Wancheng must have already lost all rationality from the pain and so he's able to spout such nonsense.
Lu Wancheng said with difficulty, "Can you let me take this advantage?"
How could he not?
Lin Qingyu gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with the hem of his sleeve and whispered, "Lao Gong."
Lu Wancheng smiled weakly, suppressing the groan that almost overflowed from his mouth because of the pain. He smiled. curving. "That sounds so nice. Thank you, Lao Po." (Wife) 😭😭
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇Lin Qingyu had a complete picture of the situation in the Eastern Palace, but when he talked to Lu Wancheng, he only told him the first half: Xiao Cheng had a headache, the imperial doctors were helpless. If this dragged on, medicines and treatments would be ineffective, even Hua Tuo would find him difficult to treat.
Hearing this, Lu Wancheng said. "Then does that mean I don't need to drink the medicine anymore? The poison is really painful." 💔😭
Lin Qingyu's chest clenched and he said, "If you don't want to drink, don't drink it."
Lu Wancheng looked at him for a while, then laughed, "This maneuver was truly well done. It is worthy of appreciation - (…)”
❤️❤️❤️❤️
◇✨"I'm sorry, Qingyu. I don't think I can hold on anymore. But I've worked really hard. Don't be angry."
"I'm not." Lin Qingyu knelt in the snow, holding an umbrella in one hand and holding Lu Wancheng's cheek in the other. His voice was soft as water, "I'm not angry."
"Then, I'm going to sleep for a while. Remember to wake me up."
Lin Qingyu promised him, "Okay."✨ 😭💔😭💔😭
November 19, 2025
I'm bawling my eyes out. Why would you end the book in this chapter. Holy hell...
November 23, 2025
Oh now I understand why people called the cover of this book cruel. Now that I have read the last chapter of this book, as I wipe my tears.
December 6, 2025
This was a really unusual danmei, in that it read so smoothly that I could almost forget that it was translated. But it also does the typical danmei thing of being multiple volumes long and finishing one book out of three leaves you more or less in the middle of nowhere.
The plot of this novel is pretty glacial; by the end of the book it's hard to say if much of anything has happened beyond a bit of household politicking and internal family drama, and a bit of a hook that there's probably going to be external drama occurring in the future since the Crown Prince has shown up to be a villain. The slow-moving first half of the book is really my only complaint with it.
The two main characters are interesting and have a very fun, dynamic- the chemistry leaps off the page because of their personalities and the fact that the story gives them room to get to know one another and become friends. Lin Qingyu is great; I love how treacherous and petty he is, whilst also being intelligent and cunning. Similarly, Lu Wancheng as an indolent layabout who is nevertheless omniscient and secretly very intelligent as well is a very fun character. It comes out pretty early that he's a transmigrator of some kind, but you don't really get many details about that in the book. It's just a fun nod to the audience since we understand, but Lin Qingyu doesn't; at least, not at first. The idea that these two have recognised each other as kindred spirits and soulmates despite all odds and the insane circumstances of their meeting is really sweet. Lin Qingyu has every reason to despise Lu Wancheng, and yet he can't bring himself to, and instead can't help actually liking him with all his irresponsible charm.
The setting is consistent and drawn loosely so you can envision it without being beaten over the head with details, and the side characters are sufficient without being overwhelming. Maybe because Lu Wancheng is so sick, they don't really interact much with the wider political sphere, so the world can afford to be a little intimate.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. The pace was slow, but the story unfolded very naturally and read easily. I'm genuinely invested in the plot and the romance. The final scene of the book was heart-wrenching, and so well done. I'm really annoyed that I have to wait months before the next volume is out, and then I'll have to wait months again for the 3rd. If they were already released, I would have started the second one immediately and not stopped until I finished the series.
The plot of this novel is pretty glacial; by the end of the book it's hard to say if much of anything has happened beyond a bit of household politicking and internal family drama, and a bit of a hook that there's probably going to be external drama occurring in the future since the Crown Prince has shown up to be a villain. The slow-moving first half of the book is really my only complaint with it.
The two main characters are interesting and have a very fun, dynamic- the chemistry leaps off the page because of their personalities and the fact that the story gives them room to get to know one another and become friends. Lin Qingyu is great; I love how treacherous and petty he is, whilst also being intelligent and cunning. Similarly, Lu Wancheng as an indolent layabout who is nevertheless omniscient and secretly very intelligent as well is a very fun character. It comes out pretty early that he's a transmigrator of some kind, but you don't really get many details about that in the book. It's just a fun nod to the audience since we understand, but Lin Qingyu doesn't; at least, not at first. The idea that these two have recognised each other as kindred spirits and soulmates despite all odds and the insane circumstances of their meeting is really sweet. Lin Qingyu has every reason to despise Lu Wancheng, and yet he can't bring himself to, and instead can't help actually liking him with all his irresponsible charm.
The setting is consistent and drawn loosely so you can envision it without being beaten over the head with details, and the side characters are sufficient without being overwhelming. Maybe because Lu Wancheng is so sick, they don't really interact much with the wider political sphere, so the world can afford to be a little intimate.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. The pace was slow, but the story unfolded very naturally and read easily. I'm genuinely invested in the plot and the romance. The final scene of the book was heart-wrenching, and so well done. I'm really annoyed that I have to wait months before the next volume is out, and then I'll have to wait months again for the 3rd. If they were already released, I would have started the second one immediately and not stopped until I finished the series.
November 23, 2025
Lin Qingyu is a beautiful and ambitious 18-year-old who aspires to take the medical exam and make a name for himself as an imperial doctor, like his father. Fate, however, has other plans, and thanks to a decree from the empress, he becomes the first lawful male wife to the eldest son of a marquess, Lu Wancheng. The marriage is a desperate bid to cure the heir's terminal illness, based on the Imperial Preceptor's divination, so Lin Qingyu cannot refuse -- and thus his dreams of becoming a doctor go up in smoke. At first, he looks forward to Lu Wancheng's demise so he might still have a chance at taking the medical exam, even considering poisoning the young man. However, behind all the coughing and weakness, his husband is an intriguing character: He's lazy, has an upbeat and carefree attitude...and knows much more than he lets on.
Although he recognizes his impending death, Lu Wancheng still has some schemes he wants to carry out before he passes, and as the two grow closer, Lin Qingyu is happy to comply, even if it means going up against some highly powerful people. That kind of fight doesn't scare Lin Qingyu, but increasingly, Lu Wancheng's encroaching death does...
Right off the bat, it becomes apparent that Lu Wancheng has been isekaied into Lin Qingyu's world, which seems to be a novel in Lu Wancheng's. I've never read a novel where the POV is reversed like this, and at first I was afraid I wouldn't like it, but those fears were quickly quashed by Lin Qingyu's smarts and machinations. Although raised with love and pursuing a noble profession, the would-be doctor is actually ruthless and allows his somewhat evil nature to run wild in the marquess's household as he contends with his scheming in-laws. His cold and aloof nature makes Lu Wancheng's carefree attitude the perfect foil, and while Qingyu isn't very expressive, small gestures belie the big emotions he feels, especially as his husband wastes away.
This first volume sets the stage for larger obstacles in future books, and while it's made clear that the pair will part and then meet again, I nevertheless found my eyes reddening and had to fight off tears for the last 50 or so pages as Lu Wancheng's illness progressed. I hated it, which means the author did it right...but it was just too sad for me, and apparently there's more waiting in the rest of the series, so I must put a stop here and say that, despite really enjoying this book, I will not read future volumes for the sake of my heart.
Although he recognizes his impending death, Lu Wancheng still has some schemes he wants to carry out before he passes, and as the two grow closer, Lin Qingyu is happy to comply, even if it means going up against some highly powerful people. That kind of fight doesn't scare Lin Qingyu, but increasingly, Lu Wancheng's encroaching death does...
Right off the bat, it becomes apparent that Lu Wancheng has been isekaied into Lin Qingyu's world, which seems to be a novel in Lu Wancheng's. I've never read a novel where the POV is reversed like this, and at first I was afraid I wouldn't like it, but those fears were quickly quashed by Lin Qingyu's smarts and machinations. Although raised with love and pursuing a noble profession, the would-be doctor is actually ruthless and allows his somewhat evil nature to run wild in the marquess's household as he contends with his scheming in-laws. His cold and aloof nature makes Lu Wancheng's carefree attitude the perfect foil, and while Qingyu isn't very expressive, small gestures belie the big emotions he feels, especially as his husband wastes away.
This first volume sets the stage for larger obstacles in future books, and while it's made clear that the pair will part and then meet again, I nevertheless found my eyes reddening and had to fight off tears for the last 50 or so pages as Lu Wancheng's illness progressed. I hated it, which means the author did it right...but it was just too sad for me, and apparently there's more waiting in the rest of the series, so I must put a stop here and say that, despite really enjoying this book, I will not read future volumes for the sake of my heart.
November 18, 2025
I think I've found a potential new favorite series. This first volume was perfect. It was funny, the plot was plotting, and the characters were so interesting and multidimensional. I adore Qingyu with his intellect and conniving tendencies. 🤣 and sweet Wancheng with his big heart and silliness.
but that ending cuts off in the worst place possible and my therapist will be hearing about this. HOW DARE YOU. I was sobbing. 10/10 would recommend.
Synopsis:
Lin Qingyu is forced to marry the sickly young Marquess, Lu Wancheng, bringing his dreams of becoming a physician to a screeching halt. However, the young lord is nothing like he expected, and the two soon find themselves entangled in all kinds of wicked schemes.
but that ending cuts off in the worst place possible and my therapist will be hearing about this. HOW DARE YOU. I was sobbing. 10/10 would recommend.
Synopsis:
Lin Qingyu is forced to marry the sickly young Marquess, Lu Wancheng, bringing his dreams of becoming a physician to a screeching halt. However, the young lord is nothing like he expected, and the two soon find themselves entangled in all kinds of wicked schemes.
November 30, 2025
it’s cozy, sad, and surprisingly very addictive. You want to read more and more. I opened it to “just check it out” and ended up reading the whole volume while forgetting about the book I was reading at the same time( I still didn't finish it).
loved our main couple but the end destroyed me
loved our main couple but the end destroyed me
December 15, 2025
This book made me smile and laugh until it made me cry harder than any book had managed to in years.
December 23, 2025
A couple that schemes together, stays together
November 23, 2025
5⭐️ Me encantó demasiado, lloré como loca cuando terminó el primer tomo 🥹
November 13, 2025
I love them.
July 31, 2025
Went in knowing that there would be deaths.
Cried two times, nonetheless.
It was a good read.
4 stars.
Cried two times, nonetheless.
It was a good read.
4 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ nothing like a danmei to get you out of your reading slump. there were things i LOVED abt this novel but the underlying misogyny in this bothers the hell out of me. plot aside i LOVEEEEEE their relationship, couples who scheme together truly do stay together
“'You seem to have grown even prettier, Qingyu.' Lin Qingyu lowered his head to look at his pristine, flawless hands. When he spoke, his voice seemed a bit accusatory. 'You were the one who turned me into this.' Lu Wancheng laughed softly. 'It was my honor.'”
“What do I do, Qingyu? You really…suit all my kinks perfectly.”
“Perhaps they were what the scholars called 'soulmates.'”
“'In front of you, I wanted to be cool.' After spending so much time with Lu Wancheng, Lin Qingyu had slowly adapted to the other man’s sudden, strange turns of phrase, and he could deduce their meanings from context. 'Cool' probably meant something akin to 'handsome and graceful.' So he said, 'I think you were quite cool back there.' Taken aback, Lu Wancheng slid slowly into bed, pulling up the blankets to hide his face.
“When Lin Qingyu raised an eyebrow, Lady Pan found his demeanor similar to the young marquess’s. She couldn’t help thinking that it was natural for a husband and wife to resemble each other more by the day if they were always together.”
“Next time you’re doing bad things, let me join in, all right?” Lu Wancheng requested with a smile. (...) “All right, Qingyu?” Lin Qingyu raised his head slowly, fixing his gaze on Lu Wancheng as he whispered, “All right.”
“'If the ‘bad’ thing I did was to poison someone, or even…take someone’s life, would you still think I was beautiful?' he asked quietly. Lu Wancheng flinched slightly, his breath concealing a hint of excitement and anticipation. He slowly smiled. 'Of course. I love the way you look when you use poison.'”
all genuinely changed lives
“'You seem to have grown even prettier, Qingyu.' Lin Qingyu lowered his head to look at his pristine, flawless hands. When he spoke, his voice seemed a bit accusatory. 'You were the one who turned me into this.' Lu Wancheng laughed softly. 'It was my honor.'”
“What do I do, Qingyu? You really…suit all my kinks perfectly.”
“Perhaps they were what the scholars called 'soulmates.'”
“'In front of you, I wanted to be cool.' After spending so much time with Lu Wancheng, Lin Qingyu had slowly adapted to the other man’s sudden, strange turns of phrase, and he could deduce their meanings from context. 'Cool' probably meant something akin to 'handsome and graceful.' So he said, 'I think you were quite cool back there.' Taken aback, Lu Wancheng slid slowly into bed, pulling up the blankets to hide his face.
“When Lin Qingyu raised an eyebrow, Lady Pan found his demeanor similar to the young marquess’s. She couldn’t help thinking that it was natural for a husband and wife to resemble each other more by the day if they were always together.”
“Next time you’re doing bad things, let me join in, all right?” Lu Wancheng requested with a smile. (...) “All right, Qingyu?” Lin Qingyu raised his head slowly, fixing his gaze on Lu Wancheng as he whispered, “All right.”
“'If the ‘bad’ thing I did was to poison someone, or even…take someone’s life, would you still think I was beautiful?' he asked quietly. Lu Wancheng flinched slightly, his breath concealing a hint of excitement and anticipation. He slowly smiled. 'Of course. I love the way you look when you use poison.'”
all genuinely changed lives
December 6, 2025
I am so mad I didn't pick up the second one when I bought the first.
This books was fantastic. I loved the two main characters and the ways they played off of each other. I love the morally gray (and just straight up villainous) leads. Who knew you could bond so well over a few "let's plan a murder" meetings? (RIP that poor rooster, though. Buddy never stood a chance.)
The characters were wonderfully written, each one feeling like they had their own personality and story to tell. Even the side characters that we only got glimpses of felt like they could potentially be followed around and have a fully fleshed-out day if the story went just a little differently. I do wish the world around the leads was expanded on a little more, but this is only the first book. I have high hopes that there is more to learn about some little plot teasers dropped here in the first book.
If I had one complaint about the book it is that I wish the antagonists were smarter. Don't get me wrong, I love watching the protagonists flex their wit and cunning. I would like to see the antagonists give them a run for their money, though.
This books was fantastic. I loved the two main characters and the ways they played off of each other. I love the morally gray (and just straight up villainous) leads. Who knew you could bond so well over a few "let's plan a murder" meetings? (RIP that poor rooster, though. Buddy never stood a chance.)
The characters were wonderfully written, each one feeling like they had their own personality and story to tell. Even the side characters that we only got glimpses of felt like they could potentially be followed around and have a fully fleshed-out day if the story went just a little differently. I do wish the world around the leads was expanded on a little more, but this is only the first book. I have high hopes that there is more to learn about some little plot teasers dropped here in the first book.
If I had one complaint about the book it is that I wish the antagonists were smarter. Don't get me wrong, I love watching the protagonists flex their wit and cunning. I would like to see the antagonists give them a run for their money, though.
December 14, 2025
definitely not a book for me, but i kind of guessed that when starting it. i know this book is set very far in the past, but it still hurts to see the incredibly outdated and quite frankly offensive terms used for disabled and queer people, which was very much not a good start to the book.
i found the premise idea of getting a transmigration plot but with the twist of it being explained throught the perspective of the love interest from the original media than the actual transmigressor to be interesting, and a fun spin on the usually not very original plot. But other than that, i didn't find much else to compliment.
i felt that some things didn't hit as hard because of the translation itself, where i felt they were saying things that weren't perfectly translated through languages. Though it wasn't too bad.
but uh yeah not really for me :) but still cried at the ending cuz that was SAD
i found the premise idea of getting a transmigration plot but with the twist of it being explained throught the perspective of the love interest from the original media than the actual transmigressor to be interesting, and a fun spin on the usually not very original plot. But other than that, i didn't find much else to compliment.
i felt that some things didn't hit as hard because of the translation itself, where i felt they were saying things that weren't perfectly translated through languages. Though it wasn't too bad.
but uh yeah not really for me :) but still cried at the ending cuz that was SAD
November 24, 2025
Hmm I have conflicted feelings about this one!
It is a bit of a slower start and things begin to unravel quite literally in the last two chapters of this volume. There's a lot of family drama and seemingly spontaneous .
I think the premise is unique and if you can manage to stay away from spoilers (which I have not been so fortunate to be a able to do) then I think it will be quite the nice reveal in the next volume.
I just hit the mid-way point and found myself skimming bits here and there. If I hadn't lost some interest, I would have rated this higher.
With so many new danmei coming out, it's getting harder to choose what to read!
It is a bit of a slower start and things begin to unravel quite literally in the last two chapters of this volume. There's a lot of family drama and seemingly spontaneous .
I think the premise is unique and if you can manage to stay away from spoilers (which I have not been so fortunate to be a able to do) then I think it will be quite the nice reveal in the next volume.
I just hit the mid-way point and found myself skimming bits here and there. If I hadn't lost some interest, I would have rated this higher.
With so many new danmei coming out, it's getting harder to choose what to read!
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