Thousand Autumns. Buch 5: Jedes Herz liebt anders | Die chinesische Boys Love endlich auf Deutsch! (Qian Qiu)

Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu (Novel) #5

by Meng Xi Shi, Babsi Schwarz (Translator)

Band 5 des chinesischen Light Novel-Bestseller und TikTok-Erfolg Thousand Autumns von Meng Xi Erstmals auf Deutsch in einer hochwertigen Ausstattung mit beigelegter Charakterkarte und wunderschönen Innenillustrationen!

In turbulenten Zeiten sind Macht und Ansehen ein flüchtiges Gut, der Freund von heute ist der Feind von morgen – und Shen Qiao befindet sich im Auge des Sturms. 
Nach einer waghalsigen Rettungsaktion inmitten eines Staatsstreichs bleibt dem sanftmütigen Daoisten keine Zeit zum Ausruhen, denn Gerüchte über einen Machtkampf rufen ihn nach Hause auf den Berg Xuandu. Doch noch bevor er sein Ziel erreicht, erreicht ihn eine erschütternde Yan Wushi, der sich noch nicht vollständig von seinem beschädigten dämonischen Kern erholt hat, hat einen gefährlichen Widersacher zu einem Kampf auf Leben und Tod herausgefordert. Mit nichts als seiner außergewöhnlichen Kampfkunst und seinem scharfen Verstand bewaffnet, muss Shen Qiao gegen das drohende Unheil kämpfen, das ihn und alles, was ihm lieb ist, zu verschlingen droht. 

Die BookTok-Sensation »Thousand Autumns« von Meng Xi Shi ist der perfekte Einstieg in das Genre der chinesischen Boys Love / Danmei. In dieser epischen Fantasy-Light Novel, die mit hochwertigen Illustrationen und Charakterzeichnungen zum Leben erwacht, trifft der gerissene Anführer und mächtige Großmeister des dämonischen Pfades Yan Wushi auf den bescheidenen Anführer Shen Qiao, der an das Gute im Menschen glaubt. Noch ahnt der dämonische Meister nicht, dass er auf die erste unnachgiebige Kraft seines Lebens gestoßen ist, und dass auch sein verdorbenes Herz nicht vor der sanften Seite seines neuen Schülers gewahrt bleibt.

Ein absolutes Must-Have für alle Fans von Mo Xiang Tong Xius Light Novel The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation und Heaven Officials Blessing sowie alle Leser*innen, deren Herzen bei Boys Love- und Wuxia-Geschichten höher schlagen!

Diese Tropes erwarten

Enemies to LoversMorally Grey CharactersGrumpy x SunshineSlow Burn RomanceBoys LoveEvery Villain needs a HeroOpposites AttractActionreich, emotional und voller unerwarteter Die Danmei-Wuxia-Sensation jetzt in 5 Bänden erstmals auf Deutsch erhältlich.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Historical, LGBT, Historical Fiction, Queer, China

417 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 9, 2024

About the author

Associated Names:
* Meng Xi Shi (English)
* 梦溪石 (Chinese)
* เมิ่งซีสือ (Thai)

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A forever fan of the villain to simp arc

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 'yanshen in love' stars



Rated S for SPOILERS!

I absolutley love the conclusion to Qian Qiu, especially post-canon yanshen. But let's not go ahead too quickly. The first part of this vol was also amazing. We have Yan Wushi on a mission to win his A-Qiao's heart and Shen Qiao is making this all too easy for him. Our humble Daoist might not be aware but he's practically presenting himself on a silver platter to Yan Zongzhu.


Fanart by thekanasta

Althought he was almost certain Yan Wushi was putting on an act, Shen Qiao still couldn't resist saying, "Are Yan Zongzhu's injuries serious? Does he need this humble Daoist to take a look?"

Yan Wushi's smile widened. "A-Qiao, are you worried about me?"
"No," said Shen Qiao.
"You're lying," said Yan Wushi.
Shen Qiao said nothing. Then why did you even ask?

Fanart by Konia

Aren't they adorable 🥰🥰 we were really spoiled with scenes of yanshen being together in this vol. Qian Qiu is less focused on romance as some other danmei that I've read but here we have many moments with them acting as a couple and they totally convinced me how much in love they are. Especially their romantic date in the moonlight, Yan Wushi taking Shen Qiao gambling (where he accidentlly cheats!! lol) and of course, YWS naming his pet deer "A-Qiao" (Shen Qiao didn't know whether to laugh or cry)

"Thank you very much, A-Qiao."
Who in the world would be fortunate enough to hear Yan Zongzhu express his gratitude? Shen Qiao started a little, then turned to look at him.
Yan Wushi smiled brightly as he gazed back at him. "Thank you for repaying my enmity with kindness, thus saving me, I've already lost count of how many times you saved me, so shouldn't I say a word of thanks?"
"You've saved me many times as well. There's no need to thank me."
"So, our friendship has reached the point where we don't need to thank each other?" Yan Wushi said meaningfully.

After a long while, he still hadn't given him an answer.
And what answer did Yan Wushi need? He smiled, stroking the hair at Shen Qiao's temples.
Shen Qiao rubbed at his temples. "Mm?"
"A-Qiao."
He burried his face into the crook of Shen Qiao's neck, then gently crumbled this name into pieces, letting it reverberate endlessly in his heart.

I can't with these two. They are circling around each other but never truly admitting their feelings (well, we could say YWS did confess his feelings but honestly, with this man you never know what kind of nonsense he's prattling, so we forgive SQ for not believing him).



I'm sure you can all guess that I'll get totally mushy with my fangirlings about yanshen being so in love, so before that, I need to present them being badass once again. What a power couple!!

"If you were to become the leader instead, I fear that after today, Hehuan Sect will need to find someone else to swear allegiance to."
Sang Jingxing laughed. "What do you mean?"
"I'm going to kill you. That's what I mean."
At these words, Shen Qiao sprang into action.

my gif

Yan Wushi's eyes opened wide as he thrust a palm toward Hulugu's left side, then quickly leaped into air before launching another palm strike.

my gif

The hand concealed withins his sleeve was already mobilizing the internal energy all over his body as he gathered his true qi.
He was gathering his liftime's worth of skills into his palm strike.

This scene of YWS fighting is from his fight with Hulugu and we can say that Hulugu was partially responsible for yanshen getting together. If it weren't for him, almost killing Yan Wushi, Shen Qiao would probably take more time to come clear with his feelings 😊😊


Gif by eaion

"Yan Wushi." Shen Qiao's voice was quiet and hoarse as he spoke into his ear. "If you wake up... If you can wake up, I'll do anything you want. Even if you tell me that this is all just a hoax that you planned..."
He shivered and dropped his head, then slowly pressed his lips to the other man's face, then forhead. He lightly caressed him before burying his face into the crook of Yan Wushi's neck.

But the next moment, Yan Wushi's feeble voice drifted into his ear: "Just now, you said that you'd do anything?"

You can always count on Yan Wushi to ruin every romantic moment, lol. Shen Qiao should've ascended a long time ago because I think that only the purest beings are capable of putting up with Yan Wushi. And Shen Qiao truly must be a saint because I definiteley wouldn't forgive Wushi without any groveling. But it's also true that YWS would never do that and since Shen Qiao loves him the way he is... And if we didn't get any groveling, at least we got Shen Qiao surprising Yan Wushi and kissing him first 😏


Fanart by ChiacoArt

The next instant, he was pinned against the nearby stone wall.
Yan Wushi naturally wouldn't give him any chance to fight back. They were pressed tightly together, so close that their shadows on the ground had merged into one. Shen Qiao had still yet to realize what was going on when his legs were forcibly spread, leaving Shen Qiao unable to move

He suddenly felt like he'd been a bit too impulsive. But it was too late now. Yan Wushi used his lips and tongue to silence Shen Qiao's words, swallowing every noise he made.
These deeply invasive actions made him blush all the way to his ears. It was like Yan Wushi had tasted some sublime dish; his tongue was plunged madly into Shen Qiao's mouth, staking ownership.

Fanart by miyu's sketchdump

Shen Qiao looked back at him in confusion. He was the perfect picture of an innocent, guileless little creature, just waiting for some evil-intentioned person to ravage him.

This was such a perfect scene! Of course, the best addition is hearing Wu Lei's voice in my head while reading. Honestly, they couldn't pick a better voice actor because his voice is truly sinfull. And here's this particular scene from audio drama. Enjoy 😉

Behind the folding screen, there was a bed. On top of the bed lay a beauty. More precisiley, the beauty's eyes were tightly shut, and he was in a deep alumber. Next to him sat a man who was currently watching the beauty.
Yan Wushi stared at him for a long time, then gently placed his hand on Shen Qiao's eyelashes, brushing his fingers over them. Shen Qiao's eyelids reflexively fluttered, and then he knit his brows, just a little bit. It was rare for him to sleep so soundly.

Quick summary of their first night together:
Shen Qiao, loosing his virginity.
Yan Wushi: "You have to marry me, I just gave myself to you, and now you have to take responsibilty, Shen-lang." *pouty face*
Shen Qiao: ...

Fanart by KaZuke

Yan Wushi is so lucky that he got to meet Shen Qiao because honestly no other human being would be prepared to tolerate this venerable annoying self, haha.


Fanart by Konia

Yan Wushi bent at the waist and brushed his lips over the side of Shen Qiao's face, leaving a trail of heath from his breath in his wake before he finally stopped at Shen Qiao's ear. "This venerable one originally plannned on returning to celebrate Qixi with you. I didn't make it in time, but at least I won't miss the winter solstice."
Shen Qiao's face was a little red. It was unclear whether he had been warmed by Yan Wushi's breath or if he was blushing from shyness. "Your trip was rather long this time."
Yan Wushi gave a low chuckle and continued to tease him. "So Daoist Master Shen missed me?"

He sat down next to Shen Qiao and wrapped his arms around his waist, then lowered his head to take a bite as he scooped up a dumpling.

They are so domestic with each other, it's really cute. I only wished there would be more scenes like that in extras. But either way, we still got a lot of adorable yanshen moments.


Fanart by KaZuke

He was angry and wanted to refute Yan Wushi, but he didn't know where to start. It made for a pitiful and loveable sight. Yan Wushi couldn't help but burst out laughing. He picked Shen Qiao right up like a princess and carried him inside.

Fanart by Konia

What I really love about yanshen as a couple is that they accept each other as they are. They don't change to suit one another better but they do learn a lot from each other. Not just Yan Wushi seeing good in the world because of Shen Qiao's personality but also Shen Qiao broadening his worldview because of Yan Wushi's perspective. They are together because they choose to be.

"What are you thinking?" asked Yan Wushi.
Shen Qiao smiled. "I was considering heading south in the next couple of days. I heard that there are many fantastical mountain landscapes, the kind you'd imagine at the ends of the sky and seas. [...] I trust that it'll be beautiful beyond words."
Yan Wushi raised an eyebrow. "Daoist Master Shen is going alone?"
"Would Yan Zongzhu be willing to accompany this humble Daoist?"
"This venerable one shall consider it."
Shen Qiao couldn't help but find this amusing, and the corners of his lips stretched upward.

Fanart by Konia

Look at them, they are so soft. And Shen Qiao can't stop smiling!! I didn't expect that these two would make me so mushy but here we are. Also, I can't get over Yan Wushi calling Shen Qiao sweetheart!! *le sigh*


Fanart by 舟行绿水

I wanted to mention lots of others things as well but let's just say, this is it for now. Might add some more after future re-read.

Fanart by naie


4,5 'I'd say my A-Qiao but I know YWS doesn't share' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐
5 'Shen Qiao must be protected at all costs' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4,5 'Yan Wushi being cute' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐
4,5 'Yan Wushi wooing his a-Qiao' stars⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐
5 'yanshen in love' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Izabella 🪐 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ughhh. I can’t believe I’m actually done with this series. I grew so attached to these characters, especially our precious A-Qiao, that I don’t want to say goodbye.

In this volume, we finally wrap up the story but not without first some feelings to be had, fights to be fought, and more betrayals to be made. Seriously, we were so close to the end but not without the author having to land another blow to Shen Qiao’s life by having his Shixiong betray him and killing off Yu Ai?? This poor guy. And the final battle between Yan Wushi and Hulugu was very exciting (especially when we had that sweet sweet moment of Shen Qiao cradling Yan Wushi’s dying body because I’m a psychopath who enjoys things like that). And finally, finally the crazy, chaotic, weird duo that is YanShen officially got together.

"But now,” Yan Wushi said leisurely, "I've changed my way of thinking. A-Qiao, you're different from most people in the world. You have compassion for all mankind carved into your bones, to the point that you're willing to give yourself up for others without asking for anything in return. In the past, I thought you were the same as everyone else: you might start out good and innocent, but the world is fickle, and in the end it'd teach you to change as well. But you went completely beyond my expectations. Human affairs are like a stream, yet you are a rock. No matter how the stream flows, you will never shift."

I absolutely adore YanShen. Not only are they a seemingly ridiculous couple, but also in the end, no one actually had to change for the other. Shen Qiao is still the same upstanding, righteous man, and Yan Wushi is still the same arrogant, egotistical menace, and they both accept each other like that. And that might be what makes them among my favourite danmei couples. They are hilarious, ridiculous, and cute, and I wish we had a hundred more extras just showcasing their life (but I guess I’ll have to settle for scouring ao3 instead).

Yan Wushi gave a light chuckle. He'd seen plenty of pure and innocent people, but none of them had been like Shen Qiao, capable of moving him and stirring up fondness from the depths of his heart.

He longed to just cocoon Shen Qiao within his arms, to keep him close and protect him, meticulously nestle him away until no one else would be able to see Shen Qiao, so that only Yan Wushi could look at him.

Yan Wushi is truly only soft for one person and one person only and that’s adorable. I’m gonna miss YanShen. And I’m going to miss my boy Shen Qiao <3

☆☆☆

Preread:

July, please get here already 🙏🙏

[ana ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

5 volumes and 2101 pages in two weeks can i get a round of applause (i need to go outside). so. i REALLY wanted to like this. and as much as i enjoyed vol.1, the series overall was incredibly mid for me.

as for the things i loved—Shen Qiao. and Bian Yanmei. SQ’s character shows that people can be kind without being dumb. although, HOW for the love of everything did he manage to fall for Yan Wushi is absolutely beyond me.

i want to clear some things out before people start to attack me for hating Yan Wushi, because i, in fact, don’t hate him! he has a lot of potential as a character, and while i understand where the author was going with the “romance” in gigantic quotations, the fact that it was even an option disappointed me a little. however, opinions vary, and to be fair he owed Shen Qiao nothing. i find that his cynicism, selfishness and pettiness make his actions feel authentic. considering he's established such a persona, it feels fitting, albeit terrible, that he did what he did to SQ. however, it’s hard for me to feel even a tiny bit of sympathy and understanding towards him, since he’s nothing but a devious bastard throughout the story and i didn’t even get his backstory! like seriously, you, as an author, choose to omit something so crucial to understand the character? because, naturally, as a reader i would assume that YW has always been unpleasant and mean, which doesn't work in his favor. with all of that said, it was rather frustrating seeing someone so nurturing and caring as Shen Qiao fall for Yan Wushi.

a solid novel, but very boring in places, not everyone will appreciate it, but i’m glad if you did. if you compare it with other danmei of this setting, for example Erha, it constantly keeps you in suspense. such a thing will not happen here, i fell asleep on some chapters, but overall it's not bad.

the book would have won if it were 1.5 times shorter. good descriptions of fights, but there are too many of them. many side characters whose fate is uninteresting. the relationship of the main couple is too static. the author wrote that she wanted their relationship to be felt rather than to be seen, but what can you feel if one is always in zen, and the other is always lying to himself and others? then suddenly the feelings of both changed to the opposite, though their behaviour did not. you see, it is not bad, but not up to par.

overall, it felt like i had a good dinner but didn’t get the dessert.

[annabell · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you look up "shameless" in a dictionary you'll find a picture of Yan Wushi

[Sollenbum · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole series is dominated by adventures in the jianghu, which is the fictional martial world where the characters wander about and meet up intermittently. In this fifth volume of “Thousand Autumns,” Meng Xi Shi ties up loose ends in the overarching plot of the entire series, in particular ending with a duel between Hulugu and Yan Wushi. This brings the arc of the series full circle, because it opens with Shen Qiao being thrown off Banbu Peak after his duel with the same martial artist.

The plot of this last volume is not vastly romantic; it is essentially a palace coup, followed by Shen Qiao re-establishing himself as the leader of his sect and then the final, epic duel between Yan Wushi and Hulugu. In essence the series is structured as a picaresque novel with a string of episodes joined together by a lovable rogue who passes through the novel. It is not quite picaresque in the strictest sense of the genre, though, because the main couple is the backbone of the series rather than a first person narrator who passes through the world, commenting satirically on it as he goes along.

Yan Wushi can certainly be described as a lovable rogue, but Shen Qiao is a much gentler counterpart. It is their push/pull relationship that is the glue that holds these books together. Together they have a tacit understanding of each other and even though Yan Wushi delights in teasing Shen Qiao, he has learned to respect him. Shen Qiao is less expressive in his love for Yan Wushi, but his actions at the end of the series prove his true feelings for the man.

The last section of this fifth volume is filled with an epilogue and extra side stories, which provide some sugar. The main plot indicates that their relationship has moved forward when one of Yan Wushi’s sect disciples walks in on them kissing in the garden (p. 190). However, the epilogue adds romantic scenes and lots of teasing, which is quite sweet. The series as a whole only has sprinkles of sugar and not a full on romance, blooming throughout the books. The attraction of the books lies in the character of Shen Qiao’s serene goodness in the face of extreme injustice and in Yan Wushi’s mercurial personality whose love for Shen Qiao overcomes his more cynical nature.

[⋆ ࣪˖ ִֶָ sel ་༘࿐ · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most painful, beautiful realizations in rereading Volume 5 is that Yan Wushi truly loves Shen Qiao, but he never stops being Yan Wushi. When he challenged Hulugu, it’s tempting to view it as a grand romantic gesture. But both Shen Qiao and I, as a reader, knew better. Yan Wushi didn’t do it for Shen Qiao; not entirely. He did it because he lives for the thrill, for testing himself against impossible odds. That challenge was as much about his obsession with mastery as it was about protecting Shen Qiao, and Shen Qiao understands that full well. And, he doesn’t try to change him. He just prepares medicine in case the man he respects—harbors indescribable feelings—doesn’t survive.

And that scene, when Shen Qiao thinks Yan Wushi has died, is when he finally breaks. His feelings, long kept nameless, explode in despair. And that’s how you know how deep it runs. He never asked for love. But he gave his all anyway.

They are two people as different as night and day. Shen Qiao, soft-spoken and steadfast, helping quietly then checking in from the shadows; Yan Wushi, sharp-edged and cruel, watching others suffer with detached amusement. But the only real change? Shen Qiao is now in Yan Wushi’s orbit. Someone Yan Wushi's willing to rein himself in for, just a little. And for anyone else, he remains untouched and terrifying.

I also loved how we got glimpses into Yan Wushi’s past: how he became who he is, what shaped him, and what made him. He has been very cunning and indifferent to anything that doesn't amuse him since the start, but it makes him more human. And that fleeting moment from his youth, when he crossed paths with a young Shen Qiao, kind of feels poetic. He would’ve never known that the quiet child he once overlooked would grow into the only person capable of moving his heart. It feels like fate working in silence. I fucking love YanShen!

Also, there’s the extras where it revolves around Qi Fengge from the past. They're like a dagger to the heart that still manages to feel like a warm hug. Shen Qiao loved his Shizun dearly, and through him, he learned how to love others. He became a father figure to his own disciples, just like Qi Fengge was to him. And when you realize that, the pain of losing his martial siblings and the quiet grief of remembering better days becomes unbearable!

“In the future, I hope you’ll become someone like the peaks and summits, a man broad in both mind and heart.”> And he did! Shen Qiao became exactly that. And maybe that's why this novel hurts so beautifully. It's not just about love or betrayal or martial arts, it's about becoming. About growing into someone worthy of the values they once received with childlike sincerity. And living them, no matter how cruel the world gets.

Anyway, I wanna say how the author’s afterword struck a deep chord in me. Because it sums up about how I feel with everything and the extras. Qian Qiu may have ended, but its jianghu lives on. Quietly, vividly, and endlessly. There’s a beauty in knowing that Shen Qiao, Yan Wushi, and all the others continue to walk their paths beyond the final page. The line, “...but that was a tale for later,”> from some of the passages not only in this volume, carries such quiet promise. It tells us that life goes on in the jianghu. Disciples grow, hearts mend, and new legends are forged. The world Meng Xi Shi built doesn’t just end, it endures, carried forward by the legacy of those who chose righteousness, love, and resilience. That’s the brilliance of this story: even in fiction, it leaves behind something real. My god, I love this novel so much! I'm not crying! You are!

[Linh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! The last volume of Thousand Autumns may be over, but the story and its characters still stay with me even though I finished this more than a week ago.

Without any spoilers, I'm gonna put in my 2 cents about the ending: imo, it was perfect. So fitting, Yan Wushi is my fave psychoboiiii 😍😍😍

I will probably be revising my review of the first volume and put an entire-series review there at some point. But just summarizing that for y'all now: I love Thousand Autumns a whole lot. Now I'm re-reading but in Vietnamese for funsies. ❤️

[Siiri Mirjami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect ending to one of my favourite danmei's thus far. The story concluded nicely, and Cheng Gong FINALLY DIED!!! The extras were not too many and had a variety of topics, making them interesting with lots of cameos. I especially liked the Weibo mini extras and both about Yan Wushi, my pretty malewife princess.

I'm looking forward to starting Peerless at some point, since I checked and it starts at about the end of QQ. We'll see when I actually start it, but I'm sure it'll be delightful. Meng Xi Shi has a way with writing even the main villians so well, and the complicated relationships and feelings replicate real life beyond perfectly.

Now I'll go to bed. I have five hours.

Good luck.

I'll need it.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many feelings. Incredibly sad that this story has ended but also very satisfied with the ending ❤️ I didn’t think it was possible for me to love YW, but somehow it happened. I love them both so much. SQ deserves the world and I’m convinced YW will spend the rest of their days together making him happy. Even though this is not a romance novel, it is all about the journey SQ and YW are on together and the progression of their relationship.

I cried a few times and definitely laughed a lot at SQ’s internal thoughts. One character that I loved did not get nearly enough time and a few others seem to have just been forgotten? The story ends pretty early in the novel with a 7 part epilogue(!!!) and a bunch of extras.

Now to find some fanfics!

[ollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Minor spoilers!

It doesn’t feel real that I have just finished Thousand Autumns. Although there were some moments I felt lost, I loved the story and the characters nonetheless. Shen Qiao is up there in my all time favourite danmei characters. He never allowed the circumstances to change who he is in his heart, and for that I love him.

“Human affairs are like a stream, yet you are a rock. No matter how the stream flows, you will never shift.”

I couldn’t think of a more accurate description of Shen Qiao. Time and time again during Shen Qiao’s troubles I thought to myself “okay, this would make me snap” but that will never be the case for Shen Qiao. As long as he is capable of helping someone, he will. It matters not if he’s been screwed over by lending a hand to another in the past. He doesn’t apply past burdens to the present. I love him so so much.

I found it to be satisfying how Shen Qiao allowed himself to act more on his feelings he has for Yan Wushi. I gasped and kicked my feet like crazy when Shen Qiao initiated a kiss (in an alley of all places). I’d be lying if I said I didn’t stare at that illustration for a good five minutes.

[NiaKantorka · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

I really enjoyed this last volume of Thousand Autumns.

The relationship between Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi developed into this cute give and take once they both realised they were actually in love with each other.

The fight between Hulugu and Yan Wushi was breathtaking and I loved how Shen Qiao had the jitters for them both. The epilogue was hilarious at times and I also loved the chapters where old and young Shen Qiao switched places. The extra added more depth to our main couple and were at times touching and at other times very funny.

I loved the way our MC and ML went full circle in different ways with a fight on Banbu Peak at the book’s start and end, but also with Yan Wushi being present when Shen Qiao met Qi Fenge for the first time.

The ups and downs of life and of dynasties both played a huge part in this book and here I thought it could have had more depth regarding the latter. The fatalism with which Yan Wushi took each transition of imperial power left me wanting more. As it was, the actual historical events read like a play on the wiqi board at times and even though it is true that nobody cares about past events much after more than three generations it kind of diminished the suffering of most people during those upheavals.
It is probably not a thing many people complain about but as someone who loved Stars of Chaos and Golden Terrace I found the politics lacking a bit in this story.

Anyway, this was a super entertaining book and I’m sure I’ll be reading it again.

[Missha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having followed Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi for 4 books already, the last book was a bit daunting because what if it wasn't the ending you wanted after being so invested for so many pages?

Luckely for me the ending was perfect and wholesome, though a little abrubt. It did make more sense after I read the 7-part epilogue, because that really took the time to show off the aftermath but also a real insight into the relationship that finally blossomed between these two.

The bonus stories and mini's were sometimes more focused around others and it took a moment for Meng Xi Shi to reveal how our men were involved, but it was worth every page.

As much as I'd love to write a long and lofty review, I just think that this was a great conclusion to the whole story, and I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts about this one.
--------------------------------------------------
OG review:
Don't talk to me I haven't recovered. I'm feeling so warm and fuzzy. RTC.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ Now that we have the final Seven Seas version, I’ve moved this review of the entire series from one of the Chinese versions to here ]

Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi are the type of main characters in which what a reader views as plot flaws suddenly become insubstantial when one of our two leads are on the page. As Shen Qiao is our MC, most scenes involve him, so he saves the day for most of this very long story. However, this thus displays that when there are scenes not focused on either of our two leads, the reader is bored. That reader was me.

Like always, my reviews are strictly notes for myself to return to so I remember how I felt about a story. They in no way, shape, or form dictate whether a book is "good" or not, because stories are subjective. All comments from me are from the perspective of my personal enjoyment while consuming this story. It's not "professional criticism or review," whatever that means anyway.

What I Liked
❀ A-Qiao, my dear A-Qiao ... Shen Qiao is everything I adore in an MC. When I was in middle and high school, I used to adore male main characters that were the "bad boys," but as I've gotten older, I've come to far greater love male MCs that are soft and kind. Shen Qiao actually reminded me of Xie Lian from TGCF (one of my all time fave MCs, BTW), of course they are not direct parallels. Shen Qiao is his own person. I loved his strong, resolute personality of kindness and sincerity, while also being someone who can whip ASS when he has too (which is a lot). Like, he is literally the "looks like a cinnamon roll but will kill you." He will literally kill you. It's mentioned over and over how visually beautiful he is, which results in opponents wrongfully assuming he's weak, but SQ has such a strong mindset that he genuinely does not care how people perceive him. He knows who he is and has no desire for attention or to correct misunderstandings. It's the issues of others who see wrongly, not for SQ to correct them. I love that about him. And, even if he is selfless and kind, he'll still stand up for what he believes and isn't afraid to talk back

❀ Yan Wushi. Now, he's the "looks like he will kill you and will kill you." He's wicked, selfish, and arrogant, and he full-well knows these things and finds no issues by living this way. However, he is somehow not abhorrent? You'd think a character like this would be extremely obnoxious, but he's not at all. He's written so carefully that even when he does his worst to SQ, I'm not mad at him, only curious. Bravo to the author for that. But apparently, some people really do hate him, and I totally understand that and find that valid, but at the same time I'm like ... SQ is perfectly capable of holding his own and has YW wrapped around his finger, so ... I think SQ can handle himself.

❀ SQ + YW as a couple. The romance in this novel is very much a slow burn, with our characters not necessarily even having romantic feelings until maybe 70-80% into the story. Before that, it's ... complicated. But I've never read a story in which one of the MCs wants to diabolically ruin the other one, so it was such an interesting take on human relationships. I applaud the gradual change in perspective between both of our MCs, who don't change for each other but sure do change because of each other, yet even so, they still keep hold to the core of who they are as individuals. My favorite scene would have to be when SQ and YW are eating and drinking the night or two before YW is meant to fight Hulugu, and SQ gets drunk and YW hugs him, only to find that SQ is crying because of how concerned he is for YW. In SQ's drunkeness, such emotions can't be reigned in with SQ's usual level of control. It's a very sweet moment to me.

What I Didn't Like
❀ The fighting. Now, don't get me wrong — I actually think the descriptions of the fights are well written and easy to understand, but there are just so many fights. In a giant novel like this, they became so incredibly repetitive. It was also difficult to understand how SQ was winning nearly every single one even when his inner force was maybe only at 20% in the early chapters, yet he'd simultaneously narrate that his opponents were either in the Top 10 of martial artists or at least almost there. How was SQ making out every time? Of course, he'd be injured or have to recuperate, but still. The constant repetition of this concept got boring fast.

❀ The politics + other characters. This novel is about SQ and YW's journey as individuals in the context of each other, but overall, it's really mostly a martial arts setting within a historical fiction landscape featuring political plot lines. I really did not care for any of the politics or the wordy narration about martial arts. Within all that, there were then soooo many characters who'd show up for one chapter and then not show up again for fifty, and I'd be like, "Who are you? Why should I care?" None of the other characters I cared for except maybe Bai Rong and Shiwu, but even then, not enough. For me, SQ and YW carried this entire book. When even one of them was not in a scene, I was significantly less interested, never mind when the narration went on and on about politics and not even SQ was mentioned. Snooze fest. I skimmed a lot of those scenes.

Overall, I leaned towards rating the entire work a 4/5 solely because of SQ and YW, but there was just so much politics and martial arts that I settled on 3/5. I personally love stories that focus on the growths and changes of characters, with their individual stories being at the forefront, which is why I didn't enjoy the external circumstances of the politics but loved SQ and YW's dynamic and individual journeys.

[Kate♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5stars

I love them. I love this series. I can't believe it's over 😭😭😭

[vinny .⊹ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely take my reviews seriously. Thousand Autumns by Meng Xi Shi is a masterpiece-- and a beautiful piece of literature that I don't think I'll ever stop thinking about. It is the wisdom of folk and the cruelty and love of and for beauty, the passing of time, what it means to use and have power and kindness, what it all means. Most importantly, it is about change.
Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao changed as much as the other did, and it was so beautiful to see.
I love Shen Qiao. He feels like a person who could have been. He is infinitely kind, yet doesn't allow for others to trample him. He stands out from other Danmei main characters- I don't have the words yet.
Meng Xi Shi brings philosophy and story together so wonderfully, they blend so naturally- and that is no easy stunt when working with multiple theologies. Her prose (and what the translators did with it) was beyond me and PHEW Yu Ai.....
10/10. dilf danmei perfect chefs kiss
also I had no idea what was happening politics wise 1/2 the time, but I still had fun.

[Susanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu has ended with the fifth volume. It ended like it began, more focused on the politics of the empire and the cultivation world (called jianghu in this series, “rivers and lakes”, like the author explains in the afterword), and on the questions of morality and human nature than on the romance.

At the beginning of the volume, Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi help Puliuru Jian to free his children from being held hostage by the emperor, and subsequently to seize the throne. It’s a fairly fast affair, compared to some in the previous volumes.

From there, the men part ways and Shen Qiao finally heads back to Xuandu Mountain to handle the traitors in his sect and to assume the leadership once again. But he’s barely done when he learns that Yan Wushi has challenged the best cultivator in the world, Hulugu of the Göktürk Khagnate, to a duel. Everyone knows it’ll be to death, and so Shen Qiao rushes to be by Yan Wushi’s side.

At this point, I thought the romance would finally bloom, but no. Only in the final paragraphs of the last chapter does Shen Qiao show some emotions towards Yan Wushi, but it isn’t until the last of the seven epilogue chapters before the men finally become a couple. Even then, they both remain true to their characters.

The story began with Yan Wushi trying to corrupt Shen Qiao to prove that everyone would put their self-interest first, a thread that prevailed over the romance throughout the story. In the end, he was forced to admit that Shen Qiao was unique, and therefore worthy of his admiration, the basis of his romantic feelings. Why Shen Qiao would love him in return was never clear, but his ability to forgive was great and Yan Wushi managed to manipulate Shen Qiao into missing him. Of the two, Yan Wushi changed more, but only with Shen Qiao. Their coming together was kind of cute, but if the reader is looking for high emotions, great declarations, and carnal relations, they’re bound to be disappointed.

The main story is followed by several short stories that show that while the men never settle down to living together, they remain a couple and always return to the other after roaming the empire. The stories aren’t very romantic or emotional either, but they show cute glimpses of the men’s lives from past and future.

Despite the lack of great romantic emotions, I was satisfied with the ending and the series as a whole. It remained true to its premise, the political plots were interesting, and as I realised early on that the romance wouldn’t be there, I wasn’t disappointed with what I got. I’m happy where the men ended up, and the lives they live seem interesting and rather carefree. After everything they went through, they deserve happiness.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

First the good stuff
I love Yan Wushi even in love he’s still as cunning and as sassy as ever. Shen Qiao was never going to admit his feelings so he tricked him into it as only Yan Wushi could.
I’m glad the fight happened between him and Hulugu. It was a good end.
The author keeps Yan Wushi’s character right until the end no lovey dovey deviations. We can tell he loves Shen Qiao but he still continues to tease him rotten.

Now for why I could only mark it 4

There doesn’t seem to be a definitive ending. We waited 4 books for the inevitable ending of them getting together and it just fell flat for me. I’m glad they did but it was obvious they would so I was hoping for more, this ending for them could have been done in book 4 we didn’t need this book at all really for that part of the story. Then it should have ended there and the rest of the chapters be extras but it doesn’t, you get some random chapter about Shen Qiao changing into a child then it goes back to their relationship and then another random chapter and then the ending.

I feel like this book was just a hodgepodge of random extras.

The book leading up to the fight and Shen Qiao admitting his feelings was good hence my 4. But their ending and all the random stories just fell flat.

I know we shouldn’t compare but I feel like I’ll never get one of these books to compare to MDZS. I’m not even asking for the smut but where’s the rest? Given Yan Wushi’s character we were never getting deep romance but if Lan Wangji the iceman can love deeply why can’t Yan Wushi?

I understand they’re all powerful, no one would dare judge, and we are to assume those close to them know about their relationship but there’s no talk of it. Even Shen Qiao seems to act like it’s not really happening lol. I just feel like I get the romantic side isn’t the main focus for the book but this is Danmei and we essentially get given a half a page to tell us they were together.

I don’t know how to explain myself further lol 😂 but it just fell flat for me. After waiting for this for 5 books I wanted their ending to be a bit more exciting!

[Shu Wei Chin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A-Qiao, you're different from most people in the world. You have compassion for all mankind carved into your bones, to the point that you're willing to give yourself up for others without asking for anything in return. In the past, I thought you were the same as everyone else: you might start out good and innocent, but the world is fickle, and in the end it'd teach you to change as well. But you went completely beyond my expectations. Human affairs are like a stream, yet you are a rock. No matter how the stream flows, you will never shift."

How is this the ending of the entire series? Even though more than half of this book is dedicated to an epilogue and extras, I am going to be sad that there will not be more of YanShen.

What a strange couple, the epitome of opposites attract where they each abide by their own principles and show so much individual growth while showing each other the utmost respect and adoration. While I am not 100% sold on how Yan Wushi decided to woo Shen Qiao (the series of little underhanded actions in the epilogue lowkey straddled the line between pursuing and manipulating a crush. A small extra where YWS owns up to A-Qiao would have allayed my feelings but alas 'tis not to be), Shen Qiao is an upright, romantically clueless and might I even say closeted man and needed the push. Quite frankly, Shen Qiao is so kind I will be happy to have one tenth of his grace while Yan Wushi embodies chaotic neutral (borderline evil). But. They. Work. I want to see them in their old age, 1000 years into their immortality, whatever.

Gosh I will miss them won't I?

[Queens Love Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Human affairs are like stream, yet you are a rock. No matter how many stream flows, you will never shift.”



I’m absolutely over the moon about Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu Vol. 5! I went all out and got the limited edition version with stickers, postcards, and posters, and oh my gosh, it was so worth it! The extras are super cute and make the whole reading experience even more amazing!

Now, let’s talk about the story – Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao’s relationship takes such a beautiful and emotional turn in this volume! Their connection has always been so captivating, but the way it deepens here is just... wow! It’s so satisfying to see their bond evolve with so much emotional depth and complexity.

The limited edition goodies are like the cherry on top of an already fantastic read. The stickers, postcards, and posters are just adorable and make this special volume even more memorable.

Overall, Vol. 5 is a total gem of the series, with stellar character development and gorgeous presentation. I’m beyond thrilled with how Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao’s relationship is unfolding, and the special edition makes it all the more special!

Date Read: 2024.07.22
Re-read: 2024. 12.13

[Skyepie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ending was lovely, but the extra chapters made the story perfect. They brought closure and fluff and everything Meng Xi Shi had been edging us with for 5 books straight 🙌🏽 Thousand Autumns really solidified my love for danmei as a genre, beyond the romance— the fantasy, the sociopolitical drama, the setting, it’s everything!

[kay! ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

IM DONE IM FINALLY DONE 😭

kind of bummed that i only started to truly get into the plot this volume though...thank god for the extras they were SO GOOD and i had a lot of fun reading them!!!

longer rtc to come my brain feels like mush at this point from binging this danmei

[sofija · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything about this series. The politics, the philosophy, the descriptions of fights and martial arts, the heavy weight of legacy and inability to live up to it, the CHARACTERS!

My God, the characters!!!! Someone needs to put a leash on Yan Wushi and entrust it to Shen Qiao. That man is a national level threat to polite society. Shen Qiao deserves a medal for putting up with him with passing out from rage just ONCE.

I had this stupid smile on my face when I was reading the epilogues and short stories. Watching Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi grow old together??? Have grey hair??? Call each other sweetheart?? I can die happy now.

This series is CRIMINALLY underrated!! I will make everyone and their mother read this by kidnapping them and reading to them if I have to.

[Sofia Boquist · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series that I give three stars, and that is because I didn’t enjoy the conclusion. After five books and more than two thousand pages one would assume that the romance we have all been waiting for would be something grand. It wasn’t. The confessions scene felt hurried and it wasn’t that special. And afterwards the book spends as little time as possible on the couple. We got a few extra stories about the time after the main story’s end but those extras were written in a way that they could have been placed at any point in the series. There was nothing about them signaling that the characters were now together except for the author telling us that they were.
And another reason why I disliked this ending was because Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao never feel like they are in love. Through out the story I’ve been waiting for the turning point, when the MCs realize their feelings for each other and, since we read from Shen Qiao’s perspective, to get to hear his thoughts about the matter. But that never happens. Except for Yan Wushi kissing Shen Qiao without consent, nothing ‘romantic’ happens between them. And Yan Wushi’s attitude doesn’t exactly help the situation. I guess it was stupid of me to hold out hope that Yan Wushi would change his attitude towards Shen Qiao into something more resembling respect and love for another. But looking at the story as a whole, this end was on point for the characters, so I believe that people who greatly enjoyed the series won’t have any problems with how the book ends.

I’m not a big fan of the extras and it’s not because I didn’t like them, it’s because how is it even possible for you to write 2000 pages of text and still have things left that you were unable to weave into the story. I enjoyed the extras where we found out about Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi’s past but would have enjoyed it even more if it actually happened earlier in the story. Couldn’t it have been used as a means for the MCs to get closer? Have Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao tell each other about their past earlier instead of as a mean to end the book.

My enjoyment for this series have gone up and down throughout these five books. I have enjoyed the story as a whole and find the world and characteristics the author builds up impressive, but the story is way too long. The majority of the books are spent on side projects instead of moving the plot forward, and now when writing this I’m realizing that there aren’t really a plot, the story just does what it wants. It makes the whole thing inconsistent and at times boring if you aren’t a person who greatly enjoys just following Shen Qiao as he does random things and saves people in need.

I gave three books four stars and two books three stars and judged them all individually at the time I was done reading them. But as a whole I would rate the series a three. It was enjoyable but way too long, and for all the time spent reading it we were still not given a satisfactory conclusion to the romance.

[Vallalalaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly this has got to be one of the worst dynamics I've come across in a novel. While Shen Qiao seems to grow and start to understand the way the world works better after the course of the books, Yan Wushi remains the same intolerable, narcissistic asshole during the whole story.
This whole idea of believing people are inherently bad until you meet this one person that proves you wrong is extremely interesting I'm not gonna lie, however, I didn't see evidence of a switch in the way Yan Wushi acts and thinks while reading the books...
Sure he likes Shen Qiao now and is interested in getting to know him better, but in no other way does the story showcase the impact that someone proving wrong his entire world view has... He's just the same person that has one more thing he likes I guess... This "he's the only thing precious to me because he's so special" narrative is honestly too replayed and also it seems impossibly fake here. How can someone literally change the core of your beliefs and you just keep behaving in the exact same way. Even the slightest change in character would be welcome.
Also let me note that nowhere in the books did I see Yan Wushi respecting Shen Qiao's wishes. He's just manhandling, mansplaining and manipulating his way into what he wants and the author presents this as something cute and precious that we should fawn upon.
Shen Qiao is this impossibly thoughtful and considerate person whose thoughts you read during the entirety of the books. It's so out of character for him to just always have the student role in Yan Wushi's teacher. It would seem more organic for him to learn about how the world works from Yan Wushi and also teach him about compassion and the kindness that can be found in people..
I don't know.. I had high expectations for this series but I was sadly disappointed by the one dimensional portrayal of the characters.

[✧ FLINN ✧ (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks God it’s finally over 😩

[thedeadlyscimitar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't typically like to write reviews with spoilers since most people who read reviews are looking to see if the book is good without being spoiled. Unfortunately, I'm not really sure how to review this particular book without spoilers unless I'm incredibly vague, so I'm just going to write a review with spoilers this time. Fair warning, there are going to be MAJOR spoilers for the end of the series in this review! That being said, let's move on to the actual review.

Though I still really enjoyed this book overall, I sadly did not like it nearly as much as the previous volume or even as much as volume two. This volume started out strong with Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi taking part in a coup against the emperor of Northern Zhou, Yuwen Yun. I really enjoyed this part of the story and found it both highly entertaining and satisfying. To me, this almost felt more like the climax of the novel because all of the political intrigue and scheming seemed to be leading up to it. However, this was only the beginning. It also saw the highly satisfying downfall of two of the main antagonists in this story, Chen Gong and Xueting, both of which I very much enjoyed.

After the events of the palace coup, the story then moves on to Shen Qiao finally returning to Xuandu Mountain. Once again, I felt that this could have been a satisfying conclusion to the novel because all of the plot threads involving Xuandu Mountain Sect were finally wrapped up in a satisfying way. There were a lot of exciting battles and it was great to finally see Shen Qiao reclaim his rightful place as sect leader, now having achieved that position through his own strength and perseverance rather than simply having it handed to him by his shizun, Qi Fengge. Which, by the way, I have to say that Qi Fengge was not the best judge of character when it came to his disciples, considering two of them betrayed Shen Qiao and literally tried to have him killed.

My biggest complaint with this part of the story was that two of the main antagonists, Sang Jingxing and Yuan Xiuxiu, ended up being killed off page. I found this to be a huge letdown, particularly in the case of Sang Jingxing. I really wanted to see that sick creep get what was coming to him. To me, more than anyone else, Sang Jingxing was my most hated character and the one who's downfall I most wanted to see. Sadly, while I found it satisfying that it was ultimately the combined efforts of Shen Qiao and Bai Rong that took him down, I would have actually liked to see that final confrontation between Sang Jingxing and Bai Rong play out.

Following the wrap up of the events on Xuandu Mountain, the story then moves on to the actual final climax; the ultimate battle between Yan Wushi and Hulugu. Though it was really cool to see this showdown between the world's top two martial artists and I really enjoyed getting to see Yan Wushi go all out for once, I still found this battle to be somewhat of a letdown as final confrontation. Yes, Hulugu is the world's most powerful martial artist, but he was never really involved directly in the story aside from a brief appearance in the previous volume. I wasn't really invested in him as an antagonist. There were other antagonists who were far more involved throughout the story and whom I personally was much more interested in seeing defeated despite them technically being less powerful than Hulugu. For example, as I mentioned earlier, Sang Jingxing and Yuan Xiuxiu. I even felt that Chen Gong, Xueting and Duan Wenyang were more interesting antagonists than Hulugu, even purely by virtue of the fact that they were all more directly involved in the overall plot. Each of them showed up at various points to cause trouble for Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi, where Hulugu only made one brief appearance before this final battle. However, I did really enjoy the scene where Shen Qiao watches the battle between Yan Wushi and Hulugu. I loved seeing how concerned and frantic Shen Qiao became when Yan Wushi nearly died as a result of his injuries. His reaction was extremely touching and heartrending.

Overall, my favorite aspect of this volume was the relationship between Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi. I really enjoyed their interactions and Yan Wushi's teasing. I loved that Yan Wushi finally came to care about someone beside himself. Some of the things he says to Shen Qiao in this volume are incredibly sweet and romantic, which really surprised me coming from him. That being said though, I was a little disappointed in the epilogue which detailed how the two finally got together. I wish that Shen Qiao had realized his feelings as a result of Yan Wushi nearly dying in his battle against Hulugu rather than because some random woman made a comment about how life is short and you should follow your heart. I did think it was funny that the whole thing was orchestrated by Yan Wushi specifically to get Shen Qiao to confess his feelings, but at the same time, it just felt a bit anti-climactic to me.

I also wish that Yan Wushi had had more growth and development as a character. I really liked him despite feeling like I should probably hate him for some of the things he did. He has an irresistible charisma and charm about him, and yet I wish that he had more profound character development like Shen Qiao. I also wish that there had been more depth to Yan Wushi's backstory that explained why he was the way he was and why he was so cynical about the world and people in general. Some of his history is briefly touched upon in some of the extras, but I didn't feel like any of it was satisfactory in explaining how he ultimately became the person that he is. For pretty much the entire story, Yan Wushi was just Yan Wushi. The only thing that changed for the most part was that he fell in love with Shen Qiao and actually learned to care about someone other than himself for once.

Speaking of the extras, I mostly found them to be fairly inconsequential. There were a few interesting moments, and I did enjoy seeing Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi's interactions once they were actually together, but overall, the extras didn't really add much to the story and I personally found many of them to be somewhat boring. Sadly, this often seems to be the case with extras in danmei, or at least in the ones that I've read.

In any case, I did end up really enjoying Thousand Autumns, and I'm extremely glad that I ultimately decided to finish the series. I did find the ending somewhat disappointing and rushed. I felt like the overall story could have used more refinement and more definite direction. There were so many great moments throughout, and I loved seeing the relationship slowly develop between Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi. I also especially loved Shen Qiao as a character. He had some amazing character development, and it was extremely satisfying to watch him fight and struggle back to the top of the jianghu through perseverance and sheer willpower after hitting literal rock bottom. It was ultimately Shen Qiao's personal journey that made this story so compelling.

I apologize if this review is somewhat rambling and not that great of a review but it's currently 2 a.m. and I'm very tired. I've also been dealing with a lot of depression issues recently and I've had a hard time getting motivated to write any reviews at all. I more or less just wanted to get my thoughts on this book out while they're still fresh, so I apologize if this ended up being more of a reaction than a review. If you read this far, thank you for putting up with my terrible review.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up since It was more like 3.5 maybe...most of the extras were kind of boring.

[任煦涵 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“From start to end, Shen Qiao was different. Yan Wushi knew everything about this man as well as the back of his hand, but he still wanted to explore him further. It would never be enough. Even Shen Qiao's birthday had become something worthy of special attention to him.”

This is so bittersweet! I didn’t want it to end. I have loved this series since the beginning and each volume was amazing.

Shen Qiao is the type of character I love. Someone who has great empathy and holds their values close to them. His rise from the bottom is very admirable and he gives me a lot of comfort. It was also very sweet to see him realize that his feelings for Yan Wushi was romantic, not friendly.

Yan Wushi is another character type I like. He’s evil through and through but completely soft for the person he loves. It’s even more satisfying because he always claimed his heart would never be moved (clearly you’re underestimating Shen Qiao’s charm.)

I really love romance where they’re complete opposites but willing to bend for one another. The concessions they make for one another are just so cute.

It’s also quite funny how often Yan Wushi sneaks passionate kisses in. He’s so cheeky and Shen Qiao is powerless against it.

I’m really gonna miss them but I’ll do a reread at some point.

Unrelated to the book but I’m disappointed with Seven Seas… Their book quality has gone down so much and I much prefer the old ones! Even the text goes from dark black to grey randomly on pages. Oh well I guess but I say bring back French flaps.

[mery☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

YanShen, you'll forever have my heart
the 'i love you and only you and I am a bitch and an asshole to anyone else but you' trope is incredible and Yan Wushi is the best at being exactly that for Shen Qiao
that being said, I love them both so much and I will miss them greatly
bless the fact that I can reread this masterpiece whenever my soul desires :>