Theme: ancient Chinese setting (don't know which era), heroine in disguise - Hero in disguise, Hero a military genius - heroine a Tea genius ^_^, lean Hero and plump heroine, translated from Chinese
18 year old Chu Zu Yu was an heiress to a tea house. The males of Chu family coveted the tea house and persuaded Zu Yu to give them the business since she was a female: she'd marry into another family and would not be able to continue the Chu name. She then decided to just bear a child - be the mother & father to it - that way the Chu family name would continue and she wouldn't surrender the tea house to her relatives.
Xiao Zhi/ Jue Qing was a well renowned general because of his military prowess, intelligence, martial arts skills and his handsomeness. He was also known to have no interest in women - he didn't go to brothels, didn't keep a concubine or a mistress. He was 25 years old and the people around him never once noticed that he was never interested in the female species.
The general had a problem for so long. He had an insomnia and no matter what he did, he still couldn't able to fall asleep. One doctor told him that his body was cold and perhaps if an average person's heat could be a solution. His prescription was for the general to find a young maiden to hug while sleeping. Hearing this weird suggestion, he instantly grabbed the young lady who served the tea at that time. Everyone was so surprised by the general's reaction. Then Xiao Zhi said that the woman was thin and he couldn't hug her properly. Next time they had to find someone with meat on her.
Let's go back to Chu Zu Yu: she was still pondering on how to get pregnant when she heard 2 ladies talking about a maid servant who got pregnant by the master. This piqued her interest and she applied for a position in the Kang residence (the Kang head was known to be promiscuous). She was surprised that the head master told her that her being plump was good and talked about the general's capabilities, blah blah blah. Chu Zu Yu was horrified to know that she mistakenly applied for a maid position in a wrong house. She would work for the General and the Kang's residence (where she wanted to work) was just beside the former's house.
There the story continued on how the heroine kept her identity and how she mistook the general as working for the Imperial army (though she thought of him as a Buddhist monk since he wore black clothes and brought beads). The first night they met? They slept together (as in literally sleeping and not having sex). The General loved her tea scent with her natural fragrance which brought him to sleep instantly (while embracing her).
Intrigues came and went with the occasional possessiveness and obsession of the Hero which was too freaky for my taste. He closed an entire city when he couldn't find her.
I gave this 3 out of 5 stars:
Minus 1 star for the weird Hero who was possessive and obsessive regarding the heroine (I stated above). And it reminded me of Christian Grey's f**ked-upness (LELS). Not romantic in my taste. And the heroine was hard headed too that I couldn't really fathom where she placed her senses. And the the ending was somehow weird and I felt that it was detached to the whole feels (lels) of the novel.
Minus 1 star for the wrong grammar and the typos. I know this was just a translated novel (and I really appreciate the translator's efforts and all) but I have a little OCD hehehe and it bothered me somehow (sorrryyyyyyyy). It would be wonderful if the translator collaborated with some English editors for this one.
Ok, so this is the first time I've ever read C-Novel. I grew up watching wuxia series and Chinese drama series, so to actually read a light romance novel in a semi-wuxia setting is a new experience for me. But seriously, it reminds me of those harlequin series, but with different touch.
As for this novel, the early chapters sure shows some potentials. Well, the plot is kind of predictable, but it's funny, with witty heroine and awkward-but-gentlemanly hero. I like reading the interaction between the two. However, at some point, I feel like the plot get a bit weird with all the politics/war thrown in, plus some intrigues from a jealous love rival. It also doesn't help that, nearing the end, the hero becomes more and more possessive and oh-so-alpha without a strong basis in the character.
C2 😒 FL is TSTL “oh maids can get close to/pregnant by their masters?” This is just STUPID from someone who has been in the public running a successful tea house for a DECADE just ugh.
C8 so ML is already attached… But they’ve had beyond minimal interaction. 😩😭 Seriously though the version I found is so badly translated 😖… ☠️ apparently it’s the best available at least that I could find
O.o c12 look I know the novel is short but it really seems like they’ve had like half an hour of conversation & he’s already like “I love you marry me” based on the book/the gist he’s used her basically as a human sleep security blanket/water bottle like a week at most…
C16 🤦🏻♀️ FL gets kidnapped - Although not entirely TSTL just 😭 this book is really like basic/poor fanfic & the translation is pouring salt on the wound. 🤷🏻♀️ ML defeated the bandits/secret army in like 2 seconds though - how did people not know p3’s secret movements. 🤦🏻♀️ ML’s subordinate is also dumber than rocks. MLis smart but has the most intense love brain I’ve ever seen.
C21 😿😿😿 even knowing she was his love disaster. And now he’s drawn the poison into himself. (Worst way to have sex ever… also conundrum like - non consensual sex considering she was unconscious but literally would have died if not for ML doing that so… 🫠)
Hm on how they resolve the poison though I feel like there were so many threads left dangling. I did like the epilogue (which I’d skimmed when I first found the book - heh the general was willing to be a ~matrilocal husband. Even her shitty cousin & uncle don’t dare though.
TBH this was just an ok read. Glad it only took a few hours. D+? 🤷🏻♀️
Xiao Zhi and Chu Zhu Yu were so cute together. The story is just as the name suggests. Our great general, Xion Zhi, is the great general with high martial arts. He is naive, cute and weird and obsessed with Chu Zhu Yu. Their romance may have started with him only being able to sleep while hugging her but it grew into so much more. I read this a long time ago that I even forgot the plotline so it felt like reading for the first time again.
A cute and cozy read with a fun premise. I enjoyed the lighthearted moments and the general’s clingy, affectionate side—it definitely had its sweet and funny charm.
That said, the pacing felt uneven at times, and I found myself wishing for more depth in the story and characters. While it wasn’t a favorite, it was still enjoyable enough for a light, relaxing read. A decent pick if you’re in the mood for something simple and fluffy.