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The Missing Piece
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B0981CPXRZ
Ever since an incident three years ago, art school graduate Shen Mo hasn’t been able to paint with his right hand. He’s currently working a desk job in a company owned by the Ji family, one of the wealthiest families in the city. Unbeknownst to his coworkers, however, he has a far more important role: the fake lover of the Ji family’s young CEO, Ji Mingxuan.
Ever the perfectionist, Ji Mingxuan makes Shen Mo put on the full act, both in public and in the bedroom. Their fake relationship continues this way, until Ji Mingxuan’s sister returns from abroad with her boyfriend—Shen Mo's ex.
Once the four are reunited, the nightmares that Shen Mo has tried so desperately to escape catch up to him at last. As the lovers’ acting becomes more and more real, Shen Mo begins to learn about the things that Ji Mingxuan is keeping from him, as well as the truth of what really happened three years ago.
Only one question left:
What will become of a love founded on pretense?
Ever since an incident three years ago, art school graduate Shen Mo hasn’t been able to paint with his right hand. He’s currently working a desk job in a company owned by the Ji family, one of the wealthiest families in the city. Unbeknownst to his coworkers, however, he has a far more important role: the fake lover of the Ji family’s young CEO, Ji Mingxuan.
Ever the perfectionist, Ji Mingxuan makes Shen Mo put on the full act, both in public and in the bedroom. Their fake relationship continues this way, until Ji Mingxuan’s sister returns from abroad with her boyfriend—Shen Mo's ex.
Once the four are reunited, the nightmares that Shen Mo has tried so desperately to escape catch up to him at last. As the lovers’ acting becomes more and more real, Shen Mo begins to learn about the things that Ji Mingxuan is keeping from him, as well as the truth of what really happened three years ago.
Only one question left:
What will become of a love founded on pretense?
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Published June 25, 2021
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February 24, 2024
The twisty-est and the turny-est of plots that pulls on your heartstrings until they damn near snap.
This gives most of the asian dramas that I've seen a run for their money (and I've seen a lot). Seriously, if you're not a fan of melodrama, I would maybe reconsider this one because nearly every line is absolutely steeped in it. Like, I LIVE for the drama and even I was like "HOW MANY MORE TWISTS ARE GONNA FUCKING HAPPEN BEFORE THESE BEAUTIFUL ASSHOLES GET THEIR SHIT TOGETHER!?"
By the time the MCs actually get together, you're gonna be starved for it. BUT, if you pay attention and let yourself enjoy the slowness of the burn, the author does a pretty damn good job of dropping delicious morsels of love and fluff to keep you alive (if just barely).
Also, there's a surprising amount of angsty spice that cuts through all the sweetness and ohhhhh how very yummy it is....nom nom nom.
As far as our characters go, I adore Shen Mo but I am addicted to Ji Mingxuan - I love when a seemingly cold and aloof MC turns out to be just fucking WHIPPED. Nothing says I love you like a man that's all "I would burn the world down for you and serve it up on a silver platter, but you'll be the last to know." UGH, I LOVE IT.
I'm stuck between ratings because there are some dramatic elements to the plot (especially towards the end) that feel excessive and make me want to either scream or cry (or both) but half of me feels like that was kinda the point? And also, I think it has more to do with personal preference versus an actual plot issue so I'm just gonna halve my rating too.
Rating: 4.5 rounded up to 5!
P.S. Fair warning: the English translation for this is fairly lackluster. So, if you're planning on reading this, just know that that's something you kind of have to look past to see the story underneath. It's not a bad translation by any means; the author's intent is still there if you know what to look for - it's just more rigid and doesn't flow as well as I think it might in the original language. Who knows, the story could very well be slightly clunky in the original language too, but I don't think it's fair to dock a book's rating because some things may have been quite literally lost in translation. It's the risk we run when we choose to read translated books so, for that reason, my review is solely based on the story itself - not the actual writing.
This gives most of the asian dramas that I've seen a run for their money (and I've seen a lot). Seriously, if you're not a fan of melodrama, I would maybe reconsider this one because nearly every line is absolutely steeped in it. Like, I LIVE for the drama and even I was like "HOW MANY MORE TWISTS ARE GONNA FUCKING HAPPEN BEFORE THESE BEAUTIFUL ASSHOLES GET THEIR SHIT TOGETHER!?"
By the time the MCs actually get together, you're gonna be starved for it. BUT, if you pay attention and let yourself enjoy the slowness of the burn, the author does a pretty damn good job of dropping delicious morsels of love and fluff to keep you alive (if just barely).
Also, there's a surprising amount of angsty spice that cuts through all the sweetness and ohhhhh how very yummy it is....nom nom nom.
As far as our characters go, I adore Shen Mo but I am addicted to Ji Mingxuan - I love when a seemingly cold and aloof MC turns out to be just fucking WHIPPED. Nothing says I love you like a man that's all "I would burn the world down for you and serve it up on a silver platter, but you'll be the last to know." UGH, I LOVE IT.
I'm stuck between ratings because there are some dramatic elements to the plot (especially towards the end) that feel excessive and make me want to either scream or cry (or both) but half of me feels like that was kinda the point? And also, I think it has more to do with personal preference versus an actual plot issue so I'm just gonna halve my rating too.
Rating: 4.5 rounded up to 5!
P.S. Fair warning: the English translation for this is fairly lackluster. So, if you're planning on reading this, just know that that's something you kind of have to look past to see the story underneath. It's not a bad translation by any means; the author's intent is still there if you know what to look for - it's just more rigid and doesn't flow as well as I think it might in the original language. Who knows, the story could very well be slightly clunky in the original language too, but I don't think it's fair to dock a book's rating because some things may have been quite literally lost in translation. It's the risk we run when we choose to read translated books so, for that reason, my review is solely based on the story itself - not the actual writing.
October 6, 2025
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
I feel slghtly validated that most of the complaints I had concerning the read were the very same issues the author expressed concerns over in the Author's Note. The abrupt ending where I would have wanted more time with the couple, embracing their history. The slightly melodramatic undertones to the plot, with some plot holes wrapped too haphazardly and confusingly. 😕 The confusing shift of the past and the present, where the memories did not merge as seamlessly, nor were explained as fluidly as they could have been. It also makes me feel slightly guilty about being so critical, but I am glad the author noted that faults did lie with their portrayal. 🙂↕️
“When I look at you, I just can’t seem to move my eyes away.”
I do have to give props on how it started; you start off thinking it'll be some toxic fake dating scenario, where the jaded boss is forcing his employee into a relationship for both their mutual interests. When in fact, said boss, Ji Mingxuan is carrying secrets of his own that has him torn over how he's struggling to keep so many relationships satisfied at the risk of their own happiness - a love so tangible, it aches to care for someone you could not have. 🥺 His intentions and motivations remain unclear for a while, till it comes to light, the measure of the love he's had for Shen Mo.
There is jealousy and mystery, secrets of actions that are more dangerous than just the amnesia of a first love gone sour, where Shen Mo grapples with his own trauma of a career lost and a heart stolen, with a memory loss, leaving so much unexplained. What is interesting is to see the paths converge; how Ji Mingxuan's sister fares in their dynamic, how a heartbreaking past scorns its way forth, how family ties can be more jagged than the sharpest knife. 💔 It is the truths that yield themselves in a painstaking fashion that changes the heartbreaking into a heartwarming one. Something tainted to something pure.
“If I didn’t love you, how could you turn me on so much?”
As readers, it is painfully clear what part Ji Mingxuan played in Shen Mo's memory lapse. But, watching that epiphany unfold on Shen Mo was so very worth it - emotional and heartbreaking, a painful reminder of what he almost lost, a chance filled with regret and then the longing for what still could be. 'He had once held the man’s heart, but he had let go of it.' 😢 It's that moment when he realizes that The Missing Piece of his heart was not his memories, but a person who made those memories all the more cherished and memorable that does pull at the heart strings. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
I felt for Ji Mingxuan - true, he carried the guilt of his involvement, but the way Ji Mingxuan restrained himself from not overwhelming Shen Mo - for the feelings to then stem from something genuine and sincere. It is said absence makes the heart grow fonder and Shen Mo may have learnt it the hard way, but when they reunited. I loved how they reconnected; the hesitant yearning, but so very palpable wanting. 🥹 The breaths of desire in those heated but subtle exchanges that were a perfect balance of soft and sensual. 💓💓
“You know where my heart lies, don’t you?”...
He was already in his heart...
“I have always been yours.”
As I mentioned earlier, there was a lull in the narrative to have to see both sides of their perspectives to how their relationship came into fruition. But, it did offer an honest look into Ji Mingxuan's reserved state; how he had to shield his true nature and feelings for so very long, shrouding his love in a more hardened look, just not to scare Shen Mo away. There is shame - there is guilt; but there is also affection and caring. 🫂
The extras were a bittersweet mix of memories and moments — past and present diverge with some sweet adorable cuteness and spicy tenderness. 🥰 Brief glimpses into what could have been and potential future pairings, and even some lighthearted wishes that were fun and feisty. It tied together the story for it to end in a heartwarming and refreshing way. 💐
“If two people truly loved each other, no trick could drive them apart.”
I feel slghtly validated that most of the complaints I had concerning the read were the very same issues the author expressed concerns over in the Author's Note. The abrupt ending where I would have wanted more time with the couple, embracing their history. The slightly melodramatic undertones to the plot, with some plot holes wrapped too haphazardly and confusingly. 😕 The confusing shift of the past and the present, where the memories did not merge as seamlessly, nor were explained as fluidly as they could have been. It also makes me feel slightly guilty about being so critical, but I am glad the author noted that faults did lie with their portrayal. 🙂↕️
“When I look at you, I just can’t seem to move my eyes away.”
I do have to give props on how it started; you start off thinking it'll be some toxic fake dating scenario, where the jaded boss is forcing his employee into a relationship for both their mutual interests. When in fact, said boss, Ji Mingxuan is carrying secrets of his own that has him torn over how he's struggling to keep so many relationships satisfied at the risk of their own happiness - a love so tangible, it aches to care for someone you could not have. 🥺 His intentions and motivations remain unclear for a while, till it comes to light, the measure of the love he's had for Shen Mo.
There is jealousy and mystery, secrets of actions that are more dangerous than just the amnesia of a first love gone sour, where Shen Mo grapples with his own trauma of a career lost and a heart stolen, with a memory loss, leaving so much unexplained. What is interesting is to see the paths converge; how Ji Mingxuan's sister fares in their dynamic, how a heartbreaking past scorns its way forth, how family ties can be more jagged than the sharpest knife. 💔 It is the truths that yield themselves in a painstaking fashion that changes the heartbreaking into a heartwarming one. Something tainted to something pure.
“If I didn’t love you, how could you turn me on so much?”
As readers, it is painfully clear what part Ji Mingxuan played in Shen Mo's memory lapse. But, watching that epiphany unfold on Shen Mo was so very worth it - emotional and heartbreaking, a painful reminder of what he almost lost, a chance filled with regret and then the longing for what still could be. 'He had once held the man’s heart, but he had let go of it.' 😢 It's that moment when he realizes that The Missing Piece of his heart was not his memories, but a person who made those memories all the more cherished and memorable that does pull at the heart strings. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
I felt for Ji Mingxuan - true, he carried the guilt of his involvement, but the way Ji Mingxuan restrained himself from not overwhelming Shen Mo - for the feelings to then stem from something genuine and sincere. It is said absence makes the heart grow fonder and Shen Mo may have learnt it the hard way, but when they reunited. I loved how they reconnected; the hesitant yearning, but so very palpable wanting. 🥹 The breaths of desire in those heated but subtle exchanges that were a perfect balance of soft and sensual. 💓💓
“You know where my heart lies, don’t you?”...
He was already in his heart...
“I have always been yours.”
As I mentioned earlier, there was a lull in the narrative to have to see both sides of their perspectives to how their relationship came into fruition. But, it did offer an honest look into Ji Mingxuan's reserved state; how he had to shield his true nature and feelings for so very long, shrouding his love in a more hardened look, just not to scare Shen Mo away. There is shame - there is guilt; but there is also affection and caring. 🫂
The extras were a bittersweet mix of memories and moments — past and present diverge with some sweet adorable cuteness and spicy tenderness. 🥰 Brief glimpses into what could have been and potential future pairings, and even some lighthearted wishes that were fun and feisty. It tied together the story for it to end in a heartwarming and refreshing way. 💐
August 18, 2025
4.8
🗝️possible spoiler warnings🗝️
I'm sad this novel was a standalone! I wish it had at least two volumes. Of course, being a standalone, it was a bit fast-paced, but we did get a good backstory to answer any questions that came up at the beginning.
Shen Mo used to be a wonderful artist, but he can't paint anymore because his right hand was injured. He's in a contract relationship with Ji Mingxuan, the CEO of the Ji family's company. As fake lovers, Ji Mingxuan has Shen Mo act like his real boyfriend both at home and in public. Shen Mo's ex-lover comes back with Ji Mingxuan's sister—the ex-lover's fiancée. Shen Mo has conflicting feelings about his ex-lover; he felt abandoned by him during a traumatic event that left him with PTSD. Ji Mingxuan was head over heels for Shen Mo and started this relationship just to stay by his side, not wanting to let him go. Their relationship started out rocky but was completely consensual, and Shen Mo felt grateful towards Ji Mingxuan.
We eventually learn what happened in Shen Mo's past and how he got injured. At the time, his PTSD was so severe that he'd have illusions about his surroundings. Shen Mo's rescuer would often visit him, only to be mistaken for Shen Mo's ex-lover. This broke my heart for the rescuer, knowing he was developing feelings for Shen Mo. He always made sure Shen Mo was well-fed—Shen Mo was eating moldy bread!—and truly took care of him. The rescuer told Shen Mo he wasn't his ex-lover, but in Shen Mo's state of mind, he couldn't grasp it.
The story is so much more than what's on the surface. It’s about going through something traumatic, finding peace with what happened, and rediscovering a love for painting in a new way. It's about finding the missing pieces of your past, putting them together, and realizing your feelings were for him—for the rescuer—and not his ex. No matter how far apart these two may be, they will always be connected by a red string.
🗝️possible spoiler warnings🗝️
I'm sad this novel was a standalone! I wish it had at least two volumes. Of course, being a standalone, it was a bit fast-paced, but we did get a good backstory to answer any questions that came up at the beginning.
Shen Mo used to be a wonderful artist, but he can't paint anymore because his right hand was injured. He's in a contract relationship with Ji Mingxuan, the CEO of the Ji family's company. As fake lovers, Ji Mingxuan has Shen Mo act like his real boyfriend both at home and in public. Shen Mo's ex-lover comes back with Ji Mingxuan's sister—the ex-lover's fiancée. Shen Mo has conflicting feelings about his ex-lover; he felt abandoned by him during a traumatic event that left him with PTSD. Ji Mingxuan was head over heels for Shen Mo and started this relationship just to stay by his side, not wanting to let him go. Their relationship started out rocky but was completely consensual, and Shen Mo felt grateful towards Ji Mingxuan.
We eventually learn what happened in Shen Mo's past and how he got injured. At the time, his PTSD was so severe that he'd have illusions about his surroundings. Shen Mo's rescuer would often visit him, only to be mistaken for Shen Mo's ex-lover. This broke my heart for the rescuer, knowing he was developing feelings for Shen Mo. He always made sure Shen Mo was well-fed—Shen Mo was eating moldy bread!—and truly took care of him. The rescuer told Shen Mo he wasn't his ex-lover, but in Shen Mo's state of mind, he couldn't grasp it.
The story is so much more than what's on the surface. It’s about going through something traumatic, finding peace with what happened, and rediscovering a love for painting in a new way. It's about finding the missing pieces of your past, putting them together, and realizing your feelings were for him—for the rescuer—and not his ex. No matter how far apart these two may be, they will always be connected by a red string.
March 14, 2025
3 ⭐️
This book in one word: melodrama. If you’re familiar with C-drama’s and the way every BL webtoon is written, this is literally what this plot is. Dub-con and poor MC that has to repay the ML with his body 🙄 HOWEVER, it only starts off like this and there is much more to the story than just that.
It begins with dub-con and I immediately did not like it. I felt disgusted with Ji Mingxuan (JMX) and I was not a fan of Shen Mo (MC) because he was just putting up with everything. I don’t want to call him weak, since he was dealing a lot mentally, but I would not be putting up with 💀. I also heavily dislike Zhou Yang, he was really your basic side character that leaves the MC to have an arranged marriage with a female because of his rich and affluent family pressures. As you can see we had a rough start because I did not like anyone 💀 ZY doesn’t change though lol his character remains shallow 🤡
I think the main issue with this book is that, despite being written in third person, it feels like it’s actually in first person since the focus is on the MC’s thoughts and the way he views JMX. So it does give a bit of unreliable narrator. It’s full of misunderstandings and things aren’t really clear due to his amnesia. Despite amnesia being the main reason for this, it wasn't really clear right from the beginning. For Shen Mo as a character, his story did tug at my heart, but to be honest I don't have much to say about him. JMX on the other hand...
I was so ready to write this review hating on JMX and say you can’t force anyone to love you. He seemed like a red flag at the start because he was portrayed in the way the MC saw him. However, this man, he is the most loving person ever: patient, thoughtful and very giving. Not only to Shen Mo, but to his family members, whom he loves very dearly. The more the story developed, we find out everything he did for Shen Mo, I really came to appreciate him. He still has his flaws of course, but he wasn’t as bad as I thought he was 💀
I also really liked JMX’s sister, Ji An’an. Again, I didn't like her at first because she seemed like a spoilt brat and I thought she’d be a shallow villain who was naive and made things difficult for no reason. She wasn’t like this at all. When JMX reflects on the talk he had with his sister, it is definitely one of the best moments in this book. Reflecting growth:
In terms of overall story, I really hated the start but came to love the middle when the past was revealed, and then the ending when they confronted their feelings. I’m dumb, but after everything was revealed, I did feel a little confused on the timeline and when certain points of the plot played. The first extra made things clearer and is also very important since it gives things from JMX’s POV too. On the whole, the extras weren’t awful.
It’s really not a bad story but is a pretty chill read if you just want to read a modern danmei that you can finish quickly. If you’re into C-drama’s / K-drama’s and reading BL webtoons that have that generic melodramatic trope, then you’ll love this. Probably my least favourite sort of genre / trope to read but it didn’t play out as badly as I was expecting :)
Other than the story, other issues:
There were 3 typos / errors on page 4 and then another one on a later page. I don’t really mind things like this since it’s not majority of the book, but having 3 errors on one page, like come on now, who is proofreading this 💀 It was like they were translating this on their phone and had autocorrect do the work. It’s just disappointing when the quality of the book is great, yet it’s so expensive and the inside work is noticeably sloppy in some places. I believe this didn’t help with my first impression of the book but the rest of it is fine.
As for flow of the story / translation which is mentioned in other reviews. I don’t think it was that bad. I can’t comment on original translation since I don’t know Chinese, but I did notice a few sentences which could have been phrased better. For example:
“She had been the one… who had broken up him and Zhou Yang”
Probably would’ve been phrased better as: “She had been the one who had caused him and Zhou Yang to break up”
This book in one word: melodrama. If you’re familiar with C-drama’s and the way every BL webtoon is written, this is literally what this plot is. Dub-con and poor MC that has to repay the ML with his body 🙄 HOWEVER, it only starts off like this and there is much more to the story than just that.
It begins with dub-con and I immediately did not like it. I felt disgusted with Ji Mingxuan (JMX) and I was not a fan of Shen Mo (MC) because he was just putting up with everything. I don’t want to call him weak, since he was dealing a lot mentally, but I would not be putting up with 💀. I also heavily dislike Zhou Yang, he was really your basic side character that leaves the MC to have an arranged marriage with a female because of his rich and affluent family pressures. As you can see we had a rough start because I did not like anyone 💀 ZY doesn’t change though lol his character remains shallow 🤡
I think the main issue with this book is that, despite being written in third person, it feels like it’s actually in first person since the focus is on the MC’s thoughts and the way he views JMX. So it does give a bit of unreliable narrator. It’s full of misunderstandings and things aren’t really clear due to his amnesia. Despite amnesia being the main reason for this, it wasn't really clear right from the beginning. For Shen Mo as a character, his story did tug at my heart, but to be honest I don't have much to say about him. JMX on the other hand...
I was so ready to write this review hating on JMX and say you can’t force anyone to love you. He seemed like a red flag at the start because he was portrayed in the way the MC saw him. However, this man, he is the most loving person ever: patient, thoughtful and very giving. Not only to Shen Mo, but to his family members, whom he loves very dearly. The more the story developed, we find out everything he did for Shen Mo, I really came to appreciate him. He still has his flaws of course, but he wasn’t as bad as I thought he was 💀
I also really liked JMX’s sister, Ji An’an. Again, I didn't like her at first because she seemed like a spoilt brat and I thought she’d be a shallow villain who was naive and made things difficult for no reason. She wasn’t like this at all. When JMX reflects on the talk he had with his sister, it is definitely one of the best moments in this book. Reflecting growth:
“She was much wiser than me, wasn’t she? I was wrong right from the beginning.”
In terms of overall story, I really hated the start but came to love the middle when the past was revealed, and then the ending when they confronted their feelings. I’m dumb, but after everything was revealed, I did feel a little confused on the timeline and when certain points of the plot played. The first extra made things clearer and is also very important since it gives things from JMX’s POV too. On the whole, the extras weren’t awful.
It’s really not a bad story but is a pretty chill read if you just want to read a modern danmei that you can finish quickly. If you’re into C-drama’s / K-drama’s and reading BL webtoons that have that generic melodramatic trope, then you’ll love this. Probably my least favourite sort of genre / trope to read but it didn’t play out as badly as I was expecting :)
Other than the story, other issues:
There were 3 typos / errors on page 4 and then another one on a later page. I don’t really mind things like this since it’s not majority of the book, but having 3 errors on one page, like come on now, who is proofreading this 💀 It was like they were translating this on their phone and had autocorrect do the work. It’s just disappointing when the quality of the book is great, yet it’s so expensive and the inside work is noticeably sloppy in some places. I believe this didn’t help with my first impression of the book but the rest of it is fine.
As for flow of the story / translation which is mentioned in other reviews. I don’t think it was that bad. I can’t comment on original translation since I don’t know Chinese, but I did notice a few sentences which could have been phrased better. For example:
“She had been the one… who had broken up him and Zhou Yang”
Probably would’ve been phrased better as: “She had been the one who had caused him and Zhou Yang to break up”
February 2, 2023
This book came to me and my friend's conversation a few days ago, and I thought, why not buying this? I love danmei, but I usually read the wuxia version of danmei.
This is a first contemporary danmei I have ever tried. And I wasn't disappointed.
Missing Piece was about trauma, memory lost and most of all, the unconditional love from someone who wasn't supposed to be there in the first place. Mr. Ji Mingxuan.
His dedication and his love for Shen Mo who thought and called him as someone else, but still, he's taking care of him, was heartbreaking.
But he knew he can't blame Shen Mo for his memory lost and his PTSD about what happened in the past.
It's a quiet story, a heartbreaking yet a heartwarming romance between the two.
An exceptional romance despite of the mediocre English translation.
This underappreciated book is worth my time.
Recommended.
This is a first contemporary danmei I have ever tried. And I wasn't disappointed.
Missing Piece was about trauma, memory lost and most of all, the unconditional love from someone who wasn't supposed to be there in the first place. Mr. Ji Mingxuan.
His dedication and his love for Shen Mo who thought and called him as someone else, but still, he's taking care of him, was heartbreaking.
But he knew he can't blame Shen Mo for his memory lost and his PTSD about what happened in the past.
It's a quiet story, a heartbreaking yet a heartwarming romance between the two.
An exceptional romance despite of the mediocre English translation.
This underappreciated book is worth my time.
Recommended.
July 7, 2025
I’ve had my copy since 2023, and looking back, I lowkey regret letting it sit unread for so long. This book isn’t the most flawless novel out there, but what it lacks in polish, it more than makes up for with pure emotional weight. I went in with low expectations, but I ended up crying real tears. 貌合神离 lingers. The kind that makes you pause and reread lines because they hurt just right. And for all its imperfections, it meant something to me. It made me feel. And I believe that’s more than enough.
Ji Mingxuan loves Shen Mo with a quiet intensity that truly broke me. His love is patient, undemanding, and so selfless it borders on painful. When he gave Shen Mo the key to the villa and waited—waited without pushing, without anger—it completely shattered me. He was willing to be someone else, to hide his own heart, just so Shen Mo wouldn’t be alone. That’s not just love. That’s devotion.
“He had long since learned that apart from himself, no one would come to his rescue. But what if he couldn’t rescue himself? If so… If so, he would still have Mr. Ji.” And that passage alone made the entire book worth reading. I have a certain fondness for characters who are trying to be strong despite the things that happened or are happening to them. Shen Mo’s side is equally heartbreaking. After everything he endured—trauma, betrayal, the loss of his body, his identity—he still tried to move forward. He developed PTSD and was forced to survive in silence. And somehow, he still had the strength to choose love in the end.
I also want to honor Ji An’an, a truly kind soul. Her death was one of the quietest heartbreaks in the story, and yet she never placed blame where others might have. May she rest in peace. Ji Ning is growing with full of love, and I'm sure he'll be someone great too.
“Their eyes met, and the world was silent… But Ji Mingxuan seemed to feel that only now did the rain that had lingered in his heart truly stop.” I'm so glad they had another chance, that they found each other again. I wouldn't know what to do otherwise.
Ji Mingxuan loves Shen Mo with a quiet intensity that truly broke me. His love is patient, undemanding, and so selfless it borders on painful. When he gave Shen Mo the key to the villa and waited—waited without pushing, without anger—it completely shattered me. He was willing to be someone else, to hide his own heart, just so Shen Mo wouldn’t be alone. That’s not just love. That’s devotion.
“He had long since learned that apart from himself, no one would come to his rescue. But what if he couldn’t rescue himself? If so… If so, he would still have Mr. Ji.” And that passage alone made the entire book worth reading. I have a certain fondness for characters who are trying to be strong despite the things that happened or are happening to them. Shen Mo’s side is equally heartbreaking. After everything he endured—trauma, betrayal, the loss of his body, his identity—he still tried to move forward. He developed PTSD and was forced to survive in silence. And somehow, he still had the strength to choose love in the end.
I also want to honor Ji An’an, a truly kind soul. Her death was one of the quietest heartbreaks in the story, and yet she never placed blame where others might have. May she rest in peace. Ji Ning is growing with full of love, and I'm sure he'll be someone great too.
“Their eyes met, and the world was silent… But Ji Mingxuan seemed to feel that only now did the rain that had lingered in his heart truly stop.” I'm so glad they had another chance, that they found each other again. I wouldn't know what to do otherwise.
June 6, 2024
Another heart rending and deeply romantic danmei. It's difficult to explain the plot without spoilers, but this a tale of unconditional love and devotion, and I adored it. While the main story wraps up about 2/3 of the way through, there's a plethora of extras that help with some unanswered questions, and provide some really nice sexy and sweet moments.
December 25, 2025
"An'an said that only two people who love each other should be together, and the person who's not loved... can only let go."
The Missing Piece by Kun Yi Wei Lou is an emotional journey that’s as much about what’s said as what’s left unsaid. Shen Mo and Ji Mingxuan’s story is like piecing together a puzzle where every fragment reveals something raw, tender, and deeply human.
Shen Mo, haunted by his past and weighed down by regrets, feels like a character you want to simultaneously hug and shake. His quiet turmoil contrasts beautifully with Ji Mingxuan, who brings a sense of calm and stability, yet hides his own complexities. The way their personalities collide and intertwine feels so natural, making their evolving relationship a highlight of the book.
The pacing might feel a little slow for readers expecting constant drama, but it allows the characters’ emotions to settle in and take root. The flashbacks, though occasionally heart-wrenching, add layers to Shen Mo’s character and provide vital context for his struggle to move forward.
The Missing Piece isn’t just about romance—it’s about rebuilding, finding acceptance, and learning to let go. It’s an intricate, quiet tale that rewards patience with a deeply satisfying emotional payoff. If you enjoy character-driven stories where love is the thread that stitches fractured lives back together, Shen Mo and Ji Mingxuan’s story is one you won’t forget.
Date Read: 2024.11.25
Re-read: 2025.11.21
The Missing Piece by Kun Yi Wei Lou is an emotional journey that’s as much about what’s said as what’s left unsaid. Shen Mo and Ji Mingxuan’s story is like piecing together a puzzle where every fragment reveals something raw, tender, and deeply human.
Shen Mo, haunted by his past and weighed down by regrets, feels like a character you want to simultaneously hug and shake. His quiet turmoil contrasts beautifully with Ji Mingxuan, who brings a sense of calm and stability, yet hides his own complexities. The way their personalities collide and intertwine feels so natural, making their evolving relationship a highlight of the book.
The pacing might feel a little slow for readers expecting constant drama, but it allows the characters’ emotions to settle in and take root. The flashbacks, though occasionally heart-wrenching, add layers to Shen Mo’s character and provide vital context for his struggle to move forward.
The Missing Piece isn’t just about romance—it’s about rebuilding, finding acceptance, and learning to let go. It’s an intricate, quiet tale that rewards patience with a deeply satisfying emotional payoff. If you enjoy character-driven stories where love is the thread that stitches fractured lives back together, Shen Mo and Ji Mingxuan’s story is one you won’t forget.
Date Read: 2024.11.25
Re-read: 2025.11.21
February 14, 2025
I'm not sure what to make of this one. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't exactly this. I wasn't expecting shady BL (BL turbio as I call this kind of story in Spanish XD), with characters who take very questionably decisions regarding to their love interest. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with that kind of story, I've read a lot of those in manga format, and not only BL, but also shoujo manga, but for me this is the kind of story that works better as a manhua rather than a novel. Or maybe it was the writing style or the translation, I don't know, but the way the story was told was partly dull, partly weird.
The plot was also weird and the timeline very confusing. And then there's all that lack of comunication that was absolutely infuriating (and a bit ridiculous). I was expecting one of them was emotionally constipated, that's usual in this kind of story, but really
The main story ends at 68 %, the rest are extras which didn't do much for me either. The one with Ji Mingxuan POV
The plot was also weird and the timeline very confusing. And then there's all that lack of comunication that was absolutely infuriating (and a bit ridiculous). I was expecting one of them was emotionally constipated, that's usual in this kind of story, but really
The main story ends at 68 %, the rest are extras which didn't do much for me either. The one with Ji Mingxuan POV
Read
August 15, 2025Honestly what a beautiful beautiful book 😭 for the first few chapters I was kind of confused about what's going on? but then I literally binge read it in a day.
so our MC(Shen Mo) is pretending to be the ML's lover as repayment for the ML saving him from something, and MC's ex comes back along with ML's sister (they went abroad 3 years ago), there's a lot of drama and then the MC realises that ML is far more connected to him than he realises...(won't spoil it tooo much because you really really need to read it to feel the emotions, will just give a hint that it's unrequited love & so so much pining).
MC is a gentle man and such a hopeless lover:( I really felt so bad for the time when he went through depression after the traumatic incident that happened to him.🥹
ML is such YEARNER tho! at first I misunderstood his character and thought he was responsible behind whatever happened to MC, but nooooo the ML is just a good man who's so much in love with the MC that it's crazy!😭
p.s - I genuinely loved the extras so much, we had our MC connecting with his parents, we had the ML turning to a cat, we had the MC time travel a bit?!?!?!
all in all this was a good read.
I do have complains that it got a bit slow at start, but it did make up towards the middle.😌
so our MC(Shen Mo) is pretending to be the ML's lover as repayment for the ML saving him from something, and MC's ex comes back along with ML's sister (they went abroad 3 years ago), there's a lot of drama and then the MC realises that ML is far more connected to him than he realises...(won't spoil it tooo much because you really really need to read it to feel the emotions, will just give a hint that it's unrequited love & so so much pining).
MC is a gentle man and such a hopeless lover:( I really felt so bad for the time when he went through depression after the traumatic incident that happened to him.🥹
ML is such YEARNER tho! at first I misunderstood his character and thought he was responsible behind whatever happened to MC, but nooooo the ML is just a good man who's so much in love with the MC that it's crazy!😭
p.s - I genuinely loved the extras so much, we had our MC connecting with his parents, we had the ML turning to a cat, we had the MC time travel a bit?!?!?!
all in all this was a good read.
I do have complains that it got a bit slow at start, but it did make up towards the middle.😌
October 18, 2021
Bộ trước của tác giả này “Phàm tâm đại động” mình đã dnf, nhưng không lẽ mua rồi mà lại không đọc, nên mình lại nhảy hố Khốn Ỷ Nguy Lâu tiếp.
Truyện này không tệ, ý tứ không đến mức nhàm chán và thường thường cho lắm, nhưng tác giả viết dở quá. Thật sự ngược thì ngược không tới mà sủng thì sủng cũng hơi non tay.
Ưu điểm lớn nhất của truyện này là nó ngắn, rất ngắn, đọc 2h là xong, 10đ cho sự gãy gọn của tác giả. Mà chắc mai mốt thấy tên tác giả này thì bỏ qua quá, giống Lục Dã Thiên Hạc :)))))))
Truyện này không tệ, ý tứ không đến mức nhàm chán và thường thường cho lắm, nhưng tác giả viết dở quá. Thật sự ngược thì ngược không tới mà sủng thì sủng cũng hơi non tay.
Ưu điểm lớn nhất của truyện này là nó ngắn, rất ngắn, đọc 2h là xong, 10đ cho sự gãy gọn của tác giả. Mà chắc mai mốt thấy tên tác giả này thì bỏ qua quá, giống Lục Dã Thiên Hạc :)))))))
June 16, 2025
3 ⭐️ It started out well, but the writing (or perhaps the translation?) declined in quality in the second half of the book. Still I enjoyed the story and the extras.
January 31, 2023
Finally done reading The Missing Piece! I spent longer than I expected because there were A LOT of extras. Main story was short but the extras expanded it. I wondered why the author didn’t just include the extras in the main story; but I understood why after reading the afterword.
Now for the story, I like it actually. Initially, based on the synopsis, I thought it would be another messed up story. But it ended up being a good read. Not much angst, I only felt it one specific part. Though there weren’t much character development and plots happened too suddenly, like reading a danmei fairytale; however, I enjoyed reading it. The pace was too fast in the first few chapters, and my emotions had a hard time catching up, but the pace slowed down afterwards. I especially like the ending.
For the translation and the texts, there are a few errors here and there, and a couple of mistranslations. I’m not even sure if it was a mistranslation but there was one part where the sister gave the brother a hard kiss?? And then some lines made it sound like it was set in an omegaverse. 😐
Overall, this is a good short novel to read. If you’re looking for something to read while on a flight or while traveling, I think this would be perfect.
//edit
Okay, I just finished listening to the audio drama and all I can say is that the English translations weren’t able to carry over the emotions as it should have. The audio drama was perfect. It’s a 5/5 for me. Lines in the original Chinese texts brought me so much emotions. The English version could have been better with the right choice of words. After listening to the audio drama, I can confidently say this wasn’t well translated. Maybe they did their best, but it wasn’t enough. So I deducted one star.
Now for the story, I like it actually. Initially, based on the synopsis, I thought it would be another messed up story. But it ended up being a good read. Not much angst, I only felt it one specific part. Though there weren’t much character development and plots happened too suddenly, like reading a danmei fairytale; however, I enjoyed reading it. The pace was too fast in the first few chapters, and my emotions had a hard time catching up, but the pace slowed down afterwards. I especially like the ending.
For the translation and the texts, there are a few errors here and there, and a couple of mistranslations. I’m not even sure if it was a mistranslation but there was one part where the sister gave the brother a hard kiss?? And then some lines made it sound like it was set in an omegaverse. 😐
Overall, this is a good short novel to read. If you’re looking for something to read while on a flight or while traveling, I think this would be perfect.
//edit
Okay, I just finished listening to the audio drama and all I can say is that the English translations weren’t able to carry over the emotions as it should have. The audio drama was perfect. It’s a 5/5 for me. Lines in the original Chinese texts brought me so much emotions. The English version could have been better with the right choice of words. After listening to the audio drama, I can confidently say this wasn’t well translated. Maybe they did their best, but it wasn’t enough. So I deducted one star.
July 31, 2024
I finally got around to opening the Kindle app again and finishing the ending "Extras" of the book. I discontinued for a long while but it was not due to it being bad; sometimes I just go through phasing of not reading at all. Reading the last bit reminded me of what really hooked me. Despite the beginning being rough with the main character seeming like a pushover, the plot being confusing because of time skipping, I quickly ended up loving the romance. I think the translation is a bit awkward and some of the scenes skip forward so fast when you think there will be more time spent giving details. I got really choked up at many parts and shed tears over the heartache and misunderstandings between the two characters. Overall, very good read. I can definitely see myself re-reading this one because of how short it is too.
November 30, 2021
So, this is an official translated Chinese queer romance. Ever since the start of the pandemic and since discovering the Untamed, I have been a sucker for the genre (danmei). So, when I discovered that this had been translated, I wanted to give it a try because I would to see more novels translated and published.
However. I can't tell if it's the translation itself or if the author doesn't really have a great gift for writing, but... reading this was not very pleasant.
The plot is ridiculous and the love interest is emotionally constipated and there is memory loss and lots of misunderstandings. So. I should have loved this.
But. The writing was so simplistic (language wise) and ODD that I just couldn't enjoy this. Also, if it is due to the translation being mediocre then this is doing the original author a great disservice.
However. I can't tell if it's the translation itself or if the author doesn't really have a great gift for writing, but... reading this was not very pleasant.
The plot is ridiculous and the love interest is emotionally constipated and there is memory loss and lots of misunderstandings. So. I should have loved this.
But. The writing was so simplistic (language wise) and ODD that I just couldn't enjoy this. Also, if it is due to the translation being mediocre then this is doing the original author a great disservice.
February 12, 2024
El primer capítulo me enganchó al instante, es una historia muy bonita y está bien escrita el romance es perfecto y la manera en la que enlaza la historia el autor es realmente fantástica.
En ciertos momentos definititivamente me pusieron a tirar mi corazón y no contuve las lágrimas, pero puedo decir con total certeza que lo disfruté a plenitud.
La historia es genial y emocionante, los personajes te atrapan, aprendes su historia, es realmente genial y emocionante y definitivamente hace honor a su nombre por que vas armando pieza por pieza con la historia de los personajes con lo que sucedió en un momento inicial de la historia.
Otra cosa que me gusta es que se ven varias perpectivas de los personajes y como ellos logran trasmitrite la emoción de su historia y se enlazan todas para tener el final hermoso que te brinda el autor.
Una historia corta directa y llena de emociones la forma en que esta escrita realmente te absorve en la lectura y no puedes parar!!! ...
Shen mo (shou) a pesar de todo sale adelante y como Ji Mingxuan (gong) hace todo por el con tanta paciencia y munuciosidad, con solo la único deseo de recibir su amor es realmente bellísimo y la relacion que construyen a persar de todo realmente retribuye al lector y te deja desando más...
Pero las novelas cortas son así... por eso dejan una huella en el lector, definitivamente la recomiendo!.
En ciertos momentos definititivamente me pusieron a tirar mi corazón y no contuve las lágrimas, pero puedo decir con total certeza que lo disfruté a plenitud.
La historia es genial y emocionante, los personajes te atrapan, aprendes su historia, es realmente genial y emocionante y definitivamente hace honor a su nombre por que vas armando pieza por pieza con la historia de los personajes con lo que sucedió en un momento inicial de la historia.
Otra cosa que me gusta es que se ven varias perpectivas de los personajes y como ellos logran trasmitrite la emoción de su historia y se enlazan todas para tener el final hermoso que te brinda el autor.
Una historia corta directa y llena de emociones la forma en que esta escrita realmente te absorve en la lectura y no puedes parar!!! ...
Shen mo (shou) a pesar de todo sale adelante y como Ji Mingxuan (gong) hace todo por el con tanta paciencia y munuciosidad, con solo la único deseo de recibir su amor es realmente bellísimo y la relacion que construyen a persar de todo realmente retribuye al lector y te deja desando más...
Pero las novelas cortas son así... por eso dejan una huella en el lector, definitivamente la recomiendo!.
January 23, 2025
"Those who wore matching rings weren’t necessarily lovers. Those who lay on the same bed didn’t necessarily know each other’s hearts. They slept together yet dreamed of different things."
March 6, 2025
Read this only if you're capable of enjoying a story without overthinking details (basically just turn off your brain and let's go for a ride) or simply if you like k-dramas and c-dramas.
Although the translation was a bit awkward, it wasn't so bad as some other reviews say? 🤔 It is indeed a risk you take once you choose to read something translated...
I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did but the drama fan in me loved every single minute. At some point I thought it became ridiculous and I did find some plot holes but hey, as soon as I turned off my brain, like I said in the beginning, I couldn't put it down.
It's very light, very short, just a volume so it's easy to read and I became very invested in Shen Mo and Ji Mingxuan's story. My heart broke for both of them but for different reasons. I was looking at the wall in disbelief because of some secondhand embarrassment and I may have squealed a bit at some romantic parts too. I still have to read the extras but usually extras don't affect the overall opinion of the plot so it's fine like this.
Although the translation was a bit awkward, it wasn't so bad as some other reviews say? 🤔 It is indeed a risk you take once you choose to read something translated...
I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did but the drama fan in me loved every single minute. At some point I thought it became ridiculous and I did find some plot holes but hey, as soon as I turned off my brain, like I said in the beginning, I couldn't put it down.
It's very light, very short, just a volume so it's easy to read and I became very invested in Shen Mo and Ji Mingxuan's story. My heart broke for both of them but for different reasons. I was looking at the wall in disbelief because of some secondhand embarrassment and I may have squealed a bit at some romantic parts too. I still have to read the extras but usually extras don't affect the overall opinion of the plot so it's fine like this.
December 26, 2023
3.5 stars ⭐
Amnesia trope, and also 100 pages of extras after the story finished.
Amnesia trope, and also 100 pages of extras after the story finished.
July 26, 2025
At first glance, it seemed like just another cliché: a poor main character rescued by a wealthy love interest— who now gets food, shelter, a job, a fake marriage, and even sex. But the story evolved into something much deeper and more meaningful than what we first expected. The plot gradually unfolds into something richer.
Our main character, Shen Mo, has endured incredible trauma. Once a hopeful painter, his dreams were shattered after being abducted and beaten badly to the point of breaking his hand into pieces. Now struggling with PTSD, his life feels like it's come to a halt.
At first, Ji Mingxuan—the man he ends up living with—is easy to hate. There’s tension, misunderstandings due to a lack of communication, and a lot of emotional weight between them. Eventually, despite their hidden feelings, they part ways in a painful breakup. But as the story progresses, we come to see Ji Mingxuan’s true heart—how deeply he loves Shen Mo and how much he has always cared for him but chose to never express it due to Shen Mo's past.
Shen Mo manages to heal on his own and begins painting again (with his opposite hand), driven by a single promise he made years ago: to one day paint Ji Mingxuan. Years later, a chance encounter while on vacation brings that promise back to life. They came across one another.
Old feelings resurface, truths are shared, and the weight of the past is finally lifted. What started as a relationship built on necessity slowly transforms into a genuine love and a shared future.
“Only one question left: What will become of a love founded on pretense?”
Our main character, Shen Mo, has endured incredible trauma. Once a hopeful painter, his dreams were shattered after being abducted and beaten badly to the point of breaking his hand into pieces. Now struggling with PTSD, his life feels like it's come to a halt.
At first, Ji Mingxuan—the man he ends up living with—is easy to hate. There’s tension, misunderstandings due to a lack of communication, and a lot of emotional weight between them. Eventually, despite their hidden feelings, they part ways in a painful breakup. But as the story progresses, we come to see Ji Mingxuan’s true heart—how deeply he loves Shen Mo and how much he has always cared for him but chose to never express it due to Shen Mo's past.
“He was already in his heart. No paint stroke in this world would be able to recreate him.”
Shen Mo manages to heal on his own and begins painting again (with his opposite hand), driven by a single promise he made years ago: to one day paint Ji Mingxuan. Years later, a chance encounter while on vacation brings that promise back to life. They came across one another.
Old feelings resurface, truths are shared, and the weight of the past is finally lifted. What started as a relationship built on necessity slowly transforms into a genuine love and a shared future.
“Someone was waiting for him.”
March 8, 2025
3.5 stars- Modern danmei with a love triangle, an amnesiac MC, and a lot of miscommunication. The plot is ridiculous and too convoluted to easily summarize but it was pretty fun in a soap opera sort of way. I kept wondering why Shen Mo was so emotionally constipated and stuck in a daze but once it was revealed that he was suffering from both PTSD and a traumatic brain injury he made a lot more sense. Ji Mingxuan is a spoiled little rich boy but I liked how devoted he was to Shen Mo.
CWs: abduction, torture, medical content, homophobia, outing, death, chronic illness, panic attack, off-page pregnancy
CWs: abduction, torture, medical content, homophobia, outing, death, chronic illness, panic attack, off-page pregnancy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2025
3.75 stars
I saw in someone else’s review that this is a perfect story for a trip or a short amusement. And I wholeheartedly agree. It wasn’t a special story but it wasn’t bad either. The translation felt a bit wonky and contradictory at times and I’m sure some things got mixed up.
Anyway it was fun to see the glimmers of the ML’s affection when the MC stubbornly chose to not see them at all.
There was one extra about a side character I’m still puzzling about. It didn’t add anything to the plot or the main couples’ story and I was asking myself if they were supposed to be characters of their own book.
Anyway, this story was perfect as a short Sunday read.
I saw in someone else’s review that this is a perfect story for a trip or a short amusement. And I wholeheartedly agree. It wasn’t a special story but it wasn’t bad either. The translation felt a bit wonky and contradictory at times and I’m sure some things got mixed up.
Anyway it was fun to see the glimmers of the ML’s affection when the MC stubbornly chose to not see them at all.
There was one extra about a side character I’m still puzzling about. It didn’t add anything to the plot or the main couples’ story and I was asking myself if they were supposed to be characters of their own book.
Anyway, this story was perfect as a short Sunday read.
June 1, 2025
it's too corny
★: 2.75
★: 2.75
July 9, 2024
Their eyes met, and the world was silent.
The start of spring had just passed. The weather was especially good that day, with no clouds in the sky for miles. But Ji Mingxuan seemed to feel that only now did the rain that had lingered in his heart truly stop.
july 9, 2024 reading update: comforting as always 🤍
2 january 2024: i wanted to start off the new year with a reread of the most comforting love story i read of 2023. the writing was absolutely stunning , and the non-linear timelines made ji mingxuan & shen mo’s relationship hit harder seeing how fate played out.
what made me deciding to have this be my first read of 2024 even better is being reminded that the new year holiday is very special for these two. the first they spend together is under false pretenses, but carries all of ji mingxuan’s love & tenderness for shen mo the same. the second new years, they’re finally at peace and can sink into each other without any lingering shadows. in the third, they stand side by side as fireworks ring out in shen mo’s childhood home, which he had once been ousted from.
princess ji is a hopeless romantic who will go above & beyond for shen mo and shen mo does the same. their story means a lot to me, so i hope that just how the new year became a special time for them, that this one can mean something good for me, as well 🤍
original review:
ji mingxuan just loves shen mo so much 😭😭 and shen mo loves him just the same, they will never be apart again
i had picked up this story on a whim, something that sounded vaguely interesting. when i started at the beginning, so much of what i felt was awkward was exactly what i guessed in that it really was done on purpose. it was meant to illustrate a lot of the gaps & holes that lied in shen mo’s memory and just how many missing pieces there were to the story of his past after experiencing a traumatic event.
this is a trope in storytelling i find very compelling but here, it wasn’t like we were dealing with a psychological thriller or horror; no gut-wrenching action or high-stakes drama (if you put aside the kidnapping plot….)
this is a love story.
it was…the most gentle & comforting love story i’ve read this year. and i’ve read a lot :’) shen mo & ji mingxuan’s infatuation with each other just absolutely sent me over the moon so….i have been duped, it seems. very grateful for goodreads revealing this story to me when i had the least expectations for it, and now it’s one of my all-time favorites haha
i think a word of note, i have to say, is that this really did feel like such beautiful writing. the more the story went on, the more the narration flowed easily and it was because it felt like a reflection of shen mo’s healing journey.
his love for painting and the quiet yet burning presence of ji mingxuan was something that elevated that journey to the point where i felt really emotional; it was so so well-done.
i loved how much the author indulged in the bonus extras in the end as so much of the canon story was flickering between past & present, but now we got to see the future. and it was very silly and bright and even ridiculous, but it also sentimental and it was them. i have a huge soft spot for this couple and the little family they create, they’re very special to me.
this book has become special to me, which is a pleasant surprise, so i look forward to more rereads in the future.
content warnings:
major: sexual content, injury/injury detail, and depiction of post-traumatic stress disorder (including memory loss)
moderate: kidnapping & torture, medical content, and exploration of grief
minor: loss of a loved one (d/t a heart condition)
The start of spring had just passed. The weather was especially good that day, with no clouds in the sky for miles. But Ji Mingxuan seemed to feel that only now did the rain that had lingered in his heart truly stop.
july 9, 2024 reading update: comforting as always 🤍
2 january 2024: i wanted to start off the new year with a reread of the most comforting love story i read of 2023. the writing was absolutely stunning , and the non-linear timelines made ji mingxuan & shen mo’s relationship hit harder seeing how fate played out.
what made me deciding to have this be my first read of 2024 even better is being reminded that the new year holiday is very special for these two. the first they spend together is under false pretenses, but carries all of ji mingxuan’s love & tenderness for shen mo the same. the second new years, they’re finally at peace and can sink into each other without any lingering shadows. in the third, they stand side by side as fireworks ring out in shen mo’s childhood home, which he had once been ousted from.
princess ji is a hopeless romantic who will go above & beyond for shen mo and shen mo does the same. their story means a lot to me, so i hope that just how the new year became a special time for them, that this one can mean something good for me, as well 🤍
original review:
ji mingxuan just loves shen mo so much 😭😭 and shen mo loves him just the same, they will never be apart again
i had picked up this story on a whim, something that sounded vaguely interesting. when i started at the beginning, so much of what i felt was awkward was exactly what i guessed in that it really was done on purpose. it was meant to illustrate a lot of the gaps & holes that lied in shen mo’s memory and just how many missing pieces there were to the story of his past after experiencing a traumatic event.
this is a trope in storytelling i find very compelling but here, it wasn’t like we were dealing with a psychological thriller or horror; no gut-wrenching action or high-stakes drama (if you put aside the kidnapping plot….)
this is a love story.
it was…the most gentle & comforting love story i’ve read this year. and i’ve read a lot :’) shen mo & ji mingxuan’s infatuation with each other just absolutely sent me over the moon so….i have been duped, it seems. very grateful for goodreads revealing this story to me when i had the least expectations for it, and now it’s one of my all-time favorites haha
i think a word of note, i have to say, is that this really did feel like such beautiful writing. the more the story went on, the more the narration flowed easily and it was because it felt like a reflection of shen mo’s healing journey.
his love for painting and the quiet yet burning presence of ji mingxuan was something that elevated that journey to the point where i felt really emotional; it was so so well-done.
i loved how much the author indulged in the bonus extras in the end as so much of the canon story was flickering between past & present, but now we got to see the future. and it was very silly and bright and even ridiculous, but it also sentimental and it was them. i have a huge soft spot for this couple and the little family they create, they’re very special to me.
this book has become special to me, which is a pleasant surprise, so i look forward to more rereads in the future.
content warnings:
major: sexual content, injury/injury detail, and depiction of post-traumatic stress disorder (including memory loss)
moderate: kidnapping & torture, medical content, and exploration of grief
minor: loss of a loved one (d/t a heart condition)
December 24, 2021
I thought this was an interesting danmei. I read it because of the tropes - I love fake dating, sleeping with the enemy, dub-con sex, but the plot was weak in this novel. Most of the climax happened in a flashback, which wasn't fun to read. The main story is like 60% of the nove, while the rest is extra. I haven't read the extras. The sex didn't make sense, and it wasn't very well written either.
Still, it was entertaining.
Still, it was entertaining.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2024
3-3.5. Sweet story with some heartbreaking moments. Writing felt a little clunky at times but is possibly due to the translation.
July 7, 2023
Acá les dejo lo que escribí en Facebook cuando termine de leer esta novela
The missing piece by 困倚危楼
Otros títulos: 貌合神离，Mao he Shen li
Capítulos: 10 + extras
MC y ML andan en una relación falsa
Este nomas me lo compre por ser el primer libro que saco traducido la editorial Víalactea jajajaja nunca pensé que algún día llegaría a ser fan de una editorial de libros 😵 bueno pero no es mi culpa, quien les manda a ellos firmar muchos libros de mi señora 😔👊🏼 seguramente me seguiré comprando los ebooks que saquen 🕴y libro físico solo si son de mi señora obvio 🥺💖 hasta eso me tarde 3 días en terminar entonces aunque solo sean "10 capítulos" pues si están muy largos 🤧
✨sobre la historia✨ (trataré de no dar spoiler)
Pues en si la pareja está junta desde el primer momento, lit los primeros párrafos del primer capítulo es de ellos con el 🚗
La novela tiene una buena cantidad de 🚗 pero no te llega a fastidiar, tiene lo necesario gracias por tanto 🤝🏼
A pesar de estar juntos ninguno es feliz 🤧 hay muchos malentendidos y suposiciones entre ellos
Además de que MC todavía sigue traumado con su ex él cual ahora está comprometido con la hermana de ML
La hermana de ML a pesar de ser una mujer de familia adinerada mimada no fastidia 🤩 y hasta sientes penita por ella noooo me hubiera gustado verla feliz 😭😭
El ex de MC? Caca fuera de aquí ni me aprendí tu nombre a pesar de que fue mencionado 179101veces en la novela jajaja
Bueno en fin no se como hablar de una historia cuando no estoy dando spoilers ayuda pero es una historia entretenida y cuando arreglan todo es muy dulce, hay un poquito de angts que personalmente me dolio pero no como para llorar solamente sientes como penita? Pero el final es HE entonces todo bien
También está buena para releer ya sabiendo todo el trasfondo so algún día lo volveré a leer 🤝🏼
The missing piece by 困倚危楼
Otros títulos: 貌合神离，Mao he Shen li
Capítulos: 10 + extras
MC y ML andan en una relación falsa
Este nomas me lo compre por ser el primer libro que saco traducido la editorial Víalactea jajajaja nunca pensé que algún día llegaría a ser fan de una editorial de libros 😵 bueno pero no es mi culpa, quien les manda a ellos firmar muchos libros de mi señora 😔👊🏼 seguramente me seguiré comprando los ebooks que saquen 🕴y libro físico solo si son de mi señora obvio 🥺💖 hasta eso me tarde 3 días en terminar entonces aunque solo sean "10 capítulos" pues si están muy largos 🤧
✨sobre la historia✨ (trataré de no dar spoiler)
Pues en si la pareja está junta desde el primer momento, lit los primeros párrafos del primer capítulo es de ellos con el 🚗
La novela tiene una buena cantidad de 🚗 pero no te llega a fastidiar, tiene lo necesario gracias por tanto 🤝🏼
A pesar de estar juntos ninguno es feliz 🤧 hay muchos malentendidos y suposiciones entre ellos
Además de que MC todavía sigue traumado con su ex él cual ahora está comprometido con la hermana de ML
La hermana de ML a pesar de ser una mujer de familia adinerada mimada no fastidia 🤩 y hasta sientes penita por ella noooo me hubiera gustado verla feliz 😭😭
El ex de MC? Caca fuera de aquí ni me aprendí tu nombre a pesar de que fue mencionado 179101veces en la novela jajaja
Bueno en fin no se como hablar de una historia cuando no estoy dando spoilers ayuda pero es una historia entretenida y cuando arreglan todo es muy dulce, hay un poquito de angts que personalmente me dolio pero no como para llorar solamente sientes como penita? Pero el final es HE entonces todo bien
También está buena para releer ya sabiendo todo el trasfondo so algún día lo volveré a leer 🤝🏼
September 21, 2025
i’m just…immensely moved. i expected just a silly messy love drama and by how the first half was going it sort of did seem like that…then i got to the part where the past was unveiled and my heart came to be really touched by it, as the theretofore known moments simultaneously gained a whole new angsty meaning and put characters in a different light. all the complicated emotions as well as gradually falling in love were so palpable. the depiction of ptsd and shen mo’s journey of perceiving the world around him after the incident felt authentic and deeply hurt. all i needed from the ending was the reconnecting filled with the long-waited intimacy and i’m glad the author delivered exactly that
it was a totally unplanned read btw found out about this book randomly on twitter but hey the only real things in life are the unexpected things 🙏
it was a totally unplanned read btw found out about this book randomly on twitter but hey the only real things in life are the unexpected things 🙏
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2021
Succint, heart-warming and a little bit of nostalgia all wrapped up in the warm glow of the sunset.
A quiet story without any pretenses (pun-intended) that remains resolute in its gentleness like a spring breeze.
A wonderful read that had me finish the whole thing in one sitting. The characters are mature and well rounded and the conflicts are never out of touch with their lived experiences. The story starts off with quite the scene but it doesn't deter from the main theme of the story which remains nuanced and deep, and in fact it adds another layer of complexity to the story when everything is revealed. Overall a good and worthwhile read, one that'll have you smile at the end.
Sidenote: The ML Ji Mingxuan is absolutely adorable when he's jealous. I adore him and Shen Mo so much.
A quiet story without any pretenses (pun-intended) that remains resolute in its gentleness like a spring breeze.
A wonderful read that had me finish the whole thing in one sitting. The characters are mature and well rounded and the conflicts are never out of touch with their lived experiences. The story starts off with quite the scene but it doesn't deter from the main theme of the story which remains nuanced and deep, and in fact it adds another layer of complexity to the story when everything is revealed. Overall a good and worthwhile read, one that'll have you smile at the end.
Sidenote: The ML Ji Mingxuan is absolutely adorable when he's jealous. I adore him and Shen Mo so much.
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