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Before My Withering • Before It Shrivels • 枯萎之前
“Nobody likes an old plaything.”
“It’s not like, it’s love.”
Translator’s Summary:
Xiao Yu was a beta turned omega, who loved an Alpha named Qu Shi with all his heart and soul, offering his body in exchange for his warmth. This love, however, was exploited by Qu Shi as his greatest weapon to trample him. The moment Xiao Yu lost everything because of this harboured feelings, he broke himself free from the chain that bound him, after all, there was only so much he could take before his entirety slowly shrivelled to dust.
“It’s not like, it’s love.”
Translator’s Summary:
Xiao Yu was a beta turned omega, who loved an Alpha named Qu Shi with all his heart and soul, offering his body in exchange for his warmth. This love, however, was exploited by Qu Shi as his greatest weapon to trample him. The moment Xiao Yu lost everything because of this harboured feelings, he broke himself free from the chain that bound him, after all, there was only so much he could take before his entirety slowly shrivelled to dust.
Webnovel
Published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 13, 2025
“These days, I’ve been thinking about how to say that I love you so that I can convince you that love has nothing to do with sympathy or possession. It may not make sense to you, but I love you.”
Woah, didn't expect to like it as much! I have my share of scum gongs which I fairly enjoyed a lot especially the wife chasing arc and the redemption arc, but I didn't expect for Xiao Yu to end up with another gong. Because that's not so typical with this kind of trope. At first, I was reluctant to accept that but Zhou Chen really set the bar high and so proper, it overshadowed my fondness for the pathetic scum gongs. I am not saying Zhou Chen is a pure gentle gong, he is definitely dark and twisted in his own ways. He has underhanded and questionable behaviors especially with that childhood revelation. But I admit, it made me like him more.
Xiao Yu... is a really amazing. Very cunning also. He appears to be weak but can be really strong if he puts his mind into it. I'm so glad for him to finally find some peace. He's still young and has so much to see. And if you really read between the lines, he is not as innocent as people sees him. He is also quite manipulative, and I love that for him.
I've seen people saying to prepare a lot of tissues for this one so I was really expecting it to be very angsty. I mean, it is angsty but it didn't make me cry. I am not holding it against others, okay? But I was a bit disappointed, maybe I expected too much. BUT I like it. Although a bit cliche and with some of the irritating moments, like how Wen Ziqing acted at the last chapters, like?! I feel like the author tried to squeeze him in out of effort. There are also a lot of holes and ambiguous revelations that didn't get to be explored properly. They're always getting brushed off by Xiao Yu not wanting to pry within other people's affairs but how about the affairs that are connected to him, like his late beta father? The book really has the potential but as you can see, there's a lot to point out.
At the end of the day, I still enjoyed reading this one. I think I will never forget this one despite everything I've complained about because there's really some striking thoughts and sentences inside. The extras also struck something inside me. And I hope Xiao Yu and Zhou Chen get to live until their hair becomes grey.
Woah, didn't expect to like it as much! I have my share of scum gongs which I fairly enjoyed a lot especially the wife chasing arc and the redemption arc, but I didn't expect for Xiao Yu to end up with another gong. Because that's not so typical with this kind of trope. At first, I was reluctant to accept that but Zhou Chen really set the bar high and so proper, it overshadowed my fondness for the pathetic scum gongs. I am not saying Zhou Chen is a pure gentle gong, he is definitely dark and twisted in his own ways. He has underhanded and questionable behaviors especially with that childhood revelation. But I admit, it made me like him more.
Xiao Yu... is a really amazing. Very cunning also. He appears to be weak but can be really strong if he puts his mind into it. I'm so glad for him to finally find some peace. He's still young and has so much to see. And if you really read between the lines, he is not as innocent as people sees him. He is also quite manipulative, and I love that for him.
I've seen people saying to prepare a lot of tissues for this one so I was really expecting it to be very angsty. I mean, it is angsty but it didn't make me cry. I am not holding it against others, okay? But I was a bit disappointed, maybe I expected too much. BUT I like it. Although a bit cliche and with some of the irritating moments, like how Wen Ziqing acted at the last chapters, like?! I feel like the author tried to squeeze him in out of effort. There are also a lot of holes and ambiguous revelations that didn't get to be explored properly. They're always getting brushed off by Xiao Yu not wanting to pry within other people's affairs but how about the affairs that are connected to him, like his late beta father? The book really has the potential but as you can see, there's a lot to point out.
At the end of the day, I still enjoyed reading this one. I think I will never forget this one despite everything I've complained about because there's really some striking thoughts and sentences inside. The extras also struck something inside me. And I hope Xiao Yu and Zhou Chen get to live until their hair becomes grey.
February 15, 2022
3.56/5
I was hesitant to pick it up since mpreg isn’t my thing but still did anyways because the cover is gorgeous and of course “angst/tragedy” tag. It’s so much drama after drama, still a good read. It’s everything I wish toxic novels turned out to be like. The mc leaves the abusive first ml and finds themself to love someone who loves them and cherishes them.
I was hesitant to pick it up since mpreg isn’t my thing but still did anyways because the cover is gorgeous and of course “angst/tragedy” tag. It’s so much drama after drama, still a good read. It’s everything I wish toxic novels turned out to be like. The mc leaves the abusive first ml and finds themself to love someone who loves them and cherishes them.
October 17, 2022
I thought it would be more angsty but we come in on the tail end of the abusive relationship so we don't really see him withering, he's basically already there and wants to escape. We don't get to see his love slowly turn to despair, we start at the despair. And then there's a new love interest right away who comforts him. So just not what I was hoping for.
Summary: Xiao Yu has been together with Qi Shu for three years and the entire time Qi Shu treats him like a toy that he bought. He has multiple other partners, he doesn't want to hear about Xiao Yu's personal life and he verbally and physically abuses Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu's love has completely dried up by this point and a final straw and the help of a new love interest help him escape.
Summary: Xiao Yu has been together with Qi Shu for three years and the entire time Qi Shu treats him like a toy that he bought. He has multiple other partners, he doesn't want to hear about Xiao Yu's personal life and he verbally and physically abuses Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu's love has completely dried up by this point and a final straw and the help of a new love interest help him escape.
December 17, 2025
Picking this up depends on your state of mind: like you probably wouldn't like it on a regular day, but if you were feeling particularly down and want to vent, you'd look at this differently. The first 13 chapters or so were torture, because MC was in an abusive relationship. Then the rest of the novel is about healing. The author threw in some cliche parts near the end, but meh.
Spoiler alert:
Spoiler alert:
May 7, 2022
Quite short with only 40+ chapters but I quite like it! It was a very satisfying read. There were angst, but the angst was just like a speck of dust for me. Hahaha. Maybe ‘coz I have read too many novels with much more angst than this.
October 16, 2023
Please prepare a box of tissues, the story is short but so wholesome. Warning for those who are triggered by violence and mental, emotional abuse, this is what most of the book is about and then overcoming. Other than that, I highly recommend 👌!
March 14, 2022
the potential was there
June 3, 2022
Torn between 3 and 4... I like the angst but i think there's some plothole... Ngl tho, i kinda want him and Qi Shu xD
April 29, 2023
Rating: 3/5- wasn’t a dramatic as the comments stated.
It’s an okay read that’s quite enjoyable. I liked it.
It’s an okay read that’s quite enjoyable. I liked it.
October 11, 2025
I thought it was going to be a wife chasing novel but I was happy with the ending. Glad the MC got his happy ending.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews