Rose and Renaissance#1

Rose and Renaissance #1

by Zhichu, MS Xia Meiling (Translator)

Please do not order before the publication date to avoid getting the wrong version of the book. Kids make choices, Adults make love. --Rose and Renaissance
Cool and alpha to his core, playboy Xia Xiqing has everyone fooled with that angelic face of his, but he just had to give the game away in front of his idol and reveal his true colors⁠-and so Xia Xiqing's first encounter with his idol backfired on him and ruined his chances. Xia I like you a lot. Zhou stay-away-from-me.jpg However, Xia Xiqing beautiful face appearing for just three seconds in the audience of a press conference leads to his debut as Zhou Ziheng's foremost fan, and he, together with his idol, gets on the trending list, gets on a reality show, and gets on... That's right, it's exactly as you think. But it's not quite what Xia Xiqing thinks it to be. At first, he think he's hooked up with the unrivaled alpha of the entertainment industry, but it's only after he strips away the latter's public persona that he finds out that Zhou Ziheng is a naive and innocent tsundere. He thought he has gotten an "I bedded my idol" script, but in the end, it turns out to be a script of "my idol bedded me." How... stimulating. *lights up cigarette* Xia I thought you didn't like me at all. What's with all this hugging and clinging? Zhou Well, I take it back.
Xia Xiqing goes idol-chasing at a public event just once, and it results both in him going viral and also in everything immediately backfiring on him as his true colors get revealed to his idol, thus belying his angelic appearance. After his overnight explosion of fame, Xia Xiqing and his idol, Zhou Ziheng, end up on an escape room reality show together, going head-to-head in an intense game of wits and accepting each other's true selves as they go through this game within a game. Behind the push and pull of flirting and refusing to be seduced are the myriad warnings of changed minds and reluctant enjoyment. This story is set in the entertainment industry, and a big highlight of the narrative is the brain-melting script of the reality program, full of problem-solving and suspenseful challenges. Both protagonists hide behind many masks, wearing public personas that contradict their true selves, which results in satisfyingly tense interactions between the two of them. Family backgrounds and dependent personalities are explored in this novel, as well as the emotional relationship between the savior and the one who is saved. The narrative is immersed common knowledge from both academic STEM disciplines and fine arts disciplines, using ascetic physics principles to express emotions and displaying in full the unique romance that arises from the confluence of science and art.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, LGBT, Modern, Novels

324 pages, Paperback

Published July 15, 2023

About the author

Associated Names:
* 稚楚 (Chinese)
* Zhichu (English)
* จื้อฉู่ (Thai)

Reviews

[V.ya · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

An interesting dynamic between Xia Xiqing, a self-appointed scumbag, and Zhou Ziheng, a "moral role model". ZZH had a bad first impression of XXQ and is wary of XXQ's two-face behavior. That doesn't hold XXQ back. He sees it as a challenge and continues to pester ZZH in different ways that made ZZH flustered.

I've seen from the get-go that there's more to Xia Xiqing than the uncaring scumbag he portrays. As the story progresses, we get glimpses to his heartbreaking past, the soft heart he hides behind the cold facade, and how he's affected by ZZH's protectivenes and instinctively yearns toward the only "luminous" source in his dark life.

Compared to the boundless night sky, the light of one star is very faint. But as long as the star continues to shine, it is not pure darkness.

It’s also satisfying to see ZZH slowly change in his attitude towards XXQ, though he often doesn't realize it himself. I was sometimes mad at his prejudice, but I guess it's understandable in their current relationship. I'm glad to see a significant shift in him by the end of this book.

It takes both courage and patience to hug a rose.
I know that the thorns will get stuck in my skin, that they'll insert themselves into my veins, but it's okay. Just give me a minute, I'll pull them back out. These pains are only temporary.
But I still want to hug that rose.
-- from the back cover


> entertainment business & art
> escape room reality show
> enemies-to-lovers (more like dislike to love)
> traumatic past
> non-con kissing

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a shameless MC. I know a lot of people don’t like Xi Xiqing but for some reason I did 😬. I feel like there is a lot more to his story and can’t wait to find out. This is a four book series. MC is beautiful and docile looking/acting but “bad”. He’s an artist from a rich family and the ML is his idol. ML is a famous actor and their first encounter he overhears the “real” MC on a phone call and dislikes him immediately.

Forced proximity
Slow burn enemies to lovers
Dealing with past trauma

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy read with Bunny, Jasmine & thewhelmedlife!

As is often the case with Light or Web Novel style books, it's more difficult to rate a single instalment on its own as opposed to the series as a whole. I am also more partial to historical and fantasy settings and showbiz isn't necessarily a favourite of mine either. As such, I was a little more skeptical going into this one and ultimately only picked it up due to friends recommending it. The result is that I had a really good time with this first volume! Although I confess, I never quite understood why people ship non fictional characters such as celebrities. This subject is also touched on in this series and it was amusing to read and it certainly didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story, however, I still don't see the appeal of it.

Although a little slow to start, I really enjoyed the escape room aspect. Much like the characters, it almost started to feel like they were truly looking for a killer as opposed to playing a puzzle solving game. From there on, the pacing is pleasant and, while I don't really like the present tense, the writing [as far as a translation allows to judge] flows nicely.

The most important part are the characters though. Xia Xiqing, an artist and practiced liar, gets thrown together with his idol Zhou Ziheng who with his serious and goodie-two-shoes nature is his complete opposite. Opposites attract is usually a fun element in romance stories and the push and pull between them is well done. Neither wants to fall for the other albeit for different reasons, watching them gradually do so anyway makes this a fun romance. I have to say that neither of our leads is necessarily a likeable character - Xia Xiqing is deceitful and Zhou Ziheng too judgmental, but we can see that there's more to their behaviour and I look forward to seeing what's behind it all in future instalments, especially Xia Xiqing.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Maybe the story picks up more in book 2, because right now I’m not really connecting with either character. The dynamic feels forced and too one-sided, with the MC pursuing the ML despite his clear lack of interest. Still, I’m curious to see where it goes.

[࣪ ִֶָ☾.⋆˚࿔ ִֶָ. Althea ᥫ᭡. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Honestly I feel very conflicted on what to rate this novel 😭

I loved the escape room arc, I'm very much a sucker for intelligent characters and it was a lot of fun reading. Makes me miss unlimited flow novels since I haven't read one in a while.

As for characters they're definitely not the most likeable people which is where my conflict in rating comes from. I understand Xiqing's character but at the same time I don't excuse him for his acts 😭😭

I feel like if there was more of a build up of Xiqing's character background from the start, many readers would probably feel more empathy and emotional connection from him. It was very subtly implied at the beginning with the mention of family disputes and became more prominent towards the end. It did make me feel sad 🥺

"He tries and tries, but no one really loves him" 😭😭

This volume focuses on their relationship and is very much push and pull. Xiqing doesn't feel love but lust, and Ziheng shows interest due to his beauty but is very much reluctant. Xiqing just harasses the poor guy and since Ziheng's interest pretty much stays the same throughout the whole volume. Idk how to feel about their chemistry 😭😭😭😭😭 The author definitely wrote it with this intention so I'm not mad about it.

I see the potential in development. I'm interested in Xiqing's character and how the author will write it out 💞

[NiaKantorka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure how to rate this yet. It’s very entertaining but also feels a bit erratic to me.

[Rose ✧⁎⁺ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5☆

“I am not asking you to trust me." His pupils, dark as the abyss, exude sweet temptation. "I am asking you to use me”

“You'll always be my suspect.”

the tension is killing me I need them to get together already

[kay! ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

“"You will always be a suspect in my heart.”

THE TENSION?????? HELLO????

rtc <3

——————

i was so excited to read this but i ended up feeling very eh about this whole volume. however, i don’t want to judge too harshly since i knew the mtl was bad and hard to understand. i’m def going to reorder the physical copies and pray that they ACTUALLY arrive so i can reread this.


i loved lovely allergen & fanservice paradox so i need to read this again with proper translation to give it a fair chance!!!


hopefully vol 1 & 3 does not get lost in the mail…again… 😭

[Iulia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It pains me to give this such a low score, and if it wasn't for the ending, it probably would've been a 2*.

The writing itself wasn't bad, this is Zhichu after all. What bothered me are actually the main characters.

Xia Xiqing isn't actually so bad. He's obviously an insecure boy who hides behind a playboy persona and I already liked him because of his appearances in BE Demon blah blah, you know the novel. Speaking of it, I loved how Xu Qinchen and Xia Zhixu had cameos here, my pookies. What bothered me was actually the way he saw Zhuo Zicheng as a prize he wants to sleep with - sure, it was in-character with his playboy persona, but after being rejected so many times, you should get a clue. Oh well, this is a novel. We all know it's gonna work out in the end but I was still thinking about how annoying this would be in real life.

As for Zhou Zicheng... He pissed me off so much that I almost wanted to DNF this hahaha. Although he looks like a big alpha (literally the words of the author, not even mine), he's actually a pure 20 yo boy. He can't handle XXQ's antics and it makes him look like a prejudiced prick. He painted an image of him in his head that isn't favorable at all and he keeps acting as if he knows everything about XXQ. Thankfully for him, XXQ seems to like the chase, but still - I didn't like all those judgy looks and thoughts and so he annoyed me almost the whole book. By the end of it, he starts to be less of an asshole so ig the future looks brighter?

Idk if I'll continue reading it right now, but knowing I paid 100 euros for the series it better start getting good or I'll be very angry. I do trust Zhichu though, so let's see how it goes.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8 even though I was in a reading slump I truly enjoyed volume! The MC is so shameless and I love it!!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5, this was so entertaining! Xia Xiqing is shameless but oh, so funny and Zhou Ziheng can get so flustered but the next second he leaves Xia Xiqing speechless. The intrigue and attraction is there from the start and their chemistry flows in a way that makes the tension feel real.

They're both in denial about how much each feels for the other and reading XX trying to convince himself that he's only after the ZZ for the "victory of the chase" and ZZ saying to himself that it's still "not too late" to not get too tangled up with XX is hilarious given how affected both of them are by basically just sharing space. ZZ is jealous of anyone who talks to XX and XX's heart skips a beat whenever ZZ says somethig even remotely flirty; gone, they're both so gone even if they don't know it yet. I loved how he changed his "ideal type" answer given ZZ always trying to help him whenever there's darkness.

ZZ's default mode being "protect" whenever something happens around XX is so sweet to see. I'm curious about how XX's traumas are going revealed (it already looks bad and makes me want to beat his parents) and how ZZ will react as he peels away XX defences. I can't wait to start the next volume!

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twenty-five-year-old Xia Xiqing is a charismatic artist and son of a rich CEO who finds himself at a fan event for an actor he admires, Zhou Ziheng. There, he makes a bad first impression on the younger man, who overhears Xiqing rejecting a lover over the phone and instantly pegs him as a two-faced lecher (which isn't entirely incorrect). That's unfortunate though, as Xiqing goes viral for his looks after being captured at the fan event, so Ziheng's manager wants to capitalize on that popularity by pairing Xiqing with Ziheng on an escape room reality show. Thrilled by the prospect of chasing someone who despises him, Xiqing agrees -- as does Ziheng, begrudgingly. As they begin filming along with their three other co-stars, the two polar opposites learn they're more compatible than they thought (and their growing fanbase agrees). The more time they spend together, the more they realize their first impression was wrong, causing their relationship to morph into something unexpected.

The official plot description does not do the story justice. When I first read it, I was expecting a cutesy, funny read with characters that, although perhaps not flat, may have been portrayed with a more singular focus. That is not this book at all (at least, not the first installment). Xia Xiqing suffered physical and emotional abuse while growing up and so never lets anyone get close to him. He maintains an easy-going and flirtatious persona to keep people at arms length while burying his pain and channeling it into his art. But he finds himself struggling to keep up the facade around Zhou Ziheng, who's actually incredibly smart but is somewhat naive and aloof due to underdevelopment of his socialization skills. However, both male leads are adept at wearing masks.

The reality show filming takes up a good chunk of the novel, and while Xiqing and Ziheng have to assume their assigned roles, ironically, that's when they're able to glimpse each other's hidden depths. Off-camera, Xiqing makes his attraction to Ziheng known, and the latter rebuffs him time and again. But as their black-and-white impressions are slowly colored in with each small revelation, Xiqing's shallow lust begins to deepen, and Ziheng's disgust transforms into a desire to protect -- as well as something richer. I was shocked at the solemnity and character depth in this first book, and I'm intrigued to see how the relationship between these two seemingly diametric individuals evolves, especially with both being in the public eye.

[Queens Love Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I think aesthetics are inherently personal; if they become normalized, the world will be less interesting.”




I couldn’t stop reading Rose and Renaissance, which is funny because I barely took any notes—something I usually do without fail. The book has that smooth, addictive flow that pulls you in without realizing how far you’ve gotten. The mix of showbiz glam and emotional slow-burn gives it a really modern, polished vibe, and the tension between the leads is gripping. But as much as I loved the experience, I have to admit it feels like this volume is all setup. There’s heat, friction, and a few threads that hint at deeper conflict, but not much actually happens yet.

Xia Xiqing is messy in a way that makes you want to keep watching, even if you’re not sure how to feel about him. Zhou Ziheng plays the straight man—calm, careful, composed—but right now, he hasn’t come fully into focus. The chemistry is there, more in charged glances and impulsive moments than anything romantic. It’s not love—it’s tension. And that tension is the real hook. It’s sharp, a little off-balance, and sometimes rides the line of discomfort, especially in scenes where physical boundaries blur a little too easily. It’s deliberate, but it won’t work for everyone.

The supporting characters are present, but they don’t really stand out yet. Most of them serve to reflect the leads or nudge the story forward when needed. That matches the tone of the book—it leans into subtle tension and emotional push-pull rather than dramatic reveals or plot-heavy twists. If you're hoping for fast pacing or clear direction, this might feel like it's dragging. But if you enjoy character-focused stories with slow, charged build-up and a strong emotional undercurrent, it’s easy to get swept along. I just hope the next volume starts to move things forward in a bigger way.

Date Read: 2025.07.29

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first non-historical danmei and also my first time buying a book from this publisher. This is gorgeous. The covers are matte (I'm not gonna be bothered about it, matte covers are harder to maintain but man they feel so soft), my beloved French flaps are here, the flyleaf matches the deep red of the cover with golden threads. There's even glossy bits and gold foil stamping. Even the layout of the pages inside are so pretty. We are being spoiled. I did damage to my wallet getting all 4 volumes at once, with the freebies, and I regret nothing.

It has all the things I like: banter and sometimes cutting humour, a younger gong, escape room shenanigans, pining, and a lot of trauma thrown in for good measure. I just had to read it.

- The prose could be better. The pov goes from one character to the next in the same scene, which can be confusing in some parts. I understand that doing this helps keep the flow going + a huge part of the draw here is the public vs private persona the two main characters have so it helps to have other people looking at them from the outside. But also it's not usually done because readability.

- The sentences sound awkward sometimes, but that could be a translation issue. not saying the translation is bad because Idk what the og is like, but more of there are things like tone and usage that might be harder to translate in English and the translator might have gone for a more direct approach that I wouldn't appreciate reading in English.

- There's really not a lot of subtlety here. Zhi Chu is not shy about telling us exactly how the characters are feeling.

That said, I had all the emotions while reading. I love stories that explore fandom culture (which is why SVSSS is my beloved), and Zhi Chu delivers in spades. The online humour and fangirl enthusiasm was so fun to see. The push and pull between the two is also too good 🥹 When Zhou Ziheng was all

'He's already aware of the consequences of having feelings for Xia Xiqing.

He can still get out if he wants to. It's not too late.'

Boy I felt it. Oh he's holding himself back. Oh the wanting to protect.

Also the pacing is actually pretty good. There was a bit where Zhou Ziheng and Xia Xiqing end up accidentally bumping into each other and the description of this single dust mote floating in the air like a jellyfish was really good, drawing out the tension and also very visual.

Why do I need to work and stop reading 🥹 (it's to pay for those 4 volumes, bro)

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite character archetype is the traumatized bottom who thinks he's not deserving of genuine love and affection, and therefore self-sabotages and presents himself as a promiscuous slut as a means to drive people away so they don't end up hurting him. Guess what type of character Xia Xiqing is? Exactly that. So I feel like I had zero chances of outright hating this novel.

And honestly I loved it. Xia Xiqing feels like he could be a polarizing character but I clocked into his traumatic past right from the get-go, even if we don't get the full story yet in this first volume, and so I just felt protective of him instead of annoyed. You get some honesty and vulnerability from him towards the end of the volume, and it's heartbreaking to see him act so resigned when it comes to love. Zhou Ziheng, on the other hand, is an absolute hoot. Not in the sense that he says a lot of funny things, but the dissonance between his words plus thoughts (he doesn't like Xia Xiqing, no way!) and his actions (he saves Xia Xiqing and gets upset when Xia Xiqing attributes it to his morals and not his growing affection) is hilarious to read about.

The beginning half of the volume with the recording for the escape room might get a little bit tedious here and there but I liked it, generally! I grew up reading Dan Brown novels because I was always craving the random bits of knowledge and trivia in them, and I like how Zhichu is able to weave that into the narrative via the puzzles in the rooms. (And, apparently, they really are quite good at arts and sciences knowledge, even with their other works!)

I kept the other volumes sealed specifically so that I wouldn't start reading ahead or peeking into the last two volumes and spoil myself. I'm so excited to see how Zhou Ziheng will finally break into Xia Xiqing's prickly shell.

As an aside, it's so hellishly hard to get your hands on a proper publisher edition of Via Lactea's licenses, especially since I live in Asia. I spent a pretty good chunk of money on this series to get the final releases but they're really worth it. The quality of the paper and printing, the little details on each page - they all make for a gorgeous physical book.

[Bunnyb · Rating 3 out of 5]

อ่านฉบับแปลภาษาไทย ใช้ชื่อ Rose and Renaissance เหมือนกัน
เรื่องนี้แปลไทย 4 เล่มจบ

ตัวเอกมีสองคน คือ "เซี่ยสีชิง" อายุ 25 เป็นสายรุก หน้าตาสวยมาก
สูง 183 ครอบครัวฐานะร่ำรวย ตัวเองก็รวยมาก แต่ขาดความอบอุ่น
แม่ตายไปแล้ว พ่อมีเมียใหม่ลูกใหม่ เซี่ยสีชิงเป็นศิลปิน ในเล่มแรกนี่เน้นวาดรูป
เค้าบังเอิญไปชอบรูปร่างที่สวยเตะตาศิลปินอย่าง "โจวจื้อเหิง" ก็เลยตามเป็นแฟนคลับ
มีวาดรูปโจวจื้อเหิงลงเว่ยป๋อด้วย

ด้านนิสัยที่ให้สามดาวสำหรับเล่มแรกเพราะเรื่องนี้เลย เข้าใจแหละว่า
เซี่ยสีชิงเป็นคนมีปมเพราะพื้นฐานมีปัญหาตั้งแต่เด็ก แต่เล่มแรกนักเขียนไม่ได้เล่าอะไรมาก
บอกแค่ผ่านๆ (คงจะเก็บไปเล่าเล่มอื่น) พอเห็นนิสัยเค้าในเล่มนี้เลยยังไม่ปลื้ม
เป็นคนที่ชอบใครก็มีอะไรกัน แต่ถ้าอีกฝ่ายมีท่าทีจะจริงจัง เค้าจะรีบชิ่งไป
ตอนเจอพระเอกก็เต๊าะเล่นๆ ตลอด สรุปคือสภาพจิตไม่ค่อยปกติ 😁

ส่วน "โจวจื้อเหิง" อายุ 20 ยังเรียนมหาวิทยาลัยอยู่ แต่ก็เป็นนักแสดงด้วย
โจวจื้อเหิงสูง 192 อ่อนโยนกับแฟนคลับ ไม่ใช่คนช่างพูด ออกแนวรู้กาลเทศะมากกว่า
เล่มแรกยังไม่บอกพื้นฐานครอบครัว ตอนแรกที่เจอกันเค้ามองว่าเซี่ยสีชิงเป็นคนไม่ดี
เล่มแรกเลยแทบไม่มีเคมีกันเลย คนนึงรังเกียจ ไม่อยากปฏิสัมพันธ์ด้วย
อีกคนก็ชอบแหย่ เห็นเค้าหงุดหงิดแล้วสนุก

แล้วสองคนนี้ต้องมาออกรายการเรียลลิตี้โชว์ด้วยกัน เป็นประเภทเข้าห้องลับ
ไขปริศนา รายละเอียดเกี่ยวกับรายการนี้เล่ายาวอยู่ ถ้าคนชอบเกมประเภทนี้คงสนุก
แต่ตัวเองไม่ค่อยชอบ

เล่มนี้มีตัวละครอื่นโผล่มาบ้าง แต่บทบาทไม่เยอะ เน้นคู่หลัก
สรุป เล่มแรกอ่านได้แบบเฉยๆ ไม่ได้รู้สึกประทับใจอะไร
แต่คิดว่าเล่มต่อๆ ไปพอรู้รายละเอียดมากขึ้นคงดีขึ้น ถ้านักเขียนปูแบ็คกราวน์
ให้เซี่ยสีชิงมากกว่านี้ตั้งแต่เล่มแรกคงจะอินมากกว่า
จะได้เข้าใจว่านิสัยเค้าเป็นแบบนี้เพราะอะไร 🤔

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: 4.5 ⭐️

I always forget how danmei books give the feels.
The push-pull relationship between two leads is amazing to read with a lot of tension and slow burn thrown in especially when they hid behind their public persona due to the entertainment industry.

I do like the concept that both leads are equal in their own way and does not give in to the other. And polar opposites as one is in STEM and the other is in fine arts bringing two very different personalities together

Onwards to the next book!

[Benji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t know how I feel about the story overall yet. I’m looking forward to Xia Xiqing getting some character depth since he’s mostly been an asshole so far, Zhou Ziheng is long-suffering (and too tolerant)

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

At some point I started this as an in between of my current reads, thinking I'd maybe read one chapter between my other stack. Admittedly I also wasn't sure how I'd like this because the style of the narrative itself was strange to me. Then somewhere in the mix of book one it started to feel weirdly like a MDZS modern AU and also kind of not, if that makes any sense.

As the story went with the first volume, I found myself DEEPLY invested with Xia Xiqing and Zhou Ziheng and the characters they grew to be. I think in the now where everything is towards the end of book one I will likely plow through this series. Though I am a bit scared because things seem to be going so well. LOL I can only wait and see what kind of drama awaits given how fixed they are with their social medias.

Also, if you like modern day stories, I would actually HIGHLY recommend this series. :)

[Shizunthirst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Xia Xiqing is genuinely one of the most complex, intriguing characters I've read. I truly adore him and how much he grows throughout the series. Volume 1 gives us some sneak peeks at his true self behind the persona he puts on, and leaves us excited to find out more in the next volume.

[Trolldemodia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roses and Renaissance is a modern entertainment industry looking into the lives of Artist Playboy MC Xia Xiqing and Movie star/idol ML Zhou Ziheng. The story looks into the relationship between the two that develops after Xia Xiqing attends a press conference for an upcoming film starring Zhou Ziheng. This one off interaction quickly evolves as Xia Xiqing is invited to be a part of the same variety show set in an escape room with Zhou Ziheng as his fellow survivor. With perceptions of each other already made from their first meeting, and in a highly negative way, it dives into how Xia Xiqing can rebuild his image in the eyes of Zhou Ziheng and maybe even defrost his own frozen heart.

I really loved this first volume. The initial dynamic between Xia Xiqing and Zhou Ziheng really fascinated me. I enjoyed watching the mental chess Xia Xiqing would be playing between his public image and what he sees as his real personality, especially as we got deeper into the game section of the show where he was on display for all. The use of the murder mystery and escape room elements made for an interesting way for them to interact, be suspicious but also build trust in each other. Realizing later the importance of Xia Xiqing sharing his hidden fear of the dark later in the stories was masterfully done! Having the occasional insight into Zhou Ziheng’s mind was also a really lovely addition, especially as Xia Xiqing can be described as somewhat of an unreliable narrator. His trauma, high opinion of himself and his intelligence and negative opinion of himself can often taint his perception of reality during this story. Especially during the escape room, I often found myself assuming one thing and realizing that my assumptions based on his narration were as incorrect as his own. Which I know some would find frustrating, however I really enjoyed that element. I also enjoyed the hints of secrets and elements to explore further in the future stories. such as what caused the trauma for Xia Xiqing and why does he feel unworthy of love, how long will Zhou Ziheng last and what will come next for their escape room show. All of these things have me wanting to see more of the development and struggles that are in store for our grump black cat MC and his secret Golden Retriever ML!

Overall I’m giving this one a 5/5. I will definitely be reading this one again! Especially the escape room as some of the twist and turns were just *chefs kiss* and I really want to experience it now knowing some of the twists. This was my first ever entertainment industry Danmei and it was a fun introduction, I wasn’t sure it was going to be my vibe so was happy to be proven wrong. The ending had me curious about so many elements and I honestly could not wait to jump into the next volume! If you enjoy Playboy Shou and Cold Cool gong, murder mystery puzzles, enemies to lover vibes, fake personalities and only their lover knowing the real them, then I highly recommend this one for you!

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know what the world needs more of? More modern danmei officially translated into English. Like, tell me why of all the 10 danmei series I've read so far, ONLY 2 - Guardian and Little Mushroom (well, 3 if you include this one) are set in the modern (or futuristic) world? Everything else is historical

Listen, there's nothing particularly wrong with the historical xianxia/wuxia danmei that we continue to get. However, these stories tend to be character- and plot-heavy, with some complicated politics - so many things to keep track of. Modern setting danmei offer a bit of a palate cleanser. They allow your brain to rest from all the details.

Ok, now on to the actual review....,
I freaking loved this. We have enemies-to-lovers (even though the enmity is rather one-sided), opposites attract, forced proximity, humor, smart characters, and just enough angst to tug on your heart but not completely wreck it.

🌹Xi Xiqing - I've seen some people say they dislike him but I loved him. In a way, his attitude reminds me of Yan Wushi, from Thousand Autumns - he thought he was all that, only to end up falling for his 'mark'. He might be an asshole, but at least he is an honest asshole. I like that his true self was revealed to Zhou Ziheng before they were thrust together, and things (feelings) started complicating things

🎭Zhou Ziheng - Our righteous hero who's utterly confounded by the enigma that is Xi Xiqing. It's so fun seeing his struggle with his complicated feelings and attraction towards Xi Xiqing. He knows the latter is an asshole but cannot help being drawn to the layers that he keeps uncovering about him. He also cannot stop thinking about how good he looks (and smells?), which infuriates and confuses him further. It's so fun to witness

Aside from the characters, I like how this book lets me feel like I'm getting a peek into celebrity and idol culture, shipping culture, as well as Chinese social media. I've been a fan of Asian content for the past 4/5 years, and what I've learned is that fan culture on that side of the world is wild. It's kinda cool to see the things I come across on social media depicted in a book as well as what celebrities might do/think as they see themselves discussed online

Sidenote: Whenever the book delves into fan comments and discourse of our characters' Weibo accounts, I feel I'm getting a direct look at what Dr. Candise (on tiktok) talks about. Her funny videos on trends and comments done/said by Chinese netizens always make my days

[tatterpunk · Rating 4 out of 5]

(shamefully raises hand) Hello, my name is T'punk, and I have a deep weakness for black-bellied sweet-faced manipulators, so my review for this book is going to be biased as hell.

.............. that stated, this series (so far) works better than it has any right to. I'll admit I'm also a sucker for entertainment circle romances, books that deal with fandom, and the meta-narrative between idols and their fans.... but this one is done really well. "Fan becomes famous enough to be shipped with their idol," and the set pieces which are literally just staged interaction after staged interaction on weird reality tv shows, could have gone SO wrong SO easily. Zhichu is having a lot of fun, though, with not only their tongue firmly in cheek with the social media stuff and winking references (THERE IS A HANNIBAL LINE IN THIS. I don't even like that show, but damn I respect this hustle.) but a psychologically compelling romance. She isn't falling into the trap of having Ziheng or Xiqing fulfill any stock stereotypes, despite the thick glaze of fantasy on both (both are gorgeous and smart and insanely talented and respected etc etc). Their external tension of having to create a narrative that benefits Ziheng's career versus their personal animosity connects beautifully with their individual, internal tensions: Xiqing is outright predatory but in denial of how quickly he's developing genuine feelings, Ziheng is disdainful but that's slowly morphing into not just disaproval in general of how Xiqing lives his life, but how Xiqing in particular is living while Ziheng wishes they could have a more meanginful connection. It's fun!

It's fun. There are a few hoary old BL tropes in here like Ziheng's supposed straightness and Xiqing's pursuit of him regardless, down to ignoring physical boundaries or consent, as well as the constant references to Xiqing being "prettier" or "fairer" than "most girls;" does Zichu know pick-me aura is genderless? Regardless: I still have hope, because not only is this a very slow burn, but so far Zichu has shown she's capable of making unique choices. I will have to take back some of those points if Xiqing, the shorter/more "feminine" of the two, really does fall victim to the "I'll bottom for true love" trope after so much insistence that he tops... so we'll see. Again, one of my FAVORITE things is absolutely classic romance tropes given a serious emotional treatment and just enough unorthodox reinvention, and this series has ticked all those boxes with book one. Excited to see Rose and Renaissance can keep that momentum going.

[Quynh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't usually rate English volumes of translated danmei individually because I'd rather rate the story as a whole, but wow. Zhichu is making me break my own rules for this, lol.

I'd probably give this 2.5 stars, and I don't feel generous enough to round it on Goodreads' rating. I read Zhichu's Fanservice Paradox and DNF'ed it, so I had a hunch that I wouldn't like R&R either based on Zhichu's writing, but unfortunately for me, I bought the English volumes a couple years ago before I read anything from Zhichu. I'm sure others would like this story, but Zhichu's writing style is just not for me, I simply don't vibe with her work. Whether I'll finish the other 3 volumes depends on how strong my will to read is.

To put it short, Xia Xiqing gets on my nerves. MCs don't have to be likeable, but they do have to be compelling and they have to interest me. Unfortunately, I don't find Xia Xiqing compelling or interesting. Zhichu tries to make him more fleshed out with his tragic family backstory, but I just think it's giving Harry Styles-Wattpad-Fanfiction. I'm sorry to say it, I am, but Xia Xiqing is pretty much "bad boy who sleeps around and doesn't take his romantic partners seriously because he has a shitty father" stereotype typical in these fanfictions... I don't find Xia Xiqing that sympathetic, and I think it's crazy that he's crossed plenty of Zhou Ziheng's boundaries and quite frankly doesn't really respect him all that much, but still has a victimizing complex of being unlovable. Love is not going to fix this, working through your intimacy, relationship, and self-worth issues with a good therapist is.

However, I thought the escape room was fun! That's honestly the only thing that really interested me and was what made me buy this novel in the first place. I honestly thought it would focus more on the escape room because this was marketed as "infinite flow" at one point, which really deceived me!

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really didn't know what to expect with this book. I do like the book and I really dislike the main character. He's a crappy person and very unlikeable. At the very end of the story there was a line about his past that was thrown out that makes up for him a tiny bit, so many he gets better in the next book, but mostly, he's a jerk.

This story is about a fan who stalks his famous idol through circumstances out of his control. He isn't trying to throw himself in with his famous actor, but events keep pitting them together.

I loved the whole filming the Safe house episode for TV. Man, that was some great stuff and easy to see. It was a locked set and the clues were fun. I read through that part so quickly.

Still, our main character is so awful. He is the kind of guy who loves the chase and will hound the person till he gets what he wants. Once the person gives him their heart or wants the relationship, he's gone. It's all this twisted game to him. He has a face like an angel, so he can play that game. It's weird how much I hate the main character, Xia Xiqing and yet I really did get pulled into the story and enjoyed the story. Do I want the main character to win the relationship. No, I hope the actor can hold out. It's such a weird dynamic.

This is a modern day drama, and twisted romance. It's not a healthy relationship at all. This is toxic stuff, but it does make compelling reading. The Actor is so tortured. I hope the actor won't fall for the jerk.

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Only roses match you’

Holy hell, tension?! Chemistry?! This was great. I love both MC’s too.

I’m enjoying it a lot. I thought the reality show game was super interesting and fun, and the photoshoots and interviews were entertaining to me. There’s not a ton of things happening here, it’s more day-to-day happenings of celebrities with some intimate down low interactions.

They both seem to have their own issues that need to be worked out that I’m sure we’ll see in the next volumes. Especially Xia Xiqing, he seems to have some unresolved childhood trauma that probably explains why he is the way he is.

Zhou Ziheng is very judgmental, but I still like him. You can see him slowly melting in those intimate moments with Xia Xiqing. He’s always making excuses for pushing him away but at the same time he seems to be running out of said excuses. He’ll have to face his feelings sooner or later. He’s so protective of Xia Xiqing. Why? Well… We all know why.

His instinct to protect Xia Xiqing is even confusing to himself considering how much he ‘dislikes’ him. But this is a classic ‘miscommunication’ case… Granted, Zhou Ziheng and his judgmental-ness, he often makes assumptions that are not true hah.

It may not be for everyone who likes intense plot lines like Erha or other Danmei, but I eat this kind of thing up. I love the day-to-day happenings and the drama that goes with it.

Also, Zhou Zheng is a closeted freak? He seems to enjoy looking at Xia Xiqing all tied up and submissive looking. And… I don’t blame him… I’d probably also be mesmerized by Xia Xiqing in that state.

[Mariella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loooved this book. Rarely do I find books that can make me cry but this one did. One of my least favorite character types are the promiscuous ones but I've come to the realization that they usually make me the most uncomfortable when I see that part of them in action. I'm like, I don't wanna see none of that shit. But I love love love Xia Xiqing. Hypersexuality is a type of trauma response after all. "Looking for love in a strangers bed. But I don't think I'll find it." Like James Arthur said. And I always wonder with these types; "What broke your heart so bad that you chose to ignore its existence?" And as the story progresses it shows that the first type of love we are supposed to experience, like a promise to all, was one that wasn't given out to him when he needed it the most. Instead he was promised that no would in the world would ever truly love him, so he kinda subconsciously set out to prove it to himself, so his heart wouldn't dare hope for the alternative. And as I was reading this story, his character, as much as he tries to present himself as an asshole, it's clear to see that he is not a bad person, just a broken one. Can't wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds. I bought all four volumes and I'm gonna binge read tham all.

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book about 3 months ago thinking I would eventually read it (added another book to my 'to be read' pile) because the description on Novel Updates was interesting. I only bought the first book “just in case” I was not fond of the delivered story. I finished the first book in 2 days and then ordered the last three that same night. I started the second book today and finished it today. The story is good and the characters are well portrayed with decent character development. The editing on it is not the greatest (misuse of words/confusion of past/present/future) but it reads 1000% times better than any MTL. I definitely recommend the read and plan on finishing the story over the weekend!

[fridge_brilliance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly entertaining read, which I probably found relatable due to my own sojourn in the land of chinese showbiz cps (self deprecating laughter). Chinese online fandom is very much a character in this story. I don’t know if I would have had the patience to stick along for the full romance arc if it wasn’t supported by pretty cleverly crafted descriptions of escape rooms and werewolf game playthroughs that flesh out the characters and further their dynamics - but they impressed me and showed off the character’s competences pretty well. What I definitely could have done without is the endless discussion of top vs bottom… I kept on wistfully thinking about the plethora of other ways to explore the sex scene dynamics (ao3 I missed you so much) and wincing in annoyance. 3.5 rounded up.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first novel by this author. I don't typically read modern danmei because I enjoy historical settings with court intrigue but it's been highly recommended so I figured why not?! So far the premise is fairly contrived but I'm enjoying the escape room settings and the banter between the two leads. I think there is a lot left unexplained and I'm not sure why Xiqing refers to his brother (brothers?) by their full names instead of just their given names but I own the entire series now so I'm on to the next one!