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Synopsis: Jian Xia faces a predicament. The Internet is full of revelations that his ex-fiancee is with someone else. And not to mention the fiancee's family, who they considered family friends for years, backstabbed them in business and now the Jian family is in ruins, facing debts. Not to mention XiaXia's mother always had a heart disease and the stress led her to be hospitalized and waiting for an operation. When facing the family crisis and betrayal from all sides Fu Hanjun from the Fu family proposes a marriage, to "celebrate" him due to his "poor health". XiaXia decided to agree, not knowing yet that the one in front of him will shower him with care and tenderness and show what a true love is.
Despite unimaginative summary the book itself is quite lovely. Long to my taste, but lovely.
Storyline:
Quite simple I'd say, nothing fancy, but the style is nice and I especially like that many of emotional ends and entanglements were tied tightly at the end, like evryone has their own ending described. It has several simple lines: 1) is the emotional line between MC and ML and the 2) is the career line, mostly XiaXia's. We go from their initial agreement between the two, XiaXia getting help in his career, which picks up due to Hanjun finding several good roles that waited for him for several years. Btw Hanjun's name translates as Hanyun too, I don't know which is correct so I use what is used most often. On the other side he meets several foes, like the person with whom his fiancee cheated with, some inexplicable love rivals etc. But it won't distract him from slowly working hard to reach new heights. And we mainly focus on acting career (like no variety shows thank God). From Hanjun's side things are easier, he used sickness as means to connect with XiaXia and not make him repulsed at first, but it also was used as means against the old cancer in the Fu family and the second room, which eyed Fu family property. All events are put together not in a dramatic way, even if some things are happening but they're non-threatening and pass easily, so it becomes quite an easy-going story. At least there is no emphasis on drama to make things so hardcore that it will make readers cry or it doesn't make things too thrilling, so you would sit on edge. Quite a lot of smart moves and logical moments that I've met while reading. But again I still find it long (126 chapters + extras).
Characters and their Relationships (spoilers included):
Jian Xia. He is a very nice character. Like the one you'd see and say - he's a very, very good boy. He loves his parents, he is filial, but has a strong heart and ability to let go of grudges, he doesn't seek revenge, sees no point in bad-mouthing etc. which is very open-minded. He is kind, but not to the point of stupidity, he cares about relationships and doesn't forget his friends when he can, which is rare in such novels. Like his status rose, but he also helped his close roommates to ascend along with him. He is also hard-working and self-aware, while others say he's already good, but inside he knows he has room to grow. Acting wasn't his first choice, but he achieved popularity with the first book he played as a teen, yet he didn't lose himself in the limelight and chose studying and his family before the accident made him seek work in the industry again. Now he stills strived for the better. But in general he is a very calm personality.
Jian Xia's parents and uncle family. His parents are quite good, they were the ones who started the business, when the uncle and his family were nothing but simple people who joined, when turmoil started they cleaned themselves from everything, so only XiaXia's parents bore the debt, but also demanded on getting things that were left. Seeing such betrayal from relatives was devastating (personally I think it's better never to work with relatives if you're not 100% sure about their integrity). In the end the uncle family was acting annoying here and there, thinking their child also had a chance with Hanjun (psychos), but the last blow came from the cousine Jian Lin, who joined the entertainment for vanity, but created no splash even as Jian Xia's relative, in the end he thought of seeling XiaXia to investor for a role, but XiaXia was not stupid and caught the incostistency at the moment and did not go to the appointment, instead Jian Lin was retaliated. Playing the victim card the uncle family demanded compensation for whatever reason (it wasn't XiaXia's fault to begin with), but seeing survaillance they shut up and the two families broke up completely.
Fu Hanjun. He loved XiaXia for years. Their first meeting to him was fateful, by this time he saw too many people who wanted to flatter him or seek benefits, they never saw him as a person. Put together the fact that he grew up without parents who loved him dearly, but died in a car accident, it was hard for him who saw no sincerity. But XiaXia was different, when they first met he treated him like any other person and did not pay too much attention, even his cousin Fu Cong got more attention as XiaXia's classmate. But from that time Hanjun fell in love with those clear eyes. At first he wanted to wait and pursue righteously, but who knew that athe comming-of-age part it was announced that XiaXia is engaged. As one who loves him, he wanted for XiaXia all the best. And even the Summer entertainment was created to support XiaXia. He took any chance to support from the shadows, before the Wei family betrayal and backstabbing, now he saw the chance to be with XiaXia and protect him.
Fu Cong, second room, Wan family and Wan Baiqing. Fu Cong is the only person from his family who is self-aware, he even expressed these things clearly, that Hanun has more business acumen than his father and sitting and having dividents is also good. This is why he was unscathed in entire turmoil. Second room is Hanjun's uncle (brother of his father) and aunt. They had ambitions, but basically it was the aunt's idea (she comes from more humble background, so she has eyes on top of her head). She also helped her sister who married the Wan family to rise along with Fu (basically without Fu family they're nothing). Wan Baiqing you can say had several years to grow up along with Hanjun, he fell in love and considered himself the only one acceptable but never confessed, his love was morbid, it was more like possessiveness instead, he also saw benefits from this. But he was wrong to touch or even think of touching XiaXia, in the end he left the stage quite late in the book, but a lot happened slowly by that time. SInce Hanjun decided to clean the Fu family, which means getting rid of people who also leaked many things outside, Wan family was untouched at first, they were left with no orders, but later because they broke the agreement they suffered the consequences and the one who is at fault was Wan Baiqing, he released the news to Zhou Li about Hanjun's sickness and Zhou Li used Wei Cheng to confront XiaXia and it was captured by reporters and it brought quite a stir. Wan Baiqing's actions not only angered Hanjun, but he also disdained his attitude.
Wei Cheng. Pretty annoying ex that appeared from time to time. Weak man who shifted blame and emphasized that he wasn't aware of his father's action, but still added salt to the wound when betrayed XiaXia with another man. He's been mopping for entire novel and regretted his choice, but I'm happy author gave XiaXia the closure of this incident, he could not forgive what they did, after all it not only involved business, but a human life, his mother. The one who played with him was Hanjun friend, he is in the same business which is much larger. What i liked is that no one is bankrupt in a day, the process took time.
Zhou Li. A narrow-minded self-centered character that thinks that he's above others. he hates XiaXia simply because he was compared to him once and with a good deal he played his cards badly. Even if he was too petty and allowed the scandal to brew, but it backlashed in the end and bit him back because the fact that he intervened as a mistress came to light. He wanted to squeeze XiaXia out of the crew, but who knew, Hanjun invested, Wei had problems and divested, crew changed, script changed and it was a step to couterattack. Zhou Li tried several times to buy trolls or lead public opinion (but it was not as one-sided and brain-dead as in many novels thankfully), but it was to no avail. Because fo losing composure he was exposed and it sevred as a major hit to his career. On the contrary XiaXia payed no attention to him, while Zhou Li was eaten alive by jealousy. As a result his resources were worse and worse each time and he couldn't compose himself and change, instead he still acted impulsively at times or jumped into traps laid out by others and his career came to nothing. Because his family was deeply connected to Wei business they also faces crisis and were backstabbed like the Jian family. As a result he became from something to nothing.
XiaXia's roommates. This part of the novel I particularly liked, because first of all we have friends, which is rare instead of having friends after filming, they also did not act like monsters in front of each other. One of them was tin and yang but after facing struggles he realized how bad his actions were and instead he changed for better. All four has achieved a decent success in their careers, mostly because of XiaXia intervention.
Fan Ling. He appears few times, but has several crucial scenes. he was neighbor with Jian family before, now he is a supermodel. He also liked XiaXia but was always late. But he is also a good person because he can step back and be respectful without noise when he saw that XiaXia was happy. There was some accent that Lin Qing, XiaXia's friend had some friction with him, but there was no sub-plot dedicated to them.
Many other side-characters. Mostly consist of family mambers, like Fu grandpa. Or those who serve where they live. XiaXia's agent and assistant. And also their two pets, cat and a dog, which is cute.
Relationship.
I think it was treated quite delicately. Although there were some repetitions here and there, but the overall impression is quite good. Hanjun was always gentle, respectful and kind, even if you know he would be happy with XiaXia accepting him emotionally and physically, but he waited for a long time before XiaXia accepted him and revealed that he liked him (good half of the novel, be prepared) and he wasn't impatient in any way or thinking weirdly like other CEO who are all - oh, I want him. Thankfully no CEO disease. In the end XiaXia, who is slow about emotions, relaized that he's very comfortable being with Hanjun, unlike Wei Cheng who was more of an obligation, he was happy that things happened as they happened and he found person who truly cared for him. After he realized that Hanjun likes him too he confessed and they became happy together, both connected in body and soul. This allowed XiaXia to experience true happiness and love. Their interactions are truly comforting. And although XiaXia might be slow on emotions he still realized few things about himself, their relationships, what he can do, what he should do. Like he would not film during thunderstorm period, he will happily be together each minute they can, provide all his emotions and care.
I truly liked the part mentioned in the end when XiaXia faced Hanjun always wanting him to give him something, he changed his mind instead of being burdened when he realized that Hanjun does this not because of giving, but that he doesn't treat him as an outsider and he also can share the burden with him.
RATE: 4/5. All in all a good read, very comforting and relaxing. Great attention to details and emotions. Although it sounds silly at first, but it's all nicely wrapped up. Very comforting that many things were not done in a second, like they like to say in a CEO novels, which is complete unreal bs. Very good characters, who don't follow the template. Story and emotions don't leave you burdened with them. The only thing I can say against is that it's long XD I said it thrice I think.
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