#tpca

火焰戎装/Blazing Armor by 水千丞

“我都发誓，要带每个人，平安回去。” "I always swore I would bring everyone home, safely home."

Most novels in SQC's 188 series focus on the relationship arc, but Blazing Armor is driven by a tightly-paced and well-researched plot around the protagonist's career as a firefighter. As he races to put out fires and investigate cases of potential arson, he gets to know a rich, smart, and 188cm tall police officer with the face of a movie star and the personality of a craggy rock. They develop a close bond through their work, and decide to reopen a decade-old case that haunts both of them.

My favorite parts of this novel are the details put into Ren Yi's work as a firefighter. We see him handling dozens of sites and accidents big and small, and the inner five-year-old in me is fascinated by the information on different types of firetrucks! The mystery/procedural aspects of the story is also very engaging, though personally I find its resolution a bit underwhelming. As a member of a 188 Club, Gong Yingxian is less of a scum gong and more of a jerk who doesn't think of other people's feelings. Rather than toying with Ren Yi's romantic feelings for him, Gong Yingxian betrays his trust on other important issues (like criminal investigations), and YMMV if that is better or worse.

内娱第一花瓶/Top Flower Vase of the Mainland Entertainment Industry by 三三娘

"我已经做好了为你画一辈子分镜的准备," I am prepared to storyboard for you for the rest of my life.

Ke Yu has a reputation as a "flower vase" who looks pretty and can't act, but he absolutely shines through the lens of Shang Lu, a genius aspiring director. At just under 1 million characters long, this novel takes us through LuYu's first meeting, the gradual development of their relationship, a heart-wrenching breakup, and a deliciously bittersweet reconciliation arc in which they must face the regret and pain sowed by their own actions. Alongside the movie-making, we also get treated to dark secrets, painful backstories, and the rivalries and schemes among the artistic and business elites.

This novel stands out for treating performance and film-making as serious professions that require careful study and hard work. The highlight in this story is the LuYu relationship, but it's through the rich details about their movie-making that convince us Ke Yu and Shang Lu's share a truly special bond built on respect for each other's art and talent. In a few places, the novel made me a bit uncomfortable with its idolization of the wealthy elite, depictions of foreigners and the Chinese diaspora, and female characters repeatedly getting the short end of the stick in the narrative, though this may simply have been me becoming more critical as I revisit the story for rereads.

太平长安/Placid Chang'an by 盐盐Yany

“你既然选择了大理寺，查找真相、还原真相就是你的事，而我身为摄政亲王，稳定朝局，制衡天下是我的事。你做你该做的，剩下的我来处理。” "Since you have chosen to join the Court of Judicial Review, investigating and uncovering the truth is now your duty; I am the Prince Regent, so stabilizing the court and governing the nation is my duty. Do your duty, and I will handle the rest."

Su Cen is the newly-minted Zhuangyuan in the most recent Imperial Exams, but his political career is complicated by the factional rivalry in government. He starts as a lowly administrator with the Court of Judicial Review, and soon shines as a talented investigator with with a sharp intuition and fierce determination. He repeatedly crosses path with the Prince Regent, eventually falling into the Prince's faction at court and his bed at night. As Su Cen continues his work and tries to figure out what kind of public servants he wants to become, he notices something or other always seem to lead back to this secret society and a decade-old cold case....

I really like this novel for its cases and mysteries, as well as for clever handling of several tropes that I generally dislike. The Prince Regent is more powerful and older than his love interest (~ 40 y.o. vs early 20s). This novel does not shy away from how this difference in power, knowledge, and experience generally do not work in Su Cen's favor, even though he also benefits from being doted on, taken care of, and taught by the older and wiser Prince. The ending feels a bit rushed and cartoon-ish compared to the rest of the story. Some of the supporting characters feel a bit flat, but the main relationship and plot mysteries in this novel are very enjoyable.

亡命之徒的退休生涯/The Retirement Life of a Runaway Desperado by FOX^^

"你当父亲当得的确可怕，我不敢相信世界上有人不会热牛奶。" "Your efforts at fatherhood are indeed terrifying. I can not believe there exists people who do not know how to make warm milk."

Detective Lynn and Dr. Arthur are both widower single fathers who settle in a small American town to cope with the loss of their wives. Their daughters become fast friends, which forces them to become co-parents of sorts despite their dislike and distrust of each other. Soon it becomes very hard for Lynn to explain that he and Arthur are not together, even though Arthur is now looking after his child, making his food, picking out his outfits and aftershave.... However, there is a hidden danger in this small town, and Arthur is keeping some important secrets just like Lynn suspects.

This is a short novel at only 12 chapters. The prose is in the style of a translated novel, which can be a bit weird to read. Arthur and Lynn have their secrets and reservations about each other, but that's nothing next to the town's gossip engine or the convenience of keeping their kids in one place. The general atmosphere of the story is dominated by the slow pace of small town life and the frivolity of neighborly gossip, and I enjoy it the most for the domesticity of two jaded men raising their girls together in such a place.

荒野植被/Wilderness Vegetation by 麦香鸡呢

如果可以，谁不想体体面面的，体面地爱人，体面地被爱。 If it's possible, who wouldn't want dignity? To love with dignity, and be loved with dignity.

Xu Yan is still desperately holding onto his lopsided relationship with Shen Zhi at the start of the novel, but changes his mind and leaves by Chapter 5. Shen Zhi communicates so little that it takes him another ten chapters to realize he has been dumped for real. Although he never cheats on Xu Yan or thinks of him like a second-rate backup, Shen Zhi's behavior throughout their relationship is essentially emotional abuse. Despite his sad backstory and genuine feelings for Xu Yan, none of it justifies the harm caused by his behavior, and it's a long and hard road to win Xu Yan back.

It's strange to say it's a "healthy crematorium", but it's one of the few that does not try to justify, retcon, or minimize any bad behaviors. Xu Yan surrounds himself with a support system who reminds him that he deserves a truly nourishing relationship. Shen Zhi, despite his feelings, is actually quite respectful of Xu Yan's rejections and boundaries, and eventually lets Xu Yan go when he realizes how horribly wrong things have gone. Shen Zhi has the maturity to take responsibility for the mental and emotional work to become a better partner. When Xu Yan and Shen Zhi get back together, I believe they can build a good dynamic this time with their growth and maturity.

作践/Spoil by 十步方寒

我把我的心，系在了鸟的覆羽上，让鸟随着梦，把我带向自由的远方。 I tied my heart, onto the feathered wings of a bird, and let the bird follow its dreams, and carry me toward freedom in a faraway land.

Facing the exorbitant medical cost to treat his father's chronic liver failure, Xu Qingzhou agrees to sell "himself" to local entrepreneur Lu Cheng. He is a respectable teacher, husband, and father by day, and a sex slave during his off-hours. Lu Cheng's actions are less about pleasure and more about taking revenge for past actions of Xu Qingzhou's father. Between fear, guilt, and habits, Xu Qingzhou's actions and attitude toward Lu Cheng softens. But as Lu Cheng's controlling tendencies escalate, the delicate balance of Xu Qingzhou's double life begins to fall apart ...

>> The mysteries! I'm not exactly a connoisseur of mystery novels, but I think the cases here are interesting enough. Each case takes roughly 20-30 chapters, with sporadic clues to several (or just one?) unsolved cases from decades ago. My one complaint is nearly every case is somehow connected to this one secret society, whereas I like it better when the cases come down to regular people's misfortunes and mistakes.

>> Su Cen is secretly a chaos gremlin under his proper and sophisticated act. He was supposed to take the last round of Imperial Exams three years ago, but spontaneously decided to run off to travel, and lies to his parents about being kidnapped by bandits to cover for it. Guess how good this guy is at following orders in a government bureaucracy?

>>I don't usually like relationships with age gaps, power differences, and aloof partners, but in this story they are both trying despite the limitations of their circumstances. While Su Cen falls more deeply in love, the narrative doesn't why away from how their inequalities can make him feel hurt and inadequate. Li Shi takes around 50 chapters to "defrost" from "aloof gong", but after that he is very caring and protective, and he also actively use his advantages to teach and lift Su Cen.

>> The political intrigue is not super complex, but it's effective as a backdrop for the cases. The government is large and complex and even someone as powerful as the Prince Regent can't act without consequences. Other than the Empress Dowager, all factions include complex and sympathetic members.

>> I like the side couple a bit less now because the characters are not evolving much in later chapters, but they have a "stoic and strong gong" vs "cheerful and clever (and flirtatious) shou" kind of dynamic, which is super fun in the beginning when the main couple isn't quiet happening yet.