This is a story of a little screenwriter who fell in love with a famous star. “If one can catch Yi Wenze, then one would certainly ‘keep that beauty in a golden house.’”
As his diehard fan for over a dozen years, Jia He revered him, but she never thought that, in the end, the beauty being kept in the golden house would be…herself.
“Everyone has their own experiences of ‘the great sea transforming into a mulberry field.’ [which is meant to represent that the world is swiftly changing over the course of time.]
But then, there will certainly be someone who will stretch out a hand and walk with you all the way to your happiness.”
[Ebook] [Tùy tiện phóng hỏa][Eng Translation – taken down by translator][Alternate Eng Translation]
This is the novel that shot Mo Bao Fei Bao up in popularity. Using her experience as a screenwriter in real life, MBFB gives us a glimpse of what it’s like behind the scenes in filming a drama and creates a light, warm, sweet romance that many girls have dreamt about in their young, innocent years.
Jia He is a screenwriter in her later-twenties. From her early teenage years, her idol has been actor Yi Wenze, and now, her latest script is bringing him in as the male lead. A chance to work with her idol is a dream come true. Their work allows them to get to know each other on a more personal level, until one day, she can scarcely believe that her idol is pursuing her…
Jia He:
Former reporter turned screenwriter because of betrayal in a previous relationship. She is supposed to be smooth and well-adapted to the entertainment circle, talented and respected. However, when she is with Yi Wenze, it feels as if she turns into an easily embarrassed, inexperienced girl.
Yi Wenze:
Famous actor in his early thirties. Recently experienced a failed marriage and divorce. Typical of MBFB’s novels, Yi Wenze is the ideal man. He puts Jia He first, always thinking about her needs/feelings, puts effort into their relationship, understanding the stress that a high-profile romance will bear and trying to mitigate those as much as possible. What’s not to like about him?
One word can be used to describe this story: sweet. Seriously, it is sweet, sweet, sweet — so sweet your teeth will ache. Yi Wenze is nothing short of the perfect boyfriend the way he absolutely adores and dotes on Jia He. I’m a big sucker for sweet romance novels, but I must say that even I find it a little cheesy at times.
When I was reading this novel, I almost felt this was an alternate universe of another of the author’s novels and one of my favourites, Really, Really Miss You (which was written more than 2 years later). Jia He is very similar to Really, Really’s female lead, Gu Sheng. They are both shy, kind, fumbling around and figuring out how to have a relationship with a man who is high profile and the rumours/gossip/etc. that comes with it. Yi Wenze is similar to Really, Really’s Mo Qingcheng/Toupai in that they are firm and confident in their love for the female lead, shielding her from being in an unwanted spotlight, warm and considerate to her. You can also find counterparts for the supporting characters: Yi Wenze’s best friend, Wu Zhilun ~ Jue Mei in Really Really, Qiao Qiao ~ Geng Xiaoxing, etc. Even the circumstances of why the male lead, a famous star, is attracted to the female lead, an ordinary girl, is similar — (mini-SPOILER) unbeknownst to the female lead, both the male leads had “encountered” her before in their past.
If you have read some of MBFB’s later novels such as Together Forever; One Life One Incarnation: Beautiful Bones; or Really, Really Miss You, you might notice that the writing seems different in this novel. This is one of the author’s first novels and was written over 3 years ago. The writing seems less mature and less cohesive. At times, I feel like I’m reading a fanfic, not a novel written by MBFB, who I admire in her later works for her characterization. In this one, I feel her characterization of Jia He is inconsistent. Jia He has worked for several years in the entertainment circle by now, has had heartbreak and betrayal in romance, and should not be completely inexperienced, but when she is with Yi Wenze, she seems like she turns into an innocent school girl. Then, in some scenes, she will turn back into a sharp-tongued screenwriter who can hold her own in the cut-throat entertainment circle. (I feel this flaw was “fixed” in Really, Really Miss You by making Gu Sheng much younger and a student who hasn’t stepped out in the real world yet… hence, her innocence is believable.)
I am not saying this is a bad story — quite the contrary — but that if you are used to MBFB’s later style, you will notice a difference in this one and probably be able to spot flaws you are not used to seeing in her works.
Summary: It’s not an amazingly written novel but is definitely a nice, easy read, the perfect story to pick up if you have just read through something terribly angtsy and need a pick-me-up. You will be grinning happily and escaping into a romantic fantasy that is not the least bit believable but very much enjoyable.
Hi Hoju,
Thanks for posting this. i’ve to go find the missing chapter…. Yes, I do agree that Jia He is a bit too sweet for a late twenty year old person with one failed relationship behind her. In front of YWZ, she reverts back to her younger self where she is only her fan. One of the reasons I find Gu Sheng cuter is that MBFB wrote her inner thoughts and GS being younger.
But I love the part her whole family found out that her bf is YWZ.
There’s another book in that series… 轻易靠近.. About Jia He’s friend, but I made the mistake to read the ending, and found out that it is a mixed ending. Now I can’t find myself reading the whole middle parts of it. But as a character, Xiao Yu is more consistent and more mature.
Hi hoju so this one the novel that you mention ? Thanks i will check 🙂
@Mssyng
The ebook2 link I posted has chapter 51. It’s 19lou and has tons of extra fan posts you have to sort through, hence why I still posted ebook1. Ch 51 is on page 6, post #91. It’s an important chapter because YWZ explains his past encounter with teenager Jia He and we need this part to understand why it was a turning point in his life.
I like YWZ’s one-liner to Jia He’s cousin when she stole the phone from Jia He to talk to her “brother-in-law,” who she didn’t know was YWZ.
I heard about 轻易靠近, but I read that the ending will make you cry, so I chose to pass on that one for now. Actually, the original ending was a sad one and then when the book went to printing press, the ending was revised to the open one… But I’m still in my “I need a happy ending” phase.
@Hanny,
Yup, this is it. It should be easier to read in google than Really, Really. Post back here and let us know what you think after you’re done.
Hoju, I believe your ebook1 (91baby) actually has chapter 51. It is located on page 4, post #80.
XinnXinn, thanks! I didn’t read scroll there after all the comments at the end of the story. I’ll go edit the post.
I don’t know if it’s just me or what. This book is relatively short but it seems like I took forever to finish it. Maybe it’s the way it’s written or maybe it’s the lack of excitement. The story really came out rather flat to me. I thought it was not as sweet as Hoju described it but it was certainly angtsless. There was not even a slight disagreement, the harmonious relationship was unbelievable. And I also agree that given JiaHe’s age and her exposure to the entertainment industry, it didn’t feel quite right that she couldn’t handle the relationship and the limelight or stress that came with it.
Although, I didn’t develop any toothache from reading the book itself (as my tolerance for sweetness is ultra high), Yi Wen Ze is about as sweet and considerate as can be. Yes, I agree with Hoju on this point – “what’s not to like about him? He’s nothing short of perfect as a boyfriend”. He is simply too good to be true. Who wouldn’t love to have a boyfriend who whips out spare contact lenses for her at her whims and fancies….
To sum it up, my heart didn’t skip a bit while reading it but at the same time I really wanted to finish it because I want to get to know MBFB because my next target is Beautiful Bones.
Don’t let this book give represent MBFB. Sure, it’s the one that increased her popularity as an author, but it really does not represent her writing quality. Beautiful Bones has waaaaaay higher quality writing!
That’s what I meant about it being fanfic-like. This is deliberately written so sweet that it’s unbelievable and reads like someone’s fantasy. I guess I was a little subtle when I said “sweet until it gives you a toothache,” I meant it’s so sweet it’s cheesy at certain places.
I thought there was a time when YWZ got mad? Didn’t Jia He do something airhead-y like putting her hand in front of YWZ’s eyes while he was driving on the freeway? Or am I mixing up my novels?
I think it’s still an enjoyable read because I like reading angst-free novels in which you just watch romance unfold, but I don’t love this novel. (However, this book does have a huge fan base.)
Hi,
new here. Just a quick question–what does “HE”, “BE”, and “OE” stand for?
Welcome,
HE = Happy Ending
BE = Bad Ending
OE = Open Ending which can also mean there is more than 1 obvious male lead so which one will get the girl?
Any recommendations for books similar to this? I enjoyed this book a lot! Funny and sweet! Made my day 🙂 MBFB is good at writing books that makes me happy! Beautiful Bones was an enjoyable read too!
One other recommendation. It’s a little different from the other two I recommended, but it’s the heart-warming and funny (in fact, absolutely hilarious!) style that gives you the same feeling as the other ones.
https://www.shushengbar.net/?p=3695
You MUST read 很想很想你 Really, Really Miss You! It’s my absolute favourite. 🙂 If you take a step back, it’s very similar in plot to Easily Ignited, but I think MBFB’s writing improved a ton between the two books.
If you like this type of girl-loved-by-her-longtime-idol plot (which Really Really Miss You also is), you can also check out 小研究生追爱记, which starts off very similar in plot and feel to Easily Ignited, even more so than Really, Really. There is a middle part of angst in there for about 20% of the novel, but I only skim read that part because it annoyed me.
If teacher-student relationship doesn’t bother you, since you like MBFB, Together Forever 至此终年 is also another of my favourites. It’s not a “feel happy” book but it’s not heavy. You can check out my comments about it on its thread in SSB. It’s beautiful, sweet, with heart-twinging moments.
But without a doubt, Really, Really Miss You for sure!
Thank you so much for the recommendations 🙂 I have already started on Really Really Miss You and its so interesting! Especially the recipes, makes me hungry! I will definitely check out the ones you recommend! 😀
Thank you!!! 🙂 Just finished reading 很想很想你 and love it soooooo much!!! The story is so sweet! Qiang Qing Ci is just the perfect man! Also the songs that the book mentioned are all so nice! Went to check out a few and enjoyed the songs a lot! Going to check out 小研究生追爱记 now! 😀
Welcome to Toupai’s fan club. 😀 Isn’t he awesome? <3 Feel free to come discuss more in the thread for Really, Really Miss You.
https://www.shushengbar.net/?p=4949
And let me know what you think of the other novels. 🙂
Yeah, this novel isn’t amazing but it is insanely “cotton candy” sweet and fluffy, though sometimes it does get a bit unrealistic, though not as much as Shan Shan Comes To Eat, IMO. I’m not particularly fond of those innocently dumb (呆呆，傻傻) female leads who are always getting “bullied” or outsmarted by the male leads so I guess that’s where 杉杉来吃 and in some parts 轻易防火 got on my nerves.
But I’ve got to admit that I’m biased towards the celebrity/entertainment circle kind of stories so I did enjoy this novel a lot overall. (especially after reading the crazily heavy/melo – but must-must-must reads!! – 秀丽江山, Beautiful Country, and 华胥引 T^T )
If you like these celebrity stories as well, I recommend 亲爱的爱情 by 兰芝 (it’s a 宠文 or basically fluff novel though there are times where it gets a little little bit angsty). The story revolves around this female actress, Gu Bao Bei (顾宝贝) who spent 10 years of her life waiting to finally be able to openly get together with another male actor, Jay, only to have him abandon her for someone else despite the fact that he loves Bao Bei (it’s complicated). Dealt with this heavy blow, Bao Bei gets into a car accident and somehow mysteriously travels back 10 years in time, when she had just met Jay. It’s yet another insanely sweet novel with an impossibly perfect male actor lead, but comparatively, you get to see their slowly developing romance and the female lead has a lot more depth IMO, having been deeply hurt by love and jaded by the entertainment circle. Plus there is a super adorable kid in the story too!! (Sorry another one of my soft spots in novels)
It’s way longer and more draggy than 轻易放火 but because it’s so sweet and I fell so deeply in love with the characters that I just really don’t mind reading more about them.
You can read it here: http://91baby.mama.cn/thread-1010322-1-1.html
杉杉来吃 was an enjoyable read for me! Feng Teng is awesome in the novel and yes, I agree that ShanShan is too easily bullied that sometimes it just feels really ugh! But the book was still extremely fluffy and nice overall!
I have already read 华胥引 and gosh I LOVE IT SO MUCH(went to reread it again a few days ago)! The ending is really beautiful especially 慕言’s 番外 and the story itself is just CRAZILY GOOD! 君拂 and 慕言 is one of the most beautiful couple I have ever read…I have not read 秀丽江山, but im definitely waiting for the drama to air(YUAN HONG!!!). I would definitely read the book but im not too fond of extremely melo stories(read 云中歌 and was depressed for quite a few days…) so hopefully it’s not too angsty!
亲爱的爱情 sounds interesting, especially the travelling back 10 years part! Will check it out! Thanks for the recommendations 😀
Yep I know lots of people really enjoyed 杉杉来吃 and initially I did enjoy it a lot and found Shan Shan super funny. But I don’t know if it’s just the feminist in me, or that I’ve read too many of these “Wolf and sheep” pairings in mangas, I just eventually got a bit turned off when Feng Teng kept treating Shan Shan like a kid and bullying her. Which is exactly what kind of irked me in 轻易放火 too (I mean seriously am I really the only one who got a bit pissed when Yi Wenze said that Jia He’s biggest achievement/contribution is having birthed the twins -.- not cool dude). There was a tiny bit of this in 亲爱的爱情 where the male lead told his daughter that girls shouldn’t flaunt their brains -.-
This is one of the reasons why I love 秀丽 so much because in the OTP’s relationship, both of them are truly equals in every way. Say yes for feminism! As for angst, I seriously think it’s nowhere near the level of 云中歌 or 沙漠谣 or even 步步惊心 (I was depressed for weeks after watching it). I mean the OTP got married, she became his empress and they had a whole ton of kids. Yes, there were quite a few tragedies along the way but it is still at its core a fairytale-ish romance. One thing that irked me about this novel is probably how every other side male character falls in love with (some netizens even insist that her brothers were in love with her too -.-) But anyway, you can always read my super long comment about the book on this site.
Yes I loved 华胥引 too! 君拂 or 小公主 as she’s called by fans and the author, is really one of my favourite characters! She’s sooooo funny I really can’t take it. And she and 慕言 are really super super sweet <3 Plus I liked pretty much most of the side stories and characters (my poor Song Ning T^T) but sadly none of them had a happy ending T^T so I was really already super happy with 小公主 and 慕言's ending! xDDD
And wait till you read the 番外 of 亲爱的爱情 you'll be totally like omg everything makes sense now (even I'm probably not making sense to you now LOL but I really don't want to spoil it for you). But yeah the male lead is so perfect sometimes I feel like he was an angel that dropped down from the heavens haha.
hi..
is there any link with eng translation.. i tried to use google translate but *sigh* i gave up..
reading your comments make me curious about this novel 🙂
There are no translations of this novel that I’m aware of. Sorry. 🙁
Hoju, I m coming from really really miss you… i want to read easily ignited too…. 91baby is not taking new registration. how i will read this novel????
Hi Liza,
Try this link. http://book.sto.cc/39496-1/
🙂