One Night, One Day, One Year, One Lifetime

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That night, I listened to the hymns till dawn, not for serenity, but to seek a sliver of your soul;

That month, I flipped through all the scriptures, not for enlightenment, but to touch the pages where your fingers once lingered;

That year, I knelt on the grounds, my head embracing the dust, not to pay obeisance to the Gods, but to feel the warmth you left behind;

That life, I wandered through ten thousand great mountains, not in search of an afterlife, but to cross paths with you –

Gao Fei, will you believe that I lived through this night, this day, this year, and this lifetime, only to hold your hand and accompany you in this journey of life?

Associated Names
One entry per line
yi ye yi ri yi nian yi shi
一夜一日一年一世
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Mulberry Song (4)
Eastern Palace (4)
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A Game To Make Him Fall (2)
Ballad of Ten Thousand Gu (2)
Recommendation Lists
  1. in this lifetime and the next, we shall meet again
  2. Novels which lives in me
  3. My favorite novel
  4. Cried a river
  5. Novelettes

Latest Release

Date Group Release
11/19/17 catharcity c13 (end)
11/18/17 catharcity c12
11/17/17 catharcity c11
11/15/17 catharcity c10
11/13/17 catharcity c9
11/11/17 catharcity c8
11/09/17 catharcity c7
11/08/17 catharcity c6
11/07/17 catharcity c5
11/07/17 catharcity c4
11/05/17 catharcity c3
11/04/17 catharcity c2
11/03/17 catharcity c1
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128 Reviews sorted by


crayole
crayole rated it
March 7, 2022
Status: Completed
Other comments explain the timeline of events way better than I can even attempt so I'll just talk about my impressions about the writing itself.

This story can be split into 3 sections: He Yujin's (fml) POV, Gao Fei's (ml) POV, and the translator notes.

He Yujin's POV:

I thought that the storyline in this part was pretty average for a tragic romance--had all the cliches narrated from an oddly self-aware MC that is reminiscent of the narration used in many Japanese light novels. There was nothing particularly stunning but it was a... more>> solid piece. I shed a few tears at the end.

Gao Fei's POV:

This is where I think the story gets interesting (and the translator shares the same sentiment). If you're like me and tend to unconsciously skim-read, some of the subtleties in this section may fly right over your head but eventually the pieces will fall into place and you'll realize what's happening. Compared to the main storyline, I thought that the author did a much better job of showing and not telling what's happening. The readers get to follow exactly what Gao Fei's experiencing--all the confusion and normalcy--until the very end where everything falls apart.

I would recommend the story just for these last 5 chapters.

Translator Notes:

Like I said earlier, I'm the type to read novels quickly but not actually process it well so the tragedy of Gao Fei's POV was lost on me. Thankfully, the translator added a long note at the end of the chapter that went into detail about what happened. It was actually during my read of this part that I shed my second tear. The poetic words they left tied up all the loose ends for me and left me with that empty feeling all good novels leave you with. Much love towards catharcity <3

TL;DR: The novel starts off pretty average but develops into a poetic masterpiece. In terms of tragedy, I'd rank it a 3/5 but its a solid work otherwise. Read the translator notes (especially the one at the very end) to get the full experience. <<less
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RyukoX
RyukoX rated it
January 6, 2022
Status: c13
I cried so much when I read this, I could relate of this story because of my first love. I could relate to the feeling of unrequited love, the feeling of be left, the feeling to be neglected. I never cried so much before, this is so hurt. The way the male MC recall her late wife was extremely painful. I hope no one experienced this kind of life.
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AllthingsAsian
AllthingsAsian rated it
December 1, 2021
Status: Completed
Spoiler

She's definitely a selfish FL, but I don't hate her at all.

To be quite Frank I forgot I've read this novel until I went through my reading list while trying to correct it to the ones that I've finished reading and then I found this and read some reviews and try to verify that I've read it....

It's safe to say that I'm crying because I still haven't changed my opinion on the female lead. I always feel like most people when faced with terminal illness have a tendency to either really and truly be at peace, be unable to accept it or are at a loss.

She knew she would ruin his life, she knew that he viewed as a misfortune but she still went for it and did it because she had no time, but he had all the time in the world.

I honestly feel so bad for the female because she didn't feel strongly for anything at all obviously besides having love for her father, that was all and she knew her days were numbered and so to fall in love with somebody so strong and instantly and know that she has to make the best of it within the time that she has... It hurts.

Because with a regular person they would probably just move on or turn away if they realize that the person already has someone that they're interested in but I truly believe that she felt that this was the only thing the only catalyst that would make her feel like life was worth living- the only thing she really felt strongly about that it would outweigh any other feeling.

I don't know if I'm making sense but she's going through each day very strongly trying to act like everything is fine and this is one time in her short life she's chosen to be selfish. And I truly think she didn't want things to turn out the way it did but at the same time she couldn't reverse her actions once it was done and so she thought the best way to deal with it was move forward and continue with the mentality that she had before she went into this relationship....

And it's because that she has such simple thoughts the way she thinks of things are so straightforward it's really sad to see things go down in the way they do. It's just really sad... She had one wish, and achieved it but she died. The way she did things was terrible too, but I can't help feel extremely sad for her.

If I had a father who loved me that way, with such power and I was diagnosed with some terminal illness... My days are numbered and I'm just passing them till I actually fall in love... (And that love becomes my prop, my will, my strength and my weakness....) I can't say I would do any different.

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Yujian
Yujian rated it
November 7, 2021
Status: Completed
A tale of unrequited love, tragic life story of both leads and mental illness. This is beautifully written by the author and the translator is so good in words. Thank you very much. I really appreciate your effort.

All I can say is my 💔 got broken after reading this. The statement in the end stated at least AhJu the MC had the chance to give everything to the ML but the ML didn't have the chance to say out loud his feelings to the MC and his love actions towards... more>> the MC. All he did and experienced were illusions because of his guilt feelings.

This is my most fave part of the story, the poem written by a Dalai Lama.

That night,

I listened to the hymns till dawn, not for serenity, but to seek a silver of your soul;

That month,

I flipped through all the scriptures, not for enlightenment, but to touch the pages where your fingers once lingered;

That year,

I knelt on the grounds, my head embracing the dusts, not to pay obeisance to the Gods, but to feel the warmth you left behind;

That life,

I wandered through ten thousand great mountains, not in search for an afterlife, but to cross paths with you.

Lesson learned : If this happens to anyone, just see the bright side of the person. Don't waste time and blame each other because time flies so fast, no one knows what will happen in the future. Gao Fei should have tried to love AhJu even they had gone with that kind of bad experience with their relationship so he wouldn't have that kind of guilt feeling. <<less
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Procrastiwarrior
Procrastiwarrior rated it
July 12, 2021
Status: Completed
Even after more than a year ago, this story stuck with me. It was one of those stories that was engraved in my mind and left a mark on my being. That's how powerful it was.

... more>>
Spoiler

Though the story revolved on both of the protagonists' feelings, the most compelling part was the POV of the ML. It was pitiful to see him struggle to get back to the love and life stolen from him, but it's too late since the FL became a bigger part of himself more than he admits. For the FL, she was such an unfortunate child and I do think she was mentally ill from her behavior though it did not justify her actions just for her to satisfy her definition of love. In another world, or perhaps in another lifetime, maybe their love would finally align.

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In here, we see love at its purest form, its ugliest side, as well as its reality and fantasy. One of them loved purely, but expressed it wrongly and the other loved truly, but untimely. Needless to say, it was a tragedy waiting to happen right from the start. <<less
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kurisomething
kurisomething rated it
June 7, 2021
Status: Completed
They are both insane, He Yujin (MC) was insane when it came to love. She did everything to be with Gao Fei (ML). She unconditionally live him, no matter what happened. This doesn't mean she's irrational.... more>>
Spoiler

She handled everything about her post-death matters correctly and efficiently. She left her father's company with a talented man he raised himself, left the orphanage she created with a significant amount of money, and dealt with her property ownerships. She asks Gao Fei to be happy before she dies, because she realizes, at her dying moments, another form of love different from her previous obsessive affection.

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Gao Fei, while not explicitly, slowly turns insane after He Yujin's death.
Spoiler

He gets married with his childhood sweetheart and she gets pregnant with his child. During all of this, he's remembering about He Yujin and hallucinating about her. His wife calls him out on sleep walking, though he denies it. He gets treated like a terrorist because of this mental issue by his in-laws and they get divorced. In the end, he realizes he live He Yujin. He only got married and kept living to fulfill He Yujin's last wishes of him to live a happy life. While he "tells" her, in his dying moments, that he couldn't have predicted the automobile accident he's in, it's truly su*cide because he's actually refusing rescue efforts.

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The translator said it themselves but I will reiterate it. The author could've written a plot where Gao Fei becomes a monk and prays to meet He Yujin again or some other cliché. His efforts to pretend to be a normal man and act like he truly hated her made this all sadder. How he only finally admits everything at his dying moments made my heart twist.

This might be my most "in-depth", spoiler filled, and longest review I've written. <<less
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Strawberrymilk0.0
Strawberrymilk0.0 rated it
July 2, 2020
Status: c13
You could say this is a novel that always traces in my heart. Every time I read it I will get carried away in the story, I will always cry and emotion after reading it. I always hope the author releases another novel, even I hope this novel is filmed. Whenever I'm full of emotion but can't cry I'll read this again. Thank you author and translator for creating this extraordinary work.

xoxo♡
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SageNeon
SageNeon
June 27, 2020
Status: --
I couldn't be more thankful for the person who translated this novel.

Even though I was sceptical at first, I was surprised that the last three chapter actually covers up perfectly for the beginning.

I don't like doormat heroine and she just seemed like one but I couldn't help but fall in love with her. Slowly and all at once.

... more>> I am not going to pretend that I liked the hero because I did not. At all. But knowing this is a tragedy, I couldn't help but forgive him at the end.

TBH Now tragic romance means a completely diff chapter for me. I am more than ecstatic to find one. I am more than happy to cry for one.

I am not even gonna deny that, I am actually turning those different pages thinking I would find something as memorable as this one. <<less
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redrose
redrose rated it
June 5, 2020
Status: Completed
For me knowing what exactly the short 13 chapters were helped me in picking the story up as I am a bit of a coward and don't really like tragedies where everything is a mystery.

Spoiler in-depth reviews is the best. KEEP WRITING THEM, EVERYONE!! They are deeply appreciated.

Still, it's pretty obvious that it was sad and I cried maybe not devastated but I am pretty emotional right now

The bare bones of the story... more>>
Spoiler

that SHE love HIM but HE didnt until she DIED in itself is pretty sad but the real ugly tears come when you get caught up in the fine details that move your heart

Its Short and Sad so I say it is worth a try

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DJMin
DJMin
June 3, 2020
Status: Completed
Gao Fei... what a beautiful name, I really like to pronounce it. Yet the owner of that name had left quite an impression for me... he's a bastard. Well at first I really hate him but then after the story ends, this thought came to me, "did he really love her? Whatever he felt after she left, was it really love?"

I get it that maybe he just realized it when it's too late. But is it love? What if it's not? What if it's just guilt? He was so used... more>> to her being in his life... he could've deluded himsel you know... <<less
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pukkles
pukkles rated it
June 1, 2020
Status: Completed
This is one of those novels that will leave you thinking about fo a while. Both of the characters each have their own set of flaws but learn to grow even if it took them years. The ending was tragic and heartbreaking but it made me feel satisfied in a way. I love how the ending of the story is in ml’s pov and how we can see how he dealt with the aftermath. A quick and good read that I definitely recommend.
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Limmy24
Limmy24 rated it
February 7, 2020
Status: Completed
I have never cried this long for a story. I was literally crying throughout reading it all the way to the ending. It is such a beautiful and tragic tale about the consequences of love and pride. But for anyone afraid of the ending, let me just say that it is very satisfying and won't leave you hanging so please please give this amazing story a chance, you will not regret it.
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Novelplease
Novelplease rated it
January 28, 2020
Status: --
TL Note on the last chapter: "She loved too much & He loved too late. I'm still contemplating ob whose more unfortunate. She obsessed on him up until her last breath on the other side he kept his prideful act until his every piece of being broke down. This cynical love story just depicit that not all love is always rainbow & butterfly, some are destructive & toxic. Now I'm questioning myself if you can call it love when all you bring to that person are tears & scars, grief... more>> & sorrow, and worse at the end of the day you still cling to them and refuse to let go. <<less
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Ilukimnamjoon
Ilukimnamjoon
November 18, 2019
Status: Completed
I don't ever read tragedies cuz I can't handle them but still I wanted to feel their emotions and dear god I really felt them too deeply I was reading this novel at 1am and I was crying so hard that my snot was also mixed with tears. ? ?

I loved this novel and would recommend it to those who have strong hear weak hearted ones can even die after reading this due to grief... But Author san respect and love.. Great.
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Wonder Star
Wonder Star rated it
October 10, 2019
Status: Completed
Bring your tissues along!!!

The number of tragedies j have read could be counted on one hand. It breaks your heart as you go through Ah Yu's POV and then it shatters you completely when you, with blurred vision stumble through Gao Fei's story after her death.

It's a tragedy from the start. An insane woman falling for a sane man only for him to go insane after her death.

I love how the story flows, the last chapter of the main text is poetic like the rhythm of flowing water and the... more>> ending is just so heart wrenching.

Gao Fei's side of the story is my favourite part too because like the translator said, in all the other tragedies I have read, there was no way for me to know what exactly went on in their heads. <<less
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emilia
emilia rated it
September 13, 2019
Status: --
In general I avoid reading tragedies because I don't want to create my own ending to appease myself, however this novel's ending left me satisfied. There was no need to comfort myself with an alternate ending. So I recommend it to people like me. Also, the translator's end notes sheds light on the couples relationship and is worth reading and contemplating. This novel is memorable in that it taught me "what not to do" in a relationship. In this novel selfishness, obsession, self-ignorance and lack of mercy can cause hardship.
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Vhall
Vhall rated it
August 11, 2018
Status: Completed
This is actually my first time writing a review, especially tragedies, since I'm not actually fond of books with tragedy. Even I don't know why I started to read this book either. I was searching for historical romance Chinese novel recommendation and somehow saw this novel in one of the recommended novel in a website. What I noticed first was the Summary, especially the last sentence that hook me and finally tempted to try this -

Gao Fei, do you believe that I lived through this night, this day, this year, and this lifetime, only to hold your hand and accompany you in this journey of life?

... more>>
Spoiler

I like the way the Author describe the FL and ML. Especially the ML part, so I know how Gao Fei live through his life when He Yujin died and his thought. Like the Author (or maybe Translator, I don't know) said that Gao Fei tried and tried especially hard to live a happy life, just because that's what He Yujin wish for.

This story filled me with what if.

What if He Yujin chase him with a normal person method should be. What if Gao Fei less stuborn and realize his feelings sooner. Maybe it'll be a loongg time for He Yujin to chase Gao Fei and even not successful in her life time.

Maybe this is just me, but it's quite sad that the Author end their story just like that. I mean, it would be nice if there will be just a small part that describe they'll actually meet again in the next life or something. Like, the part when Gao Fei actually meet He Yujin and said, 'Hi, He Yujin. I'm Gao Fei, let's be friends.' So that I'll feel a little comforted and feel they are not so hopeless after all. Maybe they will meet each other in an aproppriate time, an aproppriate place, and in a better way.

Well, that's just my wishful thought. Sigh.

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Anyway, it's a beautiful and heartbreaking story. You need to prepare lots of tissues, and try not to read this at public places 'cause I think it's impossible not to cry while reading this book.

p.s. I especially like the translator. How he/she describe his/her thought about the book. It's basically perfected the translations! <<less
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yango
yango rated it
January 17, 2018
Status: Completed
You've been warned, do not read in a public place, you will cry!

I will admit that Yujin's obsessive love is very overbearing at first but with every chapter, her love for Gao Fei is so deep and beautiful, you can't help but cry for her. Even the littlest action of his makes her happy, and it's so tragic that Gao Fei even after she dies does not admit he loves her, only until his very last breath. The way it's written is so beautiful, I think that Gao Fei tried... more>> to live his life the way Yujin always wanted him to live after her death, but unknowing to him, he was only tricking himself, she had been placed in his heart a long time ago.

I'm a sucker for sad stories and this one is truly one of a kind. <<less
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Fluffy From Flufferland
Fluffy From Flufferland rated it
December 26, 2023
Status: Completed
I can't say what I felt after reading this book.

... more>>
Spoiler

I would have preferred had Gao Fei took time and effort to heal his mind. Maybe visited a Psychiatrist on his own before his second marriage, or realized his love for Yujin before his second marriage or at least made an effort when his friend told him his wife must have been right during his second marriage.

He made his parents cry after all that they went through. I'm not happy about it.

Although I liked the FL and her dad due to their care for each other and the way FL loved so unconditionally, I still felt uncomfortable everytime I read about ML's father's legs. That's something irreversible.

ML is really a victim but he did hurt FL with words enough to make up for it I think. Yet he did not end up happy. That was due to his pride and stubbornness. Had he let go of those two feelings maybe the ending would have been different. I would have preferred he ended up happy.

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elijahavery
elijahavery
November 13, 2023
Status: Completed
I'm sorry but until the end I dislike HY. More like hatred than dislike. If I was GF, I will hate her to death. Even when she died, the sadness only come because I'm still a human. Yes, I still pity her but mostly I feel hatred toward her. It's also because until the end she didn't realize what she did wrong and no regret no redemption. She's like the tr*shy ML in every romance story where he have happy ending with the FL after torture her mentally but change... more>> the gender and no redemption arc because redemption arc only for man 🙄

JJ is the real victim here. Her choice to abort their baby is for the good. The mother will suffer from trauma caused by the father's mental illness. It will end worse if they keep the baby. She knows she won't survive if the father of her baby won't be there for them. Like, he literally hallucinating about his dead wife and deny to have one, also refuse to get help. Don't you dare to blame her to chose abortion. Not everyone ready to be a single mother when the pregnancy still in first trisemester and with sick ex husband.

GF is... sigh. Kinda feel bad for him because he's blamed for everything more than HY is. I like his character the most, not because he's the nicest but how he's written. I hage him but there's things that tolerable frrom him. Also what he got in later chapter isn't karma but more like trauma HY gave. Again HY left something bad for people around her.

I feel like many people here have similar mindset. They tolerate the main character wrong doing so much that they forgot the chatacter's sin. And then pick other character to put blame on.

Overall, the writting is great, the translation too. If it's not because the writing, I don't think I can feel anu sadness from HY <<less
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