So totally no romance here but they start out as friends and allies in this tricky situation. It's actually really cute. Also, ML is actually younger than MC! There's the start of a long collaboration (and we can see the downfall of a whole household) and towards the end, I was really sad to see xiao hou ye gone. I think both started to develop some feelings towards the end and my gosh, I really teared up at the end. This ending really gutted me. But plot spoilers wise, Xiao hou ye is the nephew of the empress and MC is forced to marry him by imperial order because the guo shi dictates that they match and it will help xiao hou ye (since he is like terminally ill). And it does follow the summary where he still dies a year later but it's actually half a year longer because MC (who is a doctor in training), helped prolong his life. And also, MC actually held a grudge at the beginning because this whole marriage ruined his plan to take this very important medical exam.

TBH not my favourite arc because of the age gap. General is 12 years older than MC (though mentally ML is still 1 year younger). It was nice because this is the arc where their feelings became mutual and more scheming happened against the protagonists of the book (who weren't good) but I couldn't really get the age gap image off my mind. But otherwise, the confession scene was very nice. Again, a lot of people went down but coming towards the end of this arc (there were even scenes where they promised to be together till the very end of this life even though ML is physically older now), you just know the angst was coming. Oh and also, it's assumed at the beginning that the general "died" when ML transmigrated over to his body at the start of this arc (and that was at the war zone away from the capital).

There was already hints in arc 2 on who ML will be, and that was this prince who was said to have "no soul". So ya, at least it wasn't like he took over an innocent character. And this prince looked nearly identical to his original body (HMM). A lot of things happened between arc 2 and 3 for him to become emperor and how they can get together when MC already kind of married twice is going to be a hurdle I foresee, so shall have to continue reading.

I like how ML influenced MC to talk in his modern speak. Also, there was a natural flow in the plot where MC discovers that ML is a transmigrator and that they are in a book.

Lin Qingyu thought for a long time, but made up his mind, "In any case, I will do less bad things in the future."

ML: "Don't baby. Do whatever you want. If you want to change yourself when you fall in love with me, then I'm a scumbag again."

This is their attitude when it comes to being jealous:

MC: If he cheats on me then he is blind.

ML: Isn't he pretty? Look, look as much as you want. People love to look at a beauty. But look is all they can do. Only I can touch.

ML said that if they are going to get into fights every time someone stare at MC then they will only fight all day long. Better just to let people look at him.

Is actually the main villain in the story. He was the typical villain in novels; Lin Qingyu is ruthless, he never forgives nor forget, he carried out his plans without mercy. If you so as glances at him wrongly, you're on the hit list.

But everything is forgiven because he is the main character and we actually got to know the reasons and processes of everything.

Although he was also too cruel to some innocent characters just because he found them too s*upid or cheap.

Yet, as the main character Shou, he is very cute.

If this story was from Crown Prince's pov, Lin Qingyu would be the crazy beauty who killed his husbands with his bad luck and also a crazy doctor who pursued dark magic 「Gu worms」.

ML Gong was a typical transmigrating villain who loves to mess with the plot. His mind and action are scarier and more ruthless than the MC. He is a scheming person who moves people around him into his chess play while he sit on the top. For his lovely wife, there is nothing he wouldn't do.

But. As the male lead main character, ML is actually quiet humble. He doesn't think he is the main character of the world just because be transmigrates into it. He only wants to protect the one person he loves and cares the most, his lovely Shou male-wife. His scheming mind wasn't born as a mean to bully others. He learns how to scheme because his modern-world mother apparently is very obsessed with setting his son on the top, to follow her path in becoming the best of everything. But ML is a lazy person who only wants to be a salted fish everyday, so he learns how to scheme his own time and study to get the top result and also the lazy life he wants.

He also loves the MC in the most adorable way.

His name itself is a spoiler.

It was especially painful in the first life arc. I cried for Qingyu despite knowing that his husband was going to be back soon.

ML died 3 times, and married MC 3 times, just like the title. In the 1st life, he died when helping a pregnant women, and then he wake up, and meet MC. That's the beginning of their love life

he's willing to be a salted fish that is not so idle for his lover.

I definitely sniffled at the both times the ML died, the writer wove it so beautifully and fully displayed the raw emotions the MC and ML had during those two times. They're at chapter 38 and 99. They were written so beautifully that I specifically went back to reread those two scenes, I'm in awe of the writer.

1. Lu Wancheng dies at chapter 38/39
2. Gu Fuzhou dies at chapter 99
   
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and that one important goal in his life is to give the MC freedom to act and not surpress his malicious heart (too much dog food huhuhu)

how the MC retaliated disproportionately to the ppl who "provoked" him. Or maybe such retaliation was justified but I just don't like that unapologetic evil part of him and the ML's condonation of it.

He brought disaster to the ppl who's not on his side and was unnecessarily cruel for the slightest provocation. Lyk we get it, you're a heavenly beauty but not everyone who covets you deserves to did you know. He also acts as if he has no family to worry about. There are crimes that not only calls for his own death but his whole family but he has no hesitation to do it. Tho ofc his plans always worked bec he's a genius and has a halo! But the lack of concern to do "bad things" when they're not yet at the point where he has to do such things, it's a bit of a turn off for me.

Xi Rong, the eunuch. He's so much lyk the MC in terms of ambitiousness, the scheming. When he delivered that last speech while being waterboarded about how the evil things he did will come back to him as a retribution, he kinda gagged our MC. But at the same time, why was the MC upset abt it when everything XR said was correct. When he was planning those things he had no hesitation but when someone laid down that those might cause bad karma, he's suddenly upset??? Gurll if ur evil, have the guts to admit it and not be upset when ppl mention it.

The only difference between MC And XR is that XR has no halo so during their (XR and the MC) confrontation, he inevitability lost, was tortured, and forced to kill himself in a garden he and his half brother is fond of. So for the readers who hated XR but loooved MC, they need to reflect on it.
So between these 2 evil characters, I like XR more because he knew what he was doing and the only reason he's in that situation is bec he got outwitted. No hypocrisy and he accepted its consequences. That tragic ending and his concern for XL also gave a delicious conclusion to his character. I loved it so much that I decided to end things there.