A Single Coin

Name: A Single Coin
ISBN: 9787559489142

诀别词Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaMar 2026

2.5

Word count: 131K words
Chapters: 60
ISBN: 9787559489142

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Summary

What is summer made of?

Open fields, fireworks, and a submarine—and Cheng Zhu has a secret, one that has to do with a coin.

—She has fallen for Sun Mingchi.

Even Cheng Zhu finds it absurd. Too much stands between them; it is neither appropriate nor right.

But Cheng Zhu cannot help it. No one could withstand the sugar-coated assault of a man like Sun Mingchi—when he treats you well, you feel like his one true love, and he is good only to you; and when he treats you badly… Sun Mingchi seems never to have treated her badly, and that is the most lethal thing of all.

Editor's review

A Coin captures the push-and-pull of youthful desire—that "I know it's wrong but I can't stop" feeling—with real breathing room. Juebiejueci doesn't reduce Cheng Zhu's secret crush to pure sweetness; by setting it against images that carry the texture of summer—open wilderness, fireworks, a submarine—she lets the stirrings of the heart arrive with unease and self-mockery. Sun Mingchi is the novel's key fulcrum: his kindness is reserved for one person only, and that almost partial tenderness is precisely what makes him so magnetic, and what makes Cheng Zhu's "loss of control" convincing. The pacing is delicate, with emotional layering taking precedence over strong plot momentum; it's best read in quiet afternoons or in bedtime stretches, without rushing. Its value lies not in answers but in making the universal yet private experience of "liking someone you shouldn't" feel concrete. If you value emotional truth over event density in youth literature, this book deserves a place.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of youth literature who love nuanced psychological portraiture and slow-burn emotional arcs
Young readers who resonate with "inappropriate attraction" themes such as secret crushes and gaps in status
Readers looking for a high-emotion, gently paced summer read
Aspiring writers interested in how imagery can be used to organize emotion

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer strong plotting, fast pacing, or suspenseful twists may find it slow
Readers expecting explicit engagement with real-world issues or socially driven depth may be unsatisfied
Readers who can't accept a "partial tenderness" setup in a romantic relationship may struggle to connect

Reading tips

Don't rush to judge whether the relationship is right or wrong—follow Cheng Zhu's emotions through, then revisit her hesitation
Notice where images like the wilderness, fireworks, the submarine, and the coin appear; they often mark emotional turning points
After reading, write three sentences describing concrete examples of Sun Mingchi's "kindness" to test whether the character holds up
Best read in several sittings, stopping at the end of an emotional passage to preserve the aftertaste

About the publisher

Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1958

Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House focuses on literary publishing while also covering the humanities, social sciences, and books on art and daily life. Its approximately 1,535 titles in the database span social novels, world history, design, science fiction, classic works, and film and television: they include modern Chinese literary classics by Lu Xun such as A Madman's Diary: The Complete Short Stories of Lu Xun, Call to Arms, Four Generations Under One Roof, and Teahouse, as well as foreign literary memoirs like Stefan Zweig's The World of Yesterday. In science fiction it offers Asimov's Galactic Empire series, while in architecture and art it publishes Liu Dunzhen's Classical Gardens of Suzhou and design titles from Phoenix Space. Its authors are concentrated among classic writers such as Lu Xun, Zweig, and Asimov, with translators including Liang Xijiang, Zhong Haonan, and Ye Lihua. Its overall character is built on classic works while embracing genre fiction and visual culture. Public information is limited, and this introduction is based on the titles in the database.

版权信息
第1章分割线
第2章下雨天
第3章行李箱
第4章破天荒
第5章狐狸精
第6章风流种
第7章送药膏
第8章小卖部
第9章小电驴
第10章潜力股
第11章戏剧性
第12章小屁孩
第13章小竹子
第14章黑名单
第15章小惩罚
第16章大喇叭
第17章出轨了
第18章吃飞醋
第19章藏好点
第20章下暴雨
第21章莲蓬头
第22章男朋友
第23章心疼我
第24章差一点
第25章掷硬币
第26章慢写画
第27章无间道
第28章交界线
第29章更衣间
第30章前女友
第31章小和尚
第32章日记本
第33章后悔吗
第34章出事了
第35章聊一聊
第36章在骗你
第37章听八卦
第38章男菩萨
第39章谈恋爱
第40章想离开
第41章穿西装
第42章许愿池
第43章撕破脸
第44章忘不了
第45章被击碎
第46章喜欢你
第47章荷尔蒙
第48章怪不得
第49章陪老婆
第50章送个吻
第51章红丝带
第52章潜水艇
第53章真可爱
第54章等着我
第55章毕业照
第56章看帅哥
第57章孙老板
第58章一辈子
第59章后记

FAQ

Is this a sweet romance or an angsty one?

From the synopsis, it leans toward "sweet with unease." Sun Mingchi's kindness to Cheng Zhu is clear, but Cheng Zhu knows too much stands between them, and that awareness of "inappropriate and shouldn't" keeps a layer of doubt beneath the sweetness. The actual trajectory depends on the text; it's not easily classified as purely sweet or purely angsty.

I haven't read the author's previous work—can I start with this one?

Yes. It's a standalone work that doesn't rely on prior setups. Juebiejueci's style is nuanced and introspective; if you're new to her writing, read a few pages first to adjust to the pacing before deciding whether to continue.

The title is "A Coin"—is the coin important in the story?

The synopsis clearly states that Cheng Zhu has a secret connected to a coin, so it's the core object threading through her inner life, not a casually chosen title. Watch for each appearance of the coin; it likely serves as an emotional marker.

Is it a good gift for a friend who likes youth literature?

If they favor delicate emotions and secret-crush themes, it's a good fit; if they prefer fast-paced or strongly plotted works, it may not be the first choice. Before giving it, consider how receptive they are to a "slow burn."

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About the author

诀别词 Author · Chinese

Juebieti (literally "Words of Parting") is a Chinese web novel writer about whom limited public information is available. Three of her works are currently included in the collection, with representative titles such as Spring and Moonlight, Unclear Signature, and A Coin. Her writing generally falls into the categories of youth literature and modern romance. She is skilled at depicting the delicate emotions of adolescence, and her works often focus on childhood sweethearts and campus romance; her full-length novel Spring and Moonlight has been published. Her style is fresh and natural, with attention to everyday details and the unfolding of characters' inner feelings, giving her youth-oriented emotional narratives a distinct personal tone. Beyond writing, she loves reading and writing and also enjoys music and photography, interests that may nourish the visual sense and atmosphere in her prose.