A Thousand Faces (2-Volume Set)

侧侧轻寒Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaJan 2026

4.1

Word count: 523K words
Chapters: 35

Summary

If days could be named, Wei Zexi would surely call today "Heartbreak Day." His heartbroken secretary, in a daze, fed an important document into the shredder. His heartbroken sister was threatening suicide, vowing to go skiing in Switzerland and roll herself into a snowball to be buried. His heartbroken Pandora called to declare: "I'm done living! I'm going to take that two-timing bastard down with me!" And yet on this very Heartbreak Day, he met Yan Weiran.

Editor's review

Qian Yan opens with the dramatic premise of "Heartbreak Day," linking three character threads—the secretary, the sister, and Pandora—to protagonist Wei Zexi's daily life, and unfolds the reshuffling of relationships in a brisk, humorous narrative rhythm. Cece Qinghan excels at creating misalignments and coincidences within an urban romance framework; this work continues her hallmark of bright dialogue and ensemble portrayal, turning "heartbreak" into the trigger for an unexpected encounter rather than a melodrama of suffering. Each character has their own sorry state and their own vividness, making the read light yet not shallow. It suits fragmented reading time such as commutes or before sleep, and readers who enjoy urban romantic comedy, lively ensembles, and cleverly designed encounters. The two-volume length gives the story ample room to develop character transformations; readers can follow the characters from chaos to clarity and enjoy a healing reading experience.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy urban romantic comedy and want to watch characters bicker and meet in a lighthearted atmosphere
Readers who prefer ensemble portrayal and enjoy multiple character threads interweaving
Office workers who need light reading for commutes or bedtime and want a brisk pace
Young readers who resonate with the "starting over after heartbreak" theme and want a healing story

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer serious literature or weighty historical subjects and have no interest in a light comedic tone
Readers expecting hardcore suspense or rigorous logical deduction and unaccustomed to emotional relationships as the narrative focus
Readers who find multiple parallel character threads confusing and prefer a single protagonist's perspective

Reading tips

Read Volume 1 first to clarify the relationship network around Wei Zexi and those close to him, then move to Volume 2 to see how each character emerges from the shadow of heartbreak
Treat "Heartbreak Day" as the emotional starting point of the book and note each character's turning point from embarrassment to acceptance
Slow down at dense ensemble dialogue to distinguish each character's voice and appreciate how the author uses dialogue to build personality
Suitable as bedtime or commute reading; read one or two chapters at a time to maintain a brisk pace

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
千颜1
楔子
chapter 01 回国
chapter 02 首席化妆师
chapter 03 幽暗中的希望
chapter 04 绯闻的影子
chapter 05 合伙人的委托
chapter 06 近在咫尺的寻亲
chapter 07 维纳斯的诞生
chapter 08 沧桑之颜
chapter 09 昨夜梦
chapter 10 如何回归少女颜
chapter 11 胖子的逆袭
chapter 12 意外的拒绝
chapter 13 如何忘记一场雨
chapter 14 如何回到十年前
chapter 15 虚伪的父爱
chapter 16 原来是你
千颜2
第一章岁月轮回
第二章神之双手
第三章假面
第四章飞蛾扑火
第五章路过她的风
第六章复原梦中人
第七章备受瞩目的车祸
第八章逆转人生
第九章秘密城堡的钥匙
第十章配方公开
第十一章如何许下一个吻
第十二章他比烟花绚烂
第十三章旧日谜题
第十四章镜头下的残缺美
尾声你是星辰玫瑰

FAQ

Is this a single-volume story or a continuous two-volume novel?

Qian Yan is a complete two-volume set with a continuous story; reading in order is recommended. Volume 1 mainly lays out the character relationships and the chain reactions triggered by "Heartbreak Day," while Volume 2 advances character transformations and settles the relationships. Skipping around may cause readers to miss foreshadowing and character motivations.

I haven't read other works by Cece Qinghan. Can I start with this one?

Yes. This is a standalone story that does not depend on prior context from the author's other works. Readers can simply enter through the opening "Heartbreak Day" premise; character relationships unfold gradually in the narrative, so no advance preparation is needed.

Is the tone more lighthearted or more angsty?

Based on the available information, the opening uses the exaggerated misfortunes and embarrassing situations of "Heartbreak Day" to create comedy; the overall tone leans light and humorous rather than angsty. It suits readers looking for a light emotional story.

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About the author

侧侧轻寒 Author

Ce Ce Qing Han is an online-fiction author about whom limited public information is available; no confirmed details on nationality, dates of birth and death, or an English name can be verified. Sixteen of the author's works have been published or serialized, with the representative Sinan series, including Sinan (4 Volumes), Sinan 1: The Divine Mechanism Volume, Sinan 2: The Reverse Scale Volume, and Sinan 4: The Mandate of Heaven Volume. Other works include Qian Deng Lu (a novel in the same series as Zan Zhong Lu), Qian Yan (2 Volumes), Qian Mian Tian Shi, and Picked Up a Dragon. The works are commonly categorized as time-travel and alternate-world fiction, modern romance, youth literature, and otherworld fantasy. They often use fictional worlds as their stage, blending ingenious mechanisms, mystery and detective plots, and emotional threads, with an emphasis on plot momentum and the development of character relationships. Because biographical material on the author is limited, a fuller picture of the author's writing still awaits more public information.