Rivers and Seas Cannot Be Crossed

Name: Rivers and Seas Cannot Be Crossed
ISBN: 9787541166167

吕亦涵Sichuan Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaMar 2023

3.2

Word count: 184K words
Chapters: 16
ISBN: 9787541166167

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Summary

He is a man who always smiles on the surface but is cold within; she is a woman who seems distant on the surface but is warm inside. His approach to her is merely one of countless planning proposals, yet in the details it emerges that both of them crawled out of boundless dark nights, and in that darkness they tirelessly seek the faintest shreds of goodness. Thus four schemes, one love, and all the love and hate, passion and enmity, unfold slowly. Have you ever seen such cruel love? And have you ever seen such gentle redemption?

Editor's review

This is an urban romance novel that advances its narrative through "planning." The male protagonist is gentle in appearance but cold at heart, while the female protagonist is distant on the surface but warm inside. Their closeness begins with several planning proposals, yet in the details it emerges that both have come out of the darkness. The book's readability lies in weaving emotional development with planning events: four plans form the narrative skeleton, and a love story unfolds within them, showing both a cruel side and a gentle redemption. The character setup has clear contrast and complementarity, suited to readers who enjoy emotional push-and-pull and stories focused on inner wounds and healing. While reading, notice how the plans serve both as plot drivers and as ways for the characters to test and approach each other, which helps convey the tension the author creates between "calculation" and "sincerity."

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy urban romance novels and prefer setups contrasting a cold inner self with warmth
Romance readers interested in narrative structures where "planning drives the relationship"
Young readers who want light reading with themes of trauma and redemption
Existing readers of author Lü Yihan who follow her urban romance works

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer hardcore suspense, mystery, or strongly plot-driven adventure
Readers not interested in romance or emotionally charged push-and-pull narratives
Readers expecting realistic fiction with deep social commentary

Reading tips

Read in sections around the four plans, reviewing subtle changes in the relationship after each one
Pay attention to the contrast between the hero's "smile on the surface, coldness inside" and the heroine's "coldness on the surface, warmth inside"
After finishing, revisit the opening motivation for their closeness to appreciate the reversal and echo between "planning" and "sincerity"
For book clubs, set discussion questions around how "cruel love and gentle redemption can coexist"

About the publisher

Sichuan Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1984

Sichuan Literature and Art Publishing House is a professional literary and art publishing institution. It mainly publishes books on contemporary and modern literature, foreign literature, poetry and prose, music and art, and literary theory. Judging from the books in the database, the house places considerable emphasis on classic works and foreign literature. Representative titles include Lu Xun's Call to Arms and Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk, Lao She's Camel Xiangzi, Xiao Hong's The Story of Hulan River, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, William Shakespeare's Hamlet, and Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha. Its translator resources include Deng Jiawan, Shi Zhongge, Du Yunci, and Zhu Shenghao. Common categories include social fiction, classic works, foreign literature, world classics, literary appreciation, and classical poetry, reflecting a publishing profile that balances Chinese and foreign literary classics with literary appreciation.

版权信息
楔子
1. 素末
2. 钟情
3. 际遇
4. 杉木
5. 阴谋
6. 百花
7. 玫瑰
8. 关于爱
9. 结局
10. 惊变
11. 伦敦
12. 归来
13. 旧事
番外关于他

FAQ

Is the romance in this book sweet or angst-ridden?

From the synopsis, the story emphasizes the coexistence of "cruel love" and "gentle redemption." The hero's initial approach to the heroine has a planning purpose, and both carry dark pasts, so the overall tone leans toward emotionally charged narrative with tension and pain rather than pure lighthearted sweetness. The exact balance should be judged from the main text.

What role do the "four plans" play in the book?

The four plans are both plot milestones and occasions for the male and female leads to interact, test each other, and get to know one another. They interweave workplace-style scheming with private emotions, and readers can view each plan as a stage in the relationship's development.

Is it better to read in one sitting or slowly?

The book is driven mainly by emotional development, and its pace suits continuous reading to maintain a coherent sense of the relationship. If time is limited, you can also read in sections by the four plans, pausing briefly after each to review changes in the two characters' states of mind for a clearer reading experience.

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About the author

吕亦涵 Author

Lü Yihan is a Chinese author about whom little public information is available. The library currently holds two of her works, Xiang Hai Shen Chu (Deep Toward the Sea) and Jiang Hai Bu Du (Neither River nor Sea Can Stop It). Her writing is commonly classified as social fiction and youth literature, and her themes appear to center on water imagery—seas and rivers—as settings for stories about characters navigating real-life circumstances and emotional growth. Such works typically focus on young people's struggles and transformations amid social pressure, relationships, and self-discovery, with an emphasis on readability and emotional resonance for readers who enjoy realistic, youthful narratives. Because details such as her dates of birth and death, nationality, education, and writing career remain unconfirmed, this introduction is based solely on the works and categories in the library and makes no speculation about her personal life; as more information becomes public, her creative trajectory and stylistic features await further study.