The Shoemaker

鸦豆Jiangsu Kewen Culture Development Co., Ltd. · ChinaApr 2024

3.4

Word count: 289K words
Chapters: 119

Summary

[Limp, rough-handed cobbler Nie Zhenhong × dull, slow-burning little painter Lin Zhi] [Modern romance + dual male leads + mutual healing + street life + older man] Nie Zhenhong figured he'd just live out his days like this: smoking, mending shoes, soaking up the sun, and saving a little for his funeral. He was a cripple, unwanted, and he didn't care much for anyone either. But later, he revised his plans: mend shoes, soak up the sun, and save a little for a wife.

Editor's review

The Cobbler sets its story in a small space—a street-side shoe-repair stall—where Nie Zhenhong's lame leg, smoking, shoe mending, and sunbathing form a self-enclosed yet self-sufficient cycle of life. He originally planned for a funeral fund, then changed it to a wife fund; this single shift almost sums up the emotional trajectory of the whole work: not a grand pursuit, but a guard slowly loosening amid ordinary street life. Lin Zhi, a slow-burning young painter, contrasts with the rough cobbler, and the mutual healing plays out in daily interactions rather than dramatic conflict. The narrative has an older-man feel, and the language should be lifelike, suited to readers who enjoy slow-burn, delicately developed relationships. As you read, notice how the two move from their separate isolation toward each other, and feel the courage of small people re-planning their lives.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy street-life settings and slow-burn mutual-healing stories
Readers who prefer dual male leads and older-man relationship dynamics
Those interested in small-figure occupational settings like a cobbler and a young painter
Readers who savor a steady, slow emotional build rather than strong conflict

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking fast pacing and strong plot conflict
Readers who do not accept dual male leads or older-man dynamics
Readers expecting grand scenes or urban-elite backgrounds

Reading tips

Read by switching between character perspectives, and note Nie Zhenhong's psychological shift from a funeral fund to a wife fund
Treat the shoe-repair stall as a fixed scene for observing their relationship, and sense their growing closeness in everyday details
Read the dialogue and slices of life slowly; there is no need to rush the emotional progress

About the publisher

Jiangsu Kewen Culture Development Co., Ltd. China

Jiangsu Kewen Culture Development Co., Ltd. is a Chinese book publisher whose name appears on the copyright pages of e-book platforms such as WeRead, iReader and Dangdang. Owing to limited public information, its founding background and full history remain unclear, yet the four titles in our database reveal a fairly clear publishing direction: suspense and mystery fiction as the main focus, alongside modern romance and classic works. Representative publications include the courtroom mystery series (3 volumes) by Golden Dagger Award winner Steve Cavanagh, as well as works such as The Shoemaker and Making a Living. In terms of authors, besides Steve Cavanagh, the company works with translators and writers including Ye Minzhen, Wen Ruoting, Lin Ling and Ya Dou, and publishes Zhao Lirong's sober-minded growth guide (3 volumes). Overall, the company focuses on e-book publishing, emphasizing imported mystery titles and domestic personal-growth reading.

版权信息
1修鞋铺
2破洞袜
3啃苞谷
4不适合
5一根筋
6不要买
7像豆腐
8阳台上
9送你了
10卖鞋垫
11小礼物
12太拼了
13擦擦吧
14不哭了
15尝一口
16最见效
17我碰瓷
18不会摔
19耙耙柑
20包饺子
21找上门
22都给你
23小棉袄
24去救人
25要什么
26接到了
27我不傻
28小学徒
29坐公交
30送给你
31很开心
32好闻的
33硌得慌
34都可以
35我不看
36你保证
37画画家
38给你念
39擦脸颊
40画这个
41乱套了
42安全感
43画的信
44都可以
45我有的
46瞪了眼
47很辛苦
48柠檬水
49气走了
50真碍事
51好朋友
52长知了
53大朋友
54抓重点
55吃撑了
56这样呢
57谈恋爱
58就不腻
59牵手走
60小仓鼠
61开心果
62胖猫儿
63开心了
64不容易
65想硬抗
66不用生
67不能卖
68是帽子
69不对劲
70绝版书
71没猜错
72就他了
73偷偷看
74一起看
75男孩子
76摸摸我
77做准备
78吵醒了
79摸我的
80躺一会
81栀子花
82过明路
83儿媳妇
84看房子
85小金桔
86太酸了
87有我的
88新故事
89长骨头
90还疼吗
91试试看
92来帮忙
93打广告
94窝囊废
95赶出来
96找场子
97门开了
98揍上去
99见岳母
100一直在
101分不开
102是你的
103雪地靴
104回家去
105年夜饭
106许愿望
107看画展
108番外如果1
109番外如果2
110番外如果3
111番外如果4
112番外如果5
113番外如果6
114番外如果7
115番外小日常1
116番外小日常2
117联合番外打麻将1
118联合番外打麻将2

FAQ

What does changing the "funeral fund" to a "wife fund" mean?

It marks a turn in Nie Zhenhong's life plans: he had intended to muddle through alone, but then began planning for another person and a shared life—a sign of his emotional guard loosening.

Where does the mutual healing show?

Nie Zhenhong is closed off and thinks no one wants him; Lin Zhi is slow-burning and dull. Both carry gaps in their lives, and being together lets them re-plan their lives. The healing happens in daily life, not in dramatic events.

Is the story fast-paced?

From the setup, it is a slow-burn street-life story; the relationship develops through life fragments like mending shoes and sunbathing, suited to readers who enjoy a steady, slow narrative.

Comments

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About the author

鸦豆 Author

Ya Dou is an author who writes mainly contemporary romance. Public information about her is limited: her dates of birth and death, nationality and English name are all unknown. Three of her works are held in the collection—Hu Kou (Making a Living), The Cobbler and Only Sunshine for Me—and their titles suggest that she focuses on the everyday circumstances and emotional relationships of ordinary people, with themes close to real life rather than fantasy narratives detached from it. Her output is small but thematically consistent, indicating a clear and steady direction in her writing. Because the available material confirms only the existence and category of these three works, nothing can be verified about her background, how she began writing or her views on craft, and no speculation is offered here. Readers who wish to understand her style may begin with these three works and see how she handles contemporary urban romance.