Distant Mulberry

ZhuleiYunqi Academy2024

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Word count: 70K words

Summary

Teng Qiu grows up in her hometown amid hardship, developing a forthright and loyal nature. As a child, she clashes with a vicious old man while protecting her older sister Teng Xia, and is beaten by their father; Teng Xia takes an iron rod blow for her, forging a deep bond between the sisters. Years later, Teng Qiu returns home and reunites with Teng Xia, whom she had lost contact with for three years. She also meets her ailing childhood friend Yingrong and learns that she has stayed behind alone, longing for Kong Yunheng, an old flame; with Mr. Zheng's help, Yingrong is taken to the hospital for treatment. Teng Xia comes to the hometown and spends time with Teng Qiu, discussing their father Mr. Zheng, who left years ago, and torn over whether to return with him. The story revolves around the sisterhood of two girls, family fractures, and childhood bonds, threaded through with the image of the resilient mulberry tree, depicting partings, reunions, and waiting in ordinary life.

Editor's review

This is a modern romance with a literary feel, its prose poetic and its emphasis on emotional buildup. The core appeal lies in the bond between two sisters who depend on each other and the delicate writing about family and old ties, suited to readers who enjoy slow-paced family emotional arcs. The weakness is that the plot moves slowly and dramatic conflict is not dense, offering limited appeal to readers seeking strong plot or fast-paced satisfaction.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy family and sisterhood themes
Female readers who prefer slow-paced, literary prose
Romance readers interested in growth and healing themes

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking strong conflict and fast-paced wish-fulfillment
Readers who prefer strong genre setups such as mystery or fantasy

Reading tips

Read the first few chapters to get a feel for the narrative pace and style before deciding whether to continue
Pay attention to the relationships among Teng Qiu, Teng Xia, and Yingrong; the sisterhood and childhood friendship form the main thread
Don't expect rapid plot advancement; take it chapter by chapter and savor the buildup of emotion and memory

About the publisher

Yunqi Academy

Yunqi Academy focuses on online-literature publishing, with more than 2,665 titles in the collection; publicly available information is limited, and its founding background and location remain to be confirmed. Its publishing output centers on women's fiction, time-travel and alternate-world stories, modern romance, and quality web novels, with some social fiction as well. Representative titles include Years Awakened by Dreams, After Transmigrating as the Villainous Mother-in-Law I Became the Group's Favorite, Boss Chu's Illness Can Only Be Cured by Me, The Soft and Sweet Group-Favorite Koi Baby, The Supporting Actress's Great Comeback, and The Proud Farm Girl's Daily Training of Her Husband, whose titles often suggest light humor and romantic interaction. Its authors include Gu Miemie, Chaihuo, Song Yiqin, Li Mengyu, Shi He, Huai Yatou, Ye Aoa, and Qiliang, and the works emphasize character relationships and slice-of-life storytelling, forming a publishing identity centered on women-oriented web fiction.

FAQ

What is this book mainly about?

It tells of the family ties and twists of fate of the sisters Teng Qiu and Teng Xia, and of waiting and growth amid a reunion in their hometown.

Where is it serialized?

It debuted on Yunqi Academy (QQ Reading), with about 32 chapters and 70,000 words.

Is it a wish-fulfillment novel?

No, it is a slow-paced narrative centered on emotion and family.

Comments

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About the author

Zhulei Author

Zhulei is an author about whom limited public information is currently available; details such as nationality, dates of birth and death, and other personal particulars are not clearly recorded. According to the existing bibliographic information, one work by this author is held in the collection, namely the representative title Yuansang. Judging from its common classifications, the work is grouped under women's fiction and contemporary romance, suggesting that the author writes for a female readership and focuses on emotional relationships and character fates in a contemporary urban or realistic setting. Because verifiable material is quite limited, it is not yet possible to outline the author's full creative trajectory, the evolution of their writing style, or their literary influence, nor to determine whether they have used other pen names or attempted other genres. From the title Yuansang and its classifications alone, the work may carry a certain lyrical quality and narrative depth, but its specific textual features, character-building techniques, and reader response await further disclosure. Overall, Zhulei is a recently encountered author mainly writing contemporary romance with a modest number of works, whose creative profile deserves further observation as more information becomes available.