Caught in my Own Trap 作茧自缚 by 飘阿兮 Piao A Xi (HE)

View Comments

• I like it so far. Very funny in a dialogue and character way. 作茧自缚 is about two person who known each other for 20 some years. A Amy audiobooks but a very good one without those copyright things. I think its not even an Amy one because intro style is different.

  • Yes, it is an Amy one. I saw this book b4 but I didn't give it a try bcos i got scared by the book cover of 'a pair of tied up hands'. Are u sure this book has happy ending? It looks like an emotional roller coaster book. Anyway, let you be the guinea pig & test the water for me:P

    • I like this story, peanuts. It's about 2 ppl who grew up together but afraid to confess that they like each other because they don't want to ruin the friendship. The main guy doesn't think the main girl likes him so he ends up dating a lot of women who remind him of her. Ironically, the main girl misunderstands and thinks he's a player and that he's only protective of her because during a botched robbery, her dad gave up his life to save him.

  • chancy426: 作茧自缚

    Since lidge said it is good, post it post it quickly to tempt xiaoyuer & atsu, hahaha....Also, you are hijacking my book's post:P Oh, I am listening now. The voice is the same as Zhao Mo Sheng. Actually Amy's audiobook is quite good, just hate the repeat warnings.

    • Ah!!!! Already tempted! I don't know why, I'm just in the mood to read modern novels lately. And Peanuts keeps tempting me :)

      • I call this the "Getting in the Pool" effect. You get comfortable with the temperature of the water in the pool so you're afraid to get out. Same with when you're dry and not in the pool, you're afraid to get in because it'll feel cold in it.

        This is an addicting book, can give it a try when you have alot of time on hand because you can't put it down once you start reading.

      • Me too, me too. Oh Atsu, you must listen to this. The 1st half is rather light hearted & funny like Gu Man's novel but once the secret is out this book becomes melancholy making my heart do somersault all the time. Plus those songs chosen are effective in enhancing the mood making me shed a tear or two:(

        Actually sometime I do feel annoyed at them but bcos of the set up in the 1st half & their likeable personalities, I end up feeling rather sad for them. This book is very tame compared to Chatters & should be more acceptable to you. There is nothing terribly exciting happening but the way the author writes feel like she wanna squeeze my heart out, haha...I finished 80% of the book in 24 hrs:P

        • Thanks Chancy! Looks like I'll be losing sleep again, haha!

          And I will definitely check this out right away, Peanuts! Maybe as a well deserved break from the heaviness that is Once Promised. I love stories about friends falling in love!

        • Peanuts, do you the name of the song for the instrumental at the front of each ep? I recall hearing the song before, but since there is no singing, I can't recall what is the song name.

          I can't chase up to you, I'm only at 30.

• Chancy, are you reading 作茧自缚 by 飘阿兮? I've read this a few months ago, and for some reason kind of missed it so I re-read it 2 days ago.

  Yes peanuts, happy ending for the main couple.

  • Thank you !!! I am going to download it now, hehe...Wah, you are really a book worm, haha....You've now earned the title of guru/shifu/expert of Chinese romance novels in our bar, agreed Chancy:)?

  • Meaning you read it, but felt like re-reading it?

    I really like it. So far it has a very realistic feel to it, but very warm feeling from reading it also. Highly addicting. I like the main girl and the main guy a lot.

    • Yes, I read this quite awhile ago. Off and on, sometimes I do go back to skim my favorite parts. Two days ago, the stress got too much so I wanted to read something cute & funny to feel better so I did a full re-read of this.

• I just finished chapter 5. It is ok but not as good as Chatters as the story is quite slow & not intense enough. Also, A'Shou is a better reader. Wah, got 75 chapters so long.

  • It's really only just 30 some chapters because each chap is like 6-10 mins. I can't make a diet out of A'Shou and Si Lu Min Yin's audiobooks, need more choices. lol U can pause now, I'mma keep reading on. I really like the main girl, she's very funny. And mainly because I like the warm feeling from this book. Her father is a policeman, so this kind of sacrifice is realistic. How much Zheng Xie's family care for her effects her life is very interesting too, it made her very lonely.

    Dear Lidge, have you read this book: 浮生梦 三生约? Peanuts! Xiao Yuer! A'Shou has revealed her next book, it's XianXia with a unheard of guy and C-gege.

    • Yeh ! Chancy, you must be estatic as Xianxia is the love of your life:P Oh C-gege as 2nd lead again? So, he won't be getting the girl in Mirage & this book as well? Never mind, I am here, haha....I wonder if this book is R-rated, haha...

      • I know right? he's taking on 2nd lead roles now. Honestly, I couldn't differentiate his voice from the male lead's voice. A Shou says he's awesome. R-rated, hehe......Xian-Xia and those scenes don't really mix, so I don't think so. This book doesn't seen as popular, but if A Shou picks it, than I'm hoping it's a burried gem.

        AND, I'm more wuxia, but there isn't much wuxia out there that are female targeted, so Xian-Xia comes next. I think I just like ancient time novels as long as it's not dominated by palace stuff.

        • haha yeah, i think i am the one that like xianxia more. Xian xia allow for more emotional angsty story. Wuxia is more male-dominated and action. Really look forward to more female-written ones though, because gets the best of both worlds romance & action-wise.

  • On the surface, the story is filled with cute moments between the main couple. But underneath that, it slowly unfolds and we find out a lot of things, such as why the main couple met as children, why their relationship has progressed to the point that it has, the dysfunctional aspects of their relationship, etc. This story seems sweet on the surface, but it's actually rather bittersweet.

    • Wah, I am scared now. Don't give us spoiler but is the bitter pill very hard to shallow?

      • After you find out that the relationship between the main couple is not all roses and sunshine like it seems on the surface (I think it's quite dysfunctional), you'll love them more, peanuts^^

        • Oh, you naughty sister of mine:P, tempt me till my interest in this book has hit the ceiling. I gonna skip around to find out how dysfunctional, haha...Or, I'll listen till my panda eyes pop up:)

    • I like this kind of story. This novel captivated me very early on in chapter 1, usually when that happens I know the book will be a memorable one for me.

      Waiting to find out why Zheng Xie promised what he promised and to who he made that promise. He He is also very relateable. I like her name, Xiao He He. Since I was raised in the US, my reading was taught in Mandarin, so when I read I read in Mandarin even though Cantonese is suppose to be more familiar to me. If I read in Cantonese it would sound so bad: Shao Wuo Wuo. While her mom actually used 和和 for her name because it sounds like laughing (hehe). I thought that was cute.

• Peanuts:
  Oh, you naughty sister of mine:P, tempt me till my interest in this book has hit the ceiling. I gonna skip around to find out how dysfunctional, haha…Or, I’ll listen till my panda eyes pop up:)

  Yah. lol Reading lidge's comments makes me want to read further too. Luckily I have no more classes this week.

  • I just finished chapter 41. I think I know where the story is heading. Hehe, all I'll write is Chancy, you do have eyes for sensational & shocking books which is bad for my heart & health. Anyway, I am not complaining but praising your good taste, lol..

    Btw lidge, are there anymore of your reread books which have not been posted by Chancy:P?

    • =) but ur so far! I only got to 19 yesterday.

• U know what I like best about 作茧自缚? It's the way the story is being told. The plot is being pushed forward by dialogues and actions rather than by narration. I don't really like stories where we're told how they feel or what they are thinking or what's going on with them by the narrator's pov. I like to think on my own as to where I think it's going and what I think the characters are going through. Like when Zheng Xie meets that lawyer girl whose personality and likings are very similar to Xiao He He, that wasn't pointed out by the narrator, but by a character inside the story. Following after is that lots of things she does and places she goes to also makes the audience very aware of their similarities without throwing that fact in our face in flat narration. That I really appreciate.

  Finally got to the part where I found out who and in what situation did Zheng Xie make that vow to never have any other thoughts about Xiao He He. I honestly was scared that it was gonna be one of those situation where He He's mom forces him to make that promise. That would be so cliche. The situation in that happened was very ordinary and natural for that kind of line to be said. The intro is no kidding when it says that standing so close and not being able to see clearly. Zheng Xie and Xiao He He are to close, so they can't see each other clearly, instead they look for someone who they see each other's personality and resemblance and so that's why one would go left and the other go right. There's no angst feelings, just a very light hearted bittersweet feel that they are so oblivious to their feelings. I think that the moment that they finally are able to see each other would be when they walk far enough and finally turn around and see each other, which is so cute. I think this is also where this story is heading.

  I love this story!

  • Agreed with everything you wrote, exactly my sentiment. We are like 2 peas in a pod, haha......Are you up to the release of the secret yet? I would have finished the novel if my laptop didn't run out of battery:( Arrgh have to wait till tonight I only can finish this novel, I feel sad now, lol. I don't know how sentimental are you but the 2nd half of the book feels rather melancholy for me. I didn't really cry much but my wrenching heart plus the songs chosen made me shed a tear or two:( My eyes are all red & puffy now from the lack of sleep:P I can't discuss much here without mentioning the secret:( Btw, I like the 2nd girl also. She is not annoying & is very understanding. I feel sad for her.

• Zheng Xie's fear of cats lmao

  • You listen till which chapter? At one point, I kind of got irritated with Zheng Xie & wanna shake some sense into him, lol but his interactions with Hehe's cat soften my heart. Oh so sweet:)

    • I'm at the part where he took He He home from the wedding of her friend. The kitty is so cute!! I keep thinking he might just get down and pet it but he never does. ahhhh the stubborn guy. It's just a harmless little kitty.

      • He is scared of cat bcos of something that happened in his childhood. Later, you'll forgive him for his lack of love for the cat in this scene:P Add oil, add oil, u've a long way to listen, lol

• atsu-chan:
  Thanks Chancy! Looks like I’ll be losing sleep again, haha!

  And I will definitely check this out right away, Peanuts! Maybe as a well deserved break from the heaviness that is Once Promised. I love stories about friends falling in love!

  I'm a fan of the You're by my side, yet I don't know that I love you type of love story between friends. I like it so much more than the girl who is by his side as his friend and secretly loving him. What I like more about this story is that they are not exactly friends, he's more of a brotherly figure to her. He plays her grand father, her father, her uncle, her older brother, and sometimes her younger brother, yet she's never thought of him as being her other half. I love this kind of story.

  • yeah, compare with the friend complex in Twice Blooming Flower, I prefer this. It's less angsty, not that I don't like some pain juice, but so much less cliche and less predictable. I really like this. They keep thinking about each other lol. Like, He He will always take her bfs or potential bfs and compare them with Zheng Xie but it's not deliberate, like something you really would do if you had a bro. Zheng Xie though, he really puts a lot of heart into her. lol I wanted to shake him when he says he's thinking he's like a guardian figure to her when she starts to get close to Shi Ling. Dads would be able to entrust their daughter to a guy if the guy is a good person and he knows Shi Ling is a good person, but I doubt he's able to put her down still. That's love dude, not fatherly love!!!

    • U meant this book is less angsty? Haha, u r in for a big surprise. Prepare to be drowned by the angsty later:P But the angsty is needed in the story & enrich your enjoyment of the story so it is a good thing, lol

  • I don't find it hard to stomach or anything wrong with this kind of love. He is not his dad, step dad, god dad or adopted dad so it is not dyfunctional. They are not related at all, not even a distant one. Also he is only older than her by 4 yrs so reasonable. This beats the love for your teacher. Moreover this is a modern book so nothing taboo on liking someone close to you, someone who grew up with u.

• chancy426:
  Peanuts, do you the name of the song for the instrumental at the front of each ep? I recall hearing the song before, but since there is no singing, I can’t recall what is the song name.

  I can’t chase up to you, I’m only at 30.

  Sorry, sorry, I know nothing abt songs or instruments. Later, you'll get more love songs that will break your heart, haha....Oh so excited for u as u r heading for the secret soon. Pay attention as u might miss it bcos it is really not that obvious. This author is way too subtle. Oh, I feel like relistening again tonight once I finish, haha... This is Amy's best audiobook so far. The music is good so is the narration & the voices. They sound like what I think they should sound. The only one I dun really fancy is Hehe's bf. He is nice but sound kind of dumb & comedic, lol.

  • If the bf was sounding more foxy like cgege it will make his character seem cooler.

• Im at 47 now, my heart is twisting for him. Poor gege.

  • My heart bleeds for Hehe more. He is not bad but I don't like his wishy washy & confusing character in the matter of the heart. I mean I don't really blame him entirely but he should be more clear-minded & decisive as he is older & has more experience in life.

    • Yah, considering she's kept this secret for this many years. I haven't gotten to his wishywashy parts yet. Sighs. If i were her i wouldn't accept him just because he found out either, but the man should be more firm.

      U know i usually don't like when girls smoke, but with hehe i think it makes a very interesting image. Awkwardly cute. His choking on his cigarette was hilarious also.

• OMG ZHENG XIE T_T
  He got hit by lightning alright.