What to do if you become the female lead's best friend?

Chapter 17

Gu Jin first glanced at the book title—Grand Chancellor of the Ming Dynasty—which seemed quite grand.

Then she looked at the author’s name—"Shanhe Jiuren"—which had a bit of a bold, literary flair to it.

She searched for the book on her computer and began reading.

Before she knew it, it was already 9 PM. Despite reading for several hours, she was only halfway through the million-word novel, and her stomach had long started growling.

She stretched her stiff neck, feeling quite reluctant to stop.

The book is about a modern man who is transported back to the late Ming Dynasty. He passes the imperial examinations to become the top scholar and navigates the treacherous waters of the political arena. Despite being framed and wronged, he remains steadfast, serving his country and its people. Step by step, he ascends to the position of Grand Chancellor, striving to save the Ming Dynasty during its turbulent decline.

The book’s depiction of the late Ming Dynasty’s officialdom and the daily lives of the common people is very realistic, almost like a revelation of the corruption and decay of the government. The characters are well-developed and unbiased, showcasing the author's deep understanding of Ming Dynasty history, with writing far superior to those so-called "master" authors.

What’s even more commendable is that, within the hundreds of thousands of words she has read so far, the protagonist, whether in times of adversity or after rising to power, remains loyal to his wife, who has shared his hardships. The two of them support each other, embodying mutual love and respect.

In her previous life, Gu Jin had read some male-oriented novels where, regardless of how touching the hero's initial relationship with his wife was, the moment the opportunity to collect concubines arose, he wouldn’t hesitate. She detested this kind of writing that glorified feudal male chauvinism, having been unpleasantly surprised by it many times, leaving her with nothing but regret.

If this book maintains its current style, it’s bound to become a masterpiece, with the potential to be adapted into film or television in the future!

Finding a protagonist-focused novel that she genuinely enjoyed put Gu Jin in an excellent mood.

Several hours had passed without her phone making a sound. She rubbed her stomach and picked up her phone, intending to order some takeout.

It was only then that she realized she had somehow set her phone to silent mode.

Swiping the screen, several messages and missed calls appeared.

The messages were from Tong Lin, asking for her opinion on the novel.

The missed calls were from her younger brother Gu Teng, an unknown number, and Mu Mingcheng.

The first two numbers had called more than once, but Mu Mingcheng’s number only had one straight line of missed calls.

Casually blocking the unknown number, Gu Jin started browsing for takeout. As her eyes skimmed over the various meat dishes, she pinched the new bit of fat on her waist and settled on ordering pumpkin millet porridge and stir-fried vegetables.

After hesitating for a moment, she couldn’t resist adding a small portion of stir-fried pork.

While waiting for the delivery, she replied to Tong Lin’s message:

[The book is great. The plot and characters are both outstanding.]

However, the emotional aspect was a bit weak. Whenever the protagonist and his wife were featured, it was clear that the author struggled with romantic scenes.