#READ THE MANHUA IF YOU HAVEN'T it's worth it

[wonryllis]

★ YEONIE's MANHWA/MANHUA/MANGA LIST ( RECS! )

( NOTES ) I WILL KEEP ADDING MORE AS I FIND NEW GOOD ONES!! as you can see i seem to have a certain taste for historical and transmigration aus lmao but they're legit all really good i swear i'm super picky when it comes to these things especially with the art style so trust me my recs all have good art if not bombastically fantastic! IM OPEN TO NEW RECS PLS SUGGEST SOME GOOD ONES!! 📌 - very good , 📌📌 - must read , 📌📌📌 - haven't read then die!

LOVE LIKE CHERRY BLOSSOMS: modern school setting, male lead helps fem lead to score points with the guy she has a crush on and they end up falling for each other, kinda bad boy x good girl, there is also a side couple whose story is absolutely cute, the fem lead's bestie x male lead's older cousin. art and plot is realllyy good. completed, 92 chapters, happy ever after ending. 📌

HIDDEN LOVE: modern, brother's best friend, age gap (5 years i think) fem lead falls for her brother's best friend at first sight, her one sided crush goes on for years until she gets into uni and they both stay in the same city and start hanging out together. he slowly falls for her and boom they get into a relationship!! super cute and art style is top notch(i find the brother so much hotter honestly), ongoing i think. 📌

ONCE MORE: high school love reunion kinda, used to like each other due to misunderstandings couldn't confess and later reunite as teachers in their high school. adorable story full of fluff. tomboyish fem x popular guy. the second lead couple is to die for, cute girl x tsundere guy, she's a teacher too and guy is fem lead's childhood friend. completed, 156 chapters, happy ever after ending. 📌

PHARAOH'S CONCUBINE: isekai, royal/historical au, girl is a history major and like really fascinated with ancient egypt so her brother gets her an ancient relic (a snake bracelet) which gets her sucked back 3000 years in ancient egypt and the powerful pharaoh ends up falling deep in love with her. literally the best thing ever the plot is the most interesting and connected in a circle one i have ever read my all time favourite the top one! there are a lot of heart fluttering scenes but also heartbreaking scenes and it's just so damn good! READ IT NOW!! completed season 1 (around 70 chapters) for further seasons there's only novel so far which is in chinese. FAVOURITE!!!!!!.📌📌📌

HOW TO GET MY HUSBAND ON MY SIDE: transmigation, royal/historical au, girlie wakes up in another body who is like set to be the villian of the novel so for the sake of survival portrays herself as a harmless character and throws herself at her husband at any chance to make him think she could never do anything evil to him because she loves him a lot. there's so much fluff and heart fluttering moments but there are some incidents which are kinda angsty but it's worth it! male lead is smitten, crazy over his wife!!! and he's hot! super hot! the best married couple duo ever! he's so protective of her it's crazy. ongoing! one of my favourites. 📌📌📌

YOUR MAJESTY PLEASE DON'T KILL ME AGAIN: transmigation, historical/royal au, girlie wakes up in a noble lady's body in a novel where the male lead is a ruthless ruler who kills all family for the throne, so she becomes his maid/lady in waiting and ends up winning his heart lmao first as a friend when they're literally kids and more as they grow up. plot is interesting becuz girl is always under the threat of being killed by the prince where as he doesn't really have those intentions and just actually treasures her sorta? ongoing.

ACTUALLY, I WAS THE REAL ONE: rebirth/going back in time?, royal/historical au, fantasy, fem lead is killed by her father, the emperor when another girl appears and claims to be the real princess and he believes her because she looks more like the late empress than the fem lead. before her death she finds out she actually is the real daughter. when she opens her eyes she's back years before and this time tries her best to prove the fact she's the actual one, male lead is like not decided between two guys, one is a hot blond magician helping her and the other a head royal knight. ongoing.

I BECAME THE WIFE OF THE MALE LEAD: transmigation, fantasy, historical/royal au, fem lead wakes up in the body of a really power girl with magic, the villainess. does her best to change her role and it starts with saving the male lead and becoming his friend but oh god he ends up falling for her so hard and girlie is so oblivious. they're a power couple in terms of strength like her magic powers are undisputable and the male lead strength and skills in sword fighting are exceptional. they both are a pair of beauties and male lead is hottttt!! the fem lead's so called father is also super hot man. really interesting storyline with twists, ongoing. one of my favourites. 📌📌📌

MY SECRETLY HOT HUSBAND/MY HUSBAND HIDES HIS BEAUTY: transmigration, historical, fantasy au, fem lead wakes up as the bride of the powerful demon hunter duke known to hide a hideous face behind a mask, she helps him get rid of the curse of family, and helps the dukedom grow and have a name in the kingdom. husband wife who are down bad for each other. completed, 109 chapters, happy ever after ending. one of my favorites. 📌📌

NO PLACE FOR THE FAKE PRINCESS: foretelling fantasy?, historical/royal au, fem lead reads a book where she's the villainness and the fake princess turns out the book shows future events if she continues to live the same way so she changes her attitude and gains the love of her father by being an obedient and capable daughter so when the real princess arrives she will not be killed by her father and get the chance to run away to live a peaceful life but when the time comes and she elopes her father goes crazy trying to find her because he loves her and the same goes for the male lead!! ongoing.

SECRET LADY: reincarnation, transmigration, historical/royal au, fem lead could see ghosts in her original body and even after reincarnation as a noble lady of a powerful family she can still see ghosts, these ghosts help her know that the second prince is going to be assassinated so she offers to help him under a guise of a poor maiden. she falls for him while he has always loved her but because of a curse in the royal family their love faces many obstacles. super amazing plot, really really interesting. ongoing. one of my favorites. 📌

WHO MADE ME A PRINCESS: transmigration, royal/historical au, fem lead wakes up inside a novel in the body of the only princess of the cruel emperor who hates her because the empress died giving birth to her. originally the princess is killed by him but the fem lead tries her best to change the story and her father's feelings towards her by being an adorable daughter who apparently loves her dad a lot. the male lead is a renowned magician like the best one from legends and also the son of a duke, she doesn't choose one by the end but it is heavily shown who she prefers. really great plot, so many twists and turns but so worth it! completed, 125 chapters. happy ending, one of my favorites. 📌📌

BEING A WICKED WOMAN IS COMFORTABLE AND PLEASANT: transmigration, historical/royal au, fantasy, magic, fem lead enters the body of the villianous and decides to live comfortably by using that role and collecting more money and as said living comfortably without disturbing the main couples. (it's a reverse harem for the original fem lead of the novel but now girlie takes her place) she is known as a stupid person not knowing how to use magic but as a person from modern world magic formulae become his forte and she literally changes so many things and becomes an icon. ongoing.

THE VILLIANESS IS A MARIONETTE: transmigration, historical/royal au, fem lead wakes up in the body of the villian's sister who is known as the her brother's (villian) puppet, she decides to change it all by changing her behaviour towards him and gaining his favor and affection trying to make him the puppet, this gets the male lead, a powerful duke who previously hated her and she had been forcing herself on him romantically(the original character) ends up falling for the new her. plot and art and characters are to die for. ongoing. one of my favorites. 📌📌

BABY TYRANT: transmigration, historical/royal au, after dying the fem lead wakes up in the body of the beloved princess of a powerful empire. now she has everything she's wanted but it's hard to accept and with people trying to undo the prophecy of her birth her father makes her the emperor oh god, also the male lead is a like a demon or something i don't remember. ongoing.

INTO THE LIGHT, ONCE AGAIN: rebirth, new family, historical/royal au, fantasy, magic, fem lead was previously a princess who was killed by her own family because another sister falsely accused her of trying to kill her. betrayed by everyone she loved and thought who loved her, she wakes up as the beloved princess of the neighbouring kingdom where her new family loves her to death, with the help of her brother and the male lead who is the light king, she embarks on her journey of revenge against the evil sister. ongoing. one of my favorites. 📌

THE SIREN: BECOMING THE VILLAIN'S FAMILY: rebirth/travelling back in time?, kinda historical au? but not, fantasy, the fem lead is one of the last surviving sirens, her father sells her to the emperor who cages her makes her sing till death. before dying though, the male lead goes on a killing spree and kills everyone in the palace and rescues her just because no reason no he doesn't love her at that point. upon going back in time she tries to change things and this time ends up as the male lead's wife and he falls for her hard. ongoing, the art is everything literally the best ever you either hate it or love it, and the plot is sooo good too, ongoing, one of my favorites. 📌📌📌

FOR MY DERELICT FAVORITE: transmigration, rebirth/travel back in time?, historical/royal au, fem lead wakes up as a noble woman background character in her favorite novel. however after watching her favorite character die of heartbreak she kills herself and when she wakes up she's years back and this time makes sure to help her favorite character live a happy life and move on from the past, by becoming his wife and getting him justice. fan x idol couple lmao she's crazy about him. ongoing. 📌📌📌

SERENA/SELENA: somewhere between modern and historical au, marriage of convience, arranged marriage, the fem lead loses her parents and brother in an accident and then later on married off to a guy of opponent family by her grandmother who passes the family business to him. enraged she's determined he plans to destroy her but later the truth comes ot and they fall in love and oh she takes over her family business a girl boss!! both play hard to get, stubborn characters, enemies to lovers, age gap (5 years) art is so damn good you'll drool, ongoing, one of my favorites. 📌📌📌

I TAMED MY EX HUSBAND'S MAD DOG: rebirth/travelling back in time?, historical/royal au, fem lead lives a miserable first life because of her husband who indirectly kills her father, cheats on her, and basically ruins her life. after going back in time she makes sure to do everything to take her revenge and this time she finds and makes allies with her husband's pet like right hand man who is also the male lead, they end up falling in love!! age gap but not much ig i don't remember, ongoing.

I'LL BE THE MATRIARCH IN THIS LIFE: rebirth/travelling back in time?, not kinda historical?, fem lead watches her grandfather die and leave the family business to ruins by handing it to her brothers while she was the most capable one but he realised it too late. after rebirth? she makes sure to make him aware of her skills from early on in childhood so that she can succeed him and take care of the family business herself, her skills from handling the affairs in past life gain her lots of advantage including supporting the second prince who'll become a ruthless king in future by becoming his friend and who also ends up falling for her. ongoing, one of my favorites. 📌

CRY, EVEN BETTER IF YOU BEG: somewhere between historical and modern?, age gap(6 years i think), enemies to lovers kinda?, red flag male lead, he's crazy, so after girlie's parents die she ends up living with her uncle who works as a gardener for the male lead's family. he comes home very summer and everytime they have encounters which screammm red flag but i still love the story. he loves making her suffer. anyway ongoing, one of my favorites.📌

I CAN'T WAIT TO EAT YOU: modern, office au, one sided enemies to lovers, the male lead's parents die in an accident because of fem lead's dad when they're both kids so he hates her while girlie has no idea. later as grown ups she works in his family company. events lead to them interacting with each other falling in loveee yay. ongoing.

AGE OF ARROGANCE: historical/royal au, marriage of convience, the knight commander fem lead marries the crown prince to get the resources to rebuild her region and help her people live well. while he agrees so that he can build up a support group for his succession to throne against his stepbrother. they make a deal to help each other but end up in love. ongoing.

I WILL SEDUCE THE NORTHERN DUKE: isekai, historical/royal au, fantasy?, fem lead finds herself in a different world after falling off a cliff while filming(she's a star actress) things happen and she makes a deal with the northern territory duke to play as his lover for certain reasons while he helps her stay in this world. really really fun story. ongoing.

STAR DREAM IDOL PROJECT: modern, survival show, revenge, and slight but visible romance between contestant and judge. fem lead is the secret daughter of a famous singer (mom, parents are separated) after her mom's death she participates in a famous survival show under a guise to chase her dreams as an idol along road of revenge involving her public power figure father. the romance hints at her and the blunt famous singer judge who keeps criticising her skills because he believes in her exceptional potential. ongoing. 📌

A SIGN OF AFFECTION: modern, college au, opposites attract, real wholesome just fem lead has been deaf since birth and meets male lead on the subway, he somehow makes her feel so warm and different and it's like love at first sight for her. he learns sign language for her and falls for how cute she is. a simple and pure love story? ongoing, anime has 12 eps and really good too. 📌

SEASONS OF BLOSSOM: HAMIN'S FLOWER: modern, high school au, major character death, summer love? so fem lead and male lead are two opposite kind of students at school ml is popular and a topper while fl is kinda average and very interested in arts and painting. for a long while they meet up in the art room during lunch because fl does not have friends and spends the break painting while ml wants to escape the fake people have some time alone. they become friends and ml realizes he really likes painting because it makes him feel free so during summer break he joins her art club outside school and they have their romance? phase after his parents find out he stops and things happen and he commits suicide. fl after years comes as teacher in the same school and through his younger brother finds the truth which is heartbreaking and finally gets her closure. completed, there's a kdrama on this with the same name highly recommend checking it out, though prepare your tissues. 📌📌

ETERNAL LOVE: hidden love brother's story, modern, kinda like frenemies to roomates to lovers?, i don't remember much fem lead and male lead are classmates in high school who used to not be fond of each other and later as adults things happen and he becomes her roommate because his apartment is like undergoing renovations or something? there's some misunderstandings and miscommunications but it's a really good read though the art is changed in this from hidden love. ongoing.

BRIDE OF HABAEK: fantasy, god falls for human sacrifice au??? do not remember much i read it long back but like the fem lead is offered as bride sacrifice to the water god and thrown into some well or something and when she wakes up she's in his realm and he's like a child? he also has his adult form but around her he's in child form and she does come across him in adult form but does not know it's him. i don't remember more details but it's slow burnnnn and interesting pretty different from the kdrama. ongoing or completed? no idea but there's a hella lot of chapters and it's black and white.

GIRL AND HER GUARD DOG: first of all this is not for everyone help,, pls don't judge me for liking it (⁠〒⁠﹏⁠〒⁠) modern, she falls first and he falls harder trope, age gap like 5 years. fem lead parents die in an accident and she is brought to her grandpa's house whose a gangster and he gets one of his beloved men to take care of her. later when she grows up and goes to a distant city for school that man(male lead) follows becuz he's worried she might get in danger alone and enrolls as a student too through connections.

MY IN-LAWS ARE OBSESSED WITH ME: historical/royal, travelling back in time/rebirth, contract marriage, magic/curse. fem lead is killed by her family and husband for father's inheritance by a mysterious poison and when she wakes up again she has travelled back to two months. to protect herself and her inheritance she offers the powerful duke of the kingdom a marriage contract for one year but during that time her actions make her in-laws fall in love with her, everyone just adores her and refuses to let her go after a year. oh and male lead, the duke's family has a curse and she's immune to it somehow? ongoing.📌

will elaborate later on!

broken ring: this marriage will fail anyway 📌📌📌

flirting with the villain's dad

obsidian bride 📌

why are you obsessed with your fake wife 📌📌

i will be queen in this life

the world without my sister who everyone loved

[otakween]

Digimon Tamers - Volume 4

The beginning of this volume flat out spoils things by putting characters that haven't been introduced yet on the character page. (MarineAngemon, the Juri clone, the D-Reaper queen...) Maybe that's a common practice with shounen manga...but it shouldn't be. Like, what's the point?

Ch. 22

Lopmon and Terriermon interacting will never get old. Love how they lift their ears with curiosity when they first see each other.

I think I prefer experiencing the ~sad~ part of Tamers better in manga form. I remember it being quite drawn out in the anime and I rather just blitz through it at this point. I think the whole Leomon death storyline just annoys me because they barely developed his character and then the writing expects me to be devastated. Juri was more developed, sure, but we barely got any insight into her relationship with Leomon so her deep, dark depression doesn't feel super warranted either.

Ch. 23

I think this chapter was pretty well done. They're giving an epic battle it's time instead of zooming past it.

It bugs me that there isn't a specific name for digimon/human digivolutions. In this translation they called it a "true mega form." On the wiki it's called both an ultimate and a matrix digivolution. IDK why it doesn't count as a jogress. I guess there's like...two different things: the way you digivolve (matrix) and the digivolution level (ultimate)? If it's confusing for me, I can only imagine it'd be confusing for a kid.

It's a bit weird for an English translation, but I like that Guilmon says "MMA!" a lot. I can totally hear him making that noise with his OG voice. Creative onomatopoeia.

Ch. 24

Grrr Jian said "crumbcakes," so done with this stupid translation

This chapter was hella short, not much to say about it.

Ch. 25

Okay, now they're calling it a "biomerge digivolution." I guess the localizers also thought "this needs a cool name!"

Casual 90s/early 2000s sexism sprinkled throughout this translation. Takato says he "screams like a little girl" in a previous chapter and in this one he says "easy to forget Renamon and Rika are girls when they're always kicking butt!" Eye roll...

SaintGalgomon looked super badass but for some reason when Sakuyamon appeared they chose to dedicate two closeup panels to her chest and high heels? Sus...

Ch. 26

Juri's face didn't look as sinister here as it did in the anime (when it's revealed she's possessed). I guess that's probably a good thing. More subtle.

I don't remember the sovereign digimon giving Culumon a "you're a real boy now" speech in the anime. That was sweet.

They cut the part where Beelzebumon gets zapped by a bunch a digimon. In this he just collapses after the battle with Dukemon, which I think I prefer. (But why'd he say he'd be "bunny chow?" He wasn't even fighting Terriermon...)

Ch. 27

The grotesque, over-the-top facial expressions the artist keeps drawing for Hirokazu piss me off. They're just so ugly.

Ugh...they really had to ruin a serious moment (Guilmon getting the ark to stop) with a poop joke. This manhua does NOT treat its audience with respect.

Hmm they completely cut out Juri's family. So much for developing her character I guess.

They kind of forgot to imply that the ark is sentient. I mean they showed it stopping on its own, but in the anime they really hammered it home by having Guilmon have a conversation with it and showing it's HAL-like eye. That was one of my fave parts so I'm sad lol

Ch. 28

Okay, this is starting to feel totally different from the anime, they skipped like 5 episodes worth of content. Also, IDK if the scanlation I'm reading is missing some pages because the ending with Dukemon being beat up was completely nonsensical (it cut from Beelzebumon being hit to a panel with Dukemon outta nowhere?) I'll give it the benefit of the doubt that there are missing pages...

The scene where Beelzebumon uses Leomon's attack to save Juri played out differently here. She doesn't seem particularly perturbed by it and Beelzebumon can't save her because he gets attacked, not because Juri recoils for too long.

Ch. 29/30

Lol they completely cut out Justimon. Makes Ryo's role even more pointless! Ryo doesn't even reappear at all...

This manhua series was crap to begin with but they really screwed the pooch with this ending. SOOO rushed. Grani appeared outta nowhere with zero introduction. Like they just went immediately to Grani's sacrifice. I still don't know if I'm missing pages or if the writing is just that garbage. Oh well! I tried.

[adhderall]

what yuri mangas have you read? can you share links to them?

A ton, but if you want some beginner reccs...

Bloom into You is a classic, really well-written and good

Girl Friends (by Milk Morinaga) is an older classic, it's worth a read I think

I'm in Love with the Villainess/I Favor the Villainess is a really fun one with a fantastical setting

The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy At All is ongoing and seems good so far

Uhhhhhh I'm assuming off the bat you haven't read any so ig you can start here

Dynasty-Scans (at dynasty-scans.com) is a really good place to find a ton of yuri manga and doujins... just beware that site DOES host some.... gross, questionable stuff (I don't think theres really any restrictions on what they'll host so. you can probably guess what that means.... Ok I guess it's just kind of like AO3 in that sense)...

But. It IS all tagged so it's really easy to just. ignore and avoid anything like that. and there's no ads I'm pretty sure you're not giving them revenue by visiting if you're idk very concerned about ~supporting~ a site with uh. nasty content .

But it's I think by far the most comprehensive resource for reading yuri manga, manhwa and manhua and even some light novels. I can't think of a better site for yuri (if anyone knows any feel free to tell me) which is why I use it...

You can even search by tags to find specific types of yuri too ... like if you want yuri with tsunderes, look in the tsundere tag... tomboy tag has tomboy yuri... It's not an Exclusively yuri site but I think it's safe to say that when it comes to most tags (except if it's tagged Het or something lol) most of the stuff is yuri. Het or yaoi is like, the minority lol (for once)

So yeah I guess lol good luck or something

[veilchenjaeger]

Okay. After over a goddamn year, I have finally finished Couple of Mirrors. Consider me wrecked.

I don't even know where to start with this show? It's everything I've ever wanted, save for the censorship issue. (But I think I can read the manhua to soothe that particular ache.) It's so damn good. I watched this with month-long breaks between episodes, so I don't remember everything, but I still want to try to write up my initial thoughts bc it's fun to reread that kind of thing after a rewatch or some time of brainrot.

First, without getting into spoilers: I adore this show. The plot is incredible - dense without being overwhelming, unpredictable without nonsensical plot twists. Nearly every episode had me on the edge of my metaphorical seat. At the same time, the characters were given time to shine and develop. Especially Xu Youyi is just one of the characters of all time, I'm obsessed with her, but I definitely got attached to side characters as well. (Which is dangerous, considering the body count this show has.) I really appreciate the pacing, the little moments of downtime between the imo impeccably paced rush of revelations and developments. There are some things that could be seen as... soap opera-esque, in a way? Just because of the amount of family drama, but I think it all worked really well bc the show immediately tells you what kind of show it is and what the stakes are. None of the drama is out of place, is what I'm saying. There's a lot of murder.

There are complaints about Xu Youyi and Yan Wei not having a lot of screentime together, and while this is in some way true, I... didn't mind? They're both set up well enough as individual characters for their interactions to be meaninful, and it was more than enough for me to get invested in them. (Not to mention that there's a whole episode of domestic Yiwei in the end.) But mostly, and I think I've said this before somewhere, I came for the lesbians and stayed for the plot. Xu Youyi's story is about so many things, and it's important that each of these things was given the space it deserves. This is a murder mystery/thriller first and a romance second, and I honestly prefer it that way. The pacing felt right, and the central relationship still came across well.

Final non-spoilery verdict: PLEASE watch this show if you haven't seen it yet. It's so, so, so good. You can watch the whole thing on Youtube for free, and the subtitles are actually decent.

Spoilers under the cut.

There are approximately fifty separate things I'm obsessed with, but I'll only name a few.

First of all, the whole Thing between Zhou Heng and Xu Youyi, and especially Zhou Heng's character. Holy shit, this is well done. Zhou Heng is never portrayed as the good guy, but the sheer extent of his unhingedness is revealed so gradually that you're pretty much bound to underestimate him. He starts out as a bad husband who cheats on Xu Youyi, but for what it's worth, it seems like he does love her and wants to try to be better for the first episodes. He defends her from his family, he supports her, and while Xu Youyi is right not to let him get away with that after he broke her heart like that, he's sympathetic. He's not a cartoon villain or a cardboard cutout of an evil abusive husband. And he still isn't that when it's revealed that he fucking tried to kill her. That caught me off guard so hard! I didn't expect that at all, and then it just fucking kept going. It's in episode 10, during the dinner he has with Xu Youyi, that I realised that he's not only an utter dickhead, he's batshit insane. And it's the very fact that he was built up as a sympathetic character that makes this reveal as creepy as it is. Gods, what an asshole! Gives me chills of the worst kind! A superbly done antagonist.

(The same is true for Zhang Wan, too. She's a lot more obviously mean, but the extent of that isn't revealed all at once, and the relationship she had with Xu Youyi before is still meaningful. Zhou Heng's father, too - he acts according to his motivations, and whether he's with Xu Youyi or against her depends on the way she fits into his plans. Just, good antagonists all around.)

Second of all, I adore the characters so, so much?! Xu Youyi's development, her sunny personality, her heartbreak, and the way she gets more and more tired of being nice, are so [chef's kiss]. Detective Jiang was right, actually - she is someone who'd happily live with a murderer. She's so genuinely kind, she doesn't mean harm, but after everything she's been put through, she's ruthless deep down. I love how cold and collected she is when she demands the divorce, when she signs the papers, when she's in court, and especially when she finds out that Yan Wei is indeed the murderer of Zhang Wan and doesn't even hesitate to lie to the police to help her. Xu Youyi has had it and she will not be taking any prisoners.

It took me a little longer to get fully attached to Yan Wei, simply because she's not the main character, but the last episode really sealed the deal for me. She's grown so much because of Xu Youyi! She's started to live a life that isn't ruled by her past, she's capable of joking with Xu Youyi and she's a good mother and she's happy, which she didn't know how to be before! She even gets along with other people; she's on good terms with Mr Wang and has a bit of a teasing relationship going on with Detective Jiang. (Big fan of that, btw. I think they should be bros.) And yet, she's also presumably doing some very shady stuff to get money, and we haven't seen her find actual closure yet. I get why the last few minutes aren't the most popular ones - they're a bit of a shock, for one, and the pacing of the show fails here, although I assume that's all a set up for the next season - but they make sense. Again, Detective Jiang is right! Xu Youyi doesn't know anything about Yan Wei's past, and it's a past that's pretty important for who Yan Wei is! That's the one thing I was worried about throughout the show: that Yan Wei's past would just stay unaddressed, and that Xu Youyi wouldn't find out. So, yeah, I do like that they made that into a (future?) plot point. It's such a strong beat for Yan Wei's arc, I really hope we do get that second season and get to find out what she's been doing behind Xu Youyi's back and what those flowers mean. Yan Wei deserves some more development!

(That being said, I still think that season finale cliffhangers are bad writing and shouldn't be done, especially with the state of queer entertainment in China being what it currently is. Looking at you, Scum Villain season 2.)

And last but not least, I'll be listening to the opening song on repeat for the next lifetime, thanks.

[memorydragon]

There's fan translations of the novels! I haven't posted links before because it's still rather complicated. Po Yun you have to jump through about two-three translations and a few chapters someone mtl'ed, but you can find all of them here on novelupdates, though you need an account to see the chapter links. Tun Hai is slightly less complicated but translator never figured out a 'next chapter' button, so again here but you need an account to see chapter by chapter.

The manhua of Breaking Through the Clouds was on bilibili, yes, and the translation was good. Sadly, bilibili international is going away. There's still fan translations on various sites of ill repute of both of the manhuas though. Search engines can find them easily, just make sure your ad blocker is robust.

Honestly, I started reading them years ago and the fan translations only just finished recent-ish (many started, then fell through or disappeared and I've been pining over reading the rest for so long), but now they are at least fully translated in some form if you want to jump in again. I devoured them twice in January because I was going through the Horrors of life in general. They're worth the hoops to jump through and I'm going insane over Them. XD

Edit: cannot get both hyper links to work on tumblr, so have them long hand.

Breaking Through the Clouds: https://www.novelupdates.com/series/breaking-through-the-clouds/?pg=1#myTable

Swallowing the seas: https://www.novelupdates.com/series/swallowing-the-seas/?pg=1#myTable

Okay, so my finger slipped and I reread the Po Yun manhua (to be fair to me, the good, non-ad infested version is going away at the end of the month) and decided maybe just posting about it will alleviate the need to consume it a third time since the start of the year.

(Okay, yes, I am a tiny bit of an eldritch horror when it comes to inhaling media. So shoot me.)

I'm just so insane about Bu Chonghua and his obsession with "I'm home."

The first time he says this, he says it to an empty apartment. It's status quo for him, and it's not a terrible life, but he had to chew someone out at work because after he explained PTSD with the clinical definition, explaining that the witness's differing accounts were because of this, the others started to say 'I didn't think a boy like this would be so weak.' And he barks back no, it doesn't matter how strong or weak someone is, it's a natural reaction to trauma. It doesn't make someone a mental case, nor is someone weak for reacting in a such a way.

(And I love that this is the first time Wu Yu takes note of what his superior is saying. We've seen how very little he thinks of Bu Chonghua and his leadership at this point. But at this Wu Yu stops and listens, and I love how in the manhua it shows him passing off the exit interviews and knowing exactly what to say to be 'mentally sound' while he's still deeply traumatized by Everything. He's listening, because it's the first time anyone has even mentioned the terms for what he's went through to him, and that is so fucked up, please just let him go to school like he wants to, but it's coming from Bu Chonghua, who he hates, but was patiently explaining it and calm until people started badmouthing it. He used his 'elite' schooling to normalize a trauma response, and Wu Yu takes note that maybe this guy isn't quite so awful.)

But Bu Chonghua isn't talking about the witness, not really. When he comes back to an empty house and says "I'm home," he goes through his usual routine and then, just before bed, he picks up the picture from his tenth birthday, before his parents were murdered in front of him and he has to tell himself to not think about it. Don't think about it, don't get lost in the memories. He's home, and he's safe and no one is there, but he can't break down. Because if he breaks, then he's the one who will have to pick up the pieces again, and he could be working, he could be preventing the 502 murderer from striking again, so he can't break. He's talking about himself, his own trauma, the in the clinical manner he was probably taught in, then he shoves everything down. He knows what he's doing is dangerous and self-destructive, but he's alone and he's home, so it's okay.

(And when that impulse almost kills Wu Yu, when the car drives them off the road and into the hands of the bad guys, it destroys him more than the accident and kidnapping)

The next time he says "I'm home," he very pointedly corrals Wu Yu into staying at his apartment. Yes, he's going to work. No, Wu Yu can't follow because he's still under 'confinement'. No, Wu Yu can't go to his own apartment, he has to stay at Bu Chonghua's. If Wu Yu leaves, then he wouldn't be able to discuss the interrogation when he gets back from work, right? Bu Chonghua shouldn't even have left the hospital, but he's pulled Wu Yu back from the dragon swallowing abyss, from Wu Yu's own self destructiveness, and he selfishly wants to keep Wu Yu there.

Of course, he really can't stop Wu Yu from leaving. When he comes back and says "I'm home!" there's no one there. The apartment is empty and dark (and Wu Yu hates the dark), and he's checked the guest room and everywhere just to be sure that maybe, just maybe, Wu Yu had fallen asleep and hadn't left. That he's not coming back to an empty apartment. Then he sees the light cracked under the door to the study. Wu Yu is asleep, curled up on the piano with a book. The lights are on. It's not an empty apartment. And the relief that hits Bu Chonghua nearly staggers him.

The third time he says "I'm home!" he told Wu Yu to stay at his apartment. He gave his key to Wu Yu. (You still left things at my place. You should just meet me there to pick them up and we can have dinner, then I'll send you back. Stay there. Stay please.) This time, the apartment really is empty. Wu Yu isn't there. There's no one but the framed picture of his parents. Wu Yu isn't answering his phone, and when he calls the office to find out where Wu Yu is, he learns that Wu Yu has taken leave. He's gone back to his old workplace and Bu Chonghua looks at his empty apartment then texts Wu Yu that's he's going to Yundian too. And he's in the car, pulling out to do just that, but there's Wu Yu holding a bag of take out on the corner in the rain.

They go back and eat the take out together.

Wu Yu is as determined to not mooch off his boss as his boss is determined to keep him, so he cooks, shooing Bu Chonghua out of the kitchen. "It's the first time I've ever cooked for someone," he says as Bu Chonghua ignores how incredibly unhealthy it all is and eats what Wu Yu made for him. Wu Yu laughs because Yan Xie's presents are truly terrible, but Bu Chonghua never threw them out, and his apartment isn't empty. He's home.

But wanting and having are two different things. When Wu Yu leaves again, this time determined, Bu Chonghua forces his way into Wu Yu's apartment, because he knows Wu Yu is there instead of at home. Wu Yu hilariously compares him to the Prince visiting Cinderella (and I have another rant for another day about Wu Yu's Cinderella complex) in his backward little apartment, but Bu Chonghua insists on doing the dishes, ignoring when Wu Yu tries to stop him, because he doesn't have a dishwasher and Prince Charming has to wash them all by hand.

When Wu Yu determines there's only one bed, and that one bed is not actually going to work for two grown men, he sets a mat on the floor for himself, trying to give Bu Chonghua the bed. Bu Chonghua bullies him into taking the bed, then has the nerve to say, 'I'm sleeping on the floor. That's what you get for not coming home.' And Wu Yu has to deal with the fact his boss is sleeping on his floor.

Wu Yu can't sleep though, not with the lights off and too many things to think about. He moves to give Bu Chonghua his blanket, and Bu Chonghua, who has all the swag that his cousin doesn't, captures his Cinderella. ('If you don't say anything, I'm going to kiss you.' Captain Bu, please.)

When Bu Chonghua pauses at the door, because his colleague had been bragging about how he didn't even have to unlock the door, his wife just opened it when she heard him coming and he thinks that it's probably a little too ridiculous, even for a fantasy. But then Wu Yu opens the door, teasing him about if his finger was broken that he couldn't unlock the door himself, and his apartment is lit up and bright and warm. And he's home.

When Wu Yu kisses him, then punches him hard in the face because it was Bu Chonghua who left home first this time, ("Things that are not used only take up space." Wu Yu, talking about cutting Bu Chonghua's dick off like the power bottom he is. I actually do have quite a few thoughts on service top sub Bu Chonghua and Wu Yu taking control. It's a pity I'm too ace to write them.) his apology is that if Wu Yu had known he wouldn't have the courage to take the risk. ("It takes a lot of courage to clear your name for you," Wu Yu rightly retorts, but admittedly, this plot has been in the making since before he entered Bu Chonghua's life again.) He's so happy to have his home back, even when he can't go home.

When everything is revealed, when the pumpkin finally turns back into a carriage and it's all tumbled down, when Bu Chonghua has to chase after Wu Yu, running head first into an explosion and a flood because he just wants to hold Wu Yu's hand one more time, when Wu Yu asks 'Are you taking me home?' Bu Chonghua's answer is 'No, I don't have to take you. Where you are is my home.'

Wu Yu's true name meaning 'to return/to come home' makes me feral, ngl.

Because this is what Bu Chonghua wanted more than anything else. Wu Yu appeared in his life the day he lost his family - his home. And only when Wu Yu has returned, his home is no longer an empty apartment, but family again.

[cnovelartreblogs]

How to Read Manhua on Bilibili: Legal, Free, and in English

In my posts on this blog, I keep sharing screen caps from manhua I've read on Bilibili, along with the link to read it yourself, but I know:

This blog doesn't have all that many followers.

It's one thing for me to post the link and quite another for people to realize just how easy this is to do.

Considering how often I see English-speaking MXTX/c-novel/c-drama/donghua fandom peeps screaming and begging for more content, I'm now begging you in return:

STOP SLEEPING ON THE BILIBILI APP!

If you want more danmei content, fully legal, entirely free, already translated, you literally c.a.n.n.o.t. do better than using the Bilibili app to read manhua. That's not to say this is a perfect method - their translations are...um...wanting sometimes? (Shout out to the four pages in a row I recently read where someone broke in to a residence and every time the breaker-inner was mentioned they were called "the intrud") But it's still ALL THERE, FOR US, ANYTIME, and the more eyes the manhua in the apps gets, the more content we'll get, so please, PLEASE, if you're out there thirsting for danmei content, DO THIS.

Wondering how?

Well, I've got you covered.

WAY 1: The Bilibili Manhua Website

I know I said "get the app" but honestly you don't even need an app to do this! You can read on Bilibili using any web browser.

The website is Bilibilicomics.com.

It looks like this:

Yes, you're reading that right: there's an entire section of BL.

There's also an entire section of GL!

There are 38 titles in GL and 121 titles, yes ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE titles, in BL.

AND there's het stuff, and non-romance stuff too!

New episodes general come out weekly or biweekly, though a few things are daily. The website is often a few chapters ahead of the app (which I actually didn't realize until just now - Chapter 55 of Legend of Exorcism, for example, came out today on the app, but it lists 60 episodes as available on the website. Which, considering the cliffhanger I just read... *eyes emoji*...though apparently in other cases there are more chapters on the app than on the website, so ymmv.)

The best-known title available (again: FOR FREE. OFFICIALLY. LEGALLY. IN ENGLISH) is Tian Guan Ci Fu. When you go to a specific title's page, you get this...

...and reading it is as simple as selecting the chapter you want, clicking it, and et voila! Just scroll down and read to your heart's content!!

NOTE: SOME CHAPTERS WILL HAVE WAIT TIMES. More on this shortly.

WAY 2: The Bilibili App for Android

I personally have been reading primarily from the Android app, since I have a Samsung Galaxy phone and a lot of time sprawled on my couch while my kids watch cartoons.

You can download the app from the Play store - here's a link, for what that's worth.

It looks, essentially, like this (I'm logged in so mine looks a little different than non-logged-in, I made an account even tho you don't actually need one):

If you don't want to make an account, you don't have to. If you choose to, as you see it'll try to guess what other titles you might like. tbh I have no idea how good these recommendations may be; I'm still reading/catching up on the specific titles I wanted to read so I haven't had to try their recommendations yet. But, there's definitely some stuff that looks interesting (that top middle one definitely looks up my alley...)

You can also "favorite" things (again: EVEN WITHOUT AN ACCOUNT) and it'll store them in your library and make a red dot (like you can see on the above screen cap) when something has an update you haven't read yet. For example, here's my Favorite list, which helps me keep track of what I'm reading and enjoying (or, well, in one case I'm more "wtfing" than "enjoying" but hey that still counts).

There's even a weird, like, "dress up" side game??? So like, every chapter you read there's a chance the app will drop a "card" and you can use the cards to dress your avatar up, and there's a whole crafting system built in? It's. A little odd. But, considering I recently quit my Love Nikki addiction after 3+ years, it's nice to get a small hit of pointless dress up.

Yes, my avatar is currently wearing San Lang's shirt.

The point is, again: this app is free to download, and incredibly easy to use, and even has a fun pointless side game.

BUT. There is one "but" here. See the Coins: 0 Top Up right below my randomly assigned username?

There is an optional pay system. What does it do? It reduces wait times.

Some titles, but not ALL, have a "built in delay" that kicks in at some point. On some, it seems to start when you're "within 5 chapters of the most recent" (that's what's happened with Global Examination and TGCF, for example). For others, it seems to be arbitrary - for A Single Strike of Shimmering Frost, it kicked in at chapter 40 even tho there are, like, 80 something chapters up. Regardless, it always works the same.

The system functions using wait times, and it has 5 tiers that are always the same.

Tier 1: You must wait one minute before you can read the next chapter. This tier is rarely an issue; the count down sometimes (but not always??? it's weird) starts when you start a new chapter, and it almost always takes more than one minute to read a full chapter, so this tier is often "satisfied" before you even get to the next chapter.

Tier 2: You must wait six minutes before you can read the next chapter.

Tier 3: You must wait one hour before you can read the next chapter.

Tier 4: You must wait six hours before you can read the next chapter.

Tier 5: You must wait twenty-four hours before you can read the next chapter.

I initially thought this system functioned as "once you reach Tier 5, you're just stuck there and can only read a chapter a day" but it's turned out that's not the case - A Single Strike of Shimmering Frost having 40+ semi-locked chapters has given me the chance to actually test this a bit. In fact, what happens is:

The first time you hit a "wait delay" chapter, it puts you at Tier 1 and you have to wait a minute. The next chapter, you up to Tier 2, the next to Tier 3, then Tier 4, then Tier 5...and then it cycles back to Tier 1. So, with a little care and planning (which I almost always fail at) I can time reading something with many wait-delayed chapters such that I can read 5 chapters in one day, then I have to wait a full day, then I can read 5 more chapters.

Here's how it looks when you've done your waiting in purgatory and can now read on...

...and here's how it looks when the sad trombones play...

Now, I mentioned I'd circle back to the coins? THE TIME HAS COME! Because, look - for 17 coins, you can read on instantly!! Alternatively, if you're willing to share on social media, you can also skip (I have no if that's something you can do over and over, or just once, cause I haven't tried - you can skip the wait time once for free). This begs the question, then...is 17 coins a lot?

And the answer is...

...eh not really, no. Ten bucks will get you the ability to pay 17 coins many, many times (58, to be precise), but honestly? I haven't spent a penny yet and I've caught up on 7 different titles and am steadily reading through two more (one of which hasn't had wait times kick in yet, I just can only read so fast).

All of which is to say: yes, there's a pay system, and tbh, I'm probably going to throw them a few bucks not because I care about the wait times but because I'm getting so much enjoyment out of reading these titles and I want to support them a little (I also bought the print version of the TGCF vol. 1 and will likely buy the other volumes, and I once-upon-a-time paid to watch TGCF s. 1 streaming as they came out). With a little patience there is absolutely zero call for spending even one penny to read as much of this cornucopia as you want.

WAY 3: Download the Bilibili App on Apple

I don't have access to an iPhone and don't feel like grabbing my tablet rn and I've hit the Tumblr image limit anyway, but the Apple app looks about the same as the Android app, and you can download it HERE.

Basically: use the website, or download the app for whichever platform you're using, and READ, READ, READ!

So, what is there to read?

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED!

(okay, cutting to a read more)

I've been reading on the app pretty regularly for like two months (prior to that I was only reading TGCF, and only when I remembered, which was rarely), but I'm juggling a lot AND reading other stuff too so I am far from having explored the wide range of options. I can, however, highlight a few I think are likely to be of interest to a danmei-reading audience. Note that of these, I've only read the novels for TGCF, TYQHM, and Daomu Biji, which means that I only know as far as the manhuas have covered for the rest - I haven't read farther than that yet.

A. Tian Guan Ci Fu by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. The one, the only - this is the official manhua with art by Starember. It tells the story of newly ascended god Xie Lian trying to navigate the intricacies of the heavenly bureaucracy, figure out his place in the world, and understand why a sexy guy in red keeps showing up in his life. (Worst synopsis ever award goes to: ME!). The English translation is currently on episode 77, which has Xie Lian and Hua Cheng in the gambler's den. A volume just ended, which means it's on hiatus temporarily - there's usually a month or two break between volumes - so it'll be back soon!

B. Global Examination by Mu Su Li. Based on the book Global University Entrance Examination, featuring art by E Zi. Global Examination is a story set in a dystopian near-future about a world where groups of people are randomly selected (read: kidnapped and forced) to participate in an "exam" where they have to answer extremely complex puzzles. If they succeed, they get to live and become one of the people who administer the exam. If they fail, they die. Despite the premise sounding dark, it's really not been so bad and I've been reassured it won't become so. The story itself focuses on You Huo, a recently selected examinee with amnesia, the other people in his examinee group, and Examiner 001, who clearly has some kind of history with You Huo. If only he didn't also have amnesia, we might even know what that history is...

C. Dinghai Fusheng Records and Legend of Exorcism, both based on the books of the same names written by Fei Tian Ye Xiang. The art for Dinghai Fusheng Records is by Qianerbai (who has also done a lot of work for the Mo Dao Zu Shi audio drama) and for Legend of Exorcism, it's by Warp. These stories are set in the same 'verse, at least several hundred years apart; it's a xianxia high-fantasy setting, and the main enemies are resentment monsters and demons (...or are they? dun dun duuuun). Dinghai Fusheng Records takes place, chronologically, first, and occurs a couple hundred years after a calamity caused all qi to fade from the world - there are only mortals, and no one can cultivate. It follows Chen Xing, a young man born with a gift, as he seeks his protector - Xiang Shu - and others, and they encounter (surprise!) unspeakable evil. Legend of Exorcism takes place in the "future" of Dinghai Fusheng Records, and focuses on Kong Hongjun, a half-demon boy who has received a summons to join the Exorcism Department, as he explores the mortal world for the first time and gets to know the others who have summoned to join the Department, especially the mortal leader Li Jinglong.

D. Daomu Biji titles, originally by Nanpai Sanshu. There are two DMBJ titles on Bilibili right now, though both only have a few chapters, and the website lists them as "on hiatus." I've read them both, and am not entirely sure what's up with one especially, but... Grave Robbers' Chronicles starts where Book 1 starts, with changes of course but it's quite recognizable as the initial "Wu Xie is brought a silk scroll and gets curious and then Wu Sanxing gets involved" plot line. The Grave Robbers' Chronicles Seven Dreams is...odder...and as far as I can tell is an alternate canon/AU which starts with a "what if" of "what if the Zhang's were incredibly abusive, raised child!Zhang Qiling themselves, and Wu Xie and he met as kids." It's. Um. Extremely weird. And not for those sensitive to kids getting beaten bloody. But I'm still hoping they'll release more than 9 chapters, if only because I'm curious.

E. A Single Strike of Shimmering Frost, based on the novel A Sword of Frost by Yu Xiao Lanshan. This one opens with the Prince Ji Yanran approaching Sect Master Yun Yifeng, who runs a sect of spies and information collectors, to ask for help finding an item that has been stolen from the palace. In exchange, he promises to give Yun Yifeng the cure to an ailment that plagues him. Problem 1: he doesn't actually have this cure. Problem 2: everywhere they go people start dying. Problem 3: catching feels for the pretty Sect Master. Despite having the trappings of xianxia, this story has actually thus far been a sequence of murder mysteries with politics-related causes.

F. Saved the Public Enemy By Mistake by Liu Muqiao. If this is based on a novel, I haven't been able to track it down. It's xianxia; demon immortal cultivator Liu Jianghe shows up, nearly dead, on the doorstep of famed doctor Lu Jiu who is just trying to live a quiet life in seclusion. Not knowing who Liu Jianghe is, Lu Jiu saves him, and thus stumbles into a mess of politics and history he doesn't understand...but nothing is actually how it seems, there's amnesia and hidden back stories galore, there's a heavy side plot of sword lesbians, and honestly I've read like 50 chapters and I'm still a little lost but the art is pretty and I really need to read the reveal on the two MCs history together so I'm sticking with it. Warning that it's got a fair amount of blood and gore.

G. Those Years in Quest of Honor Mine by Man Man He Qi Duo. A historical (non-cultivation) setting focused on politics, machinations, and the long history and deep love between Zhong Wan - former top-scorer on the national exam who lost his position when his adopted father was accused of treason - and Yu She, of dubious parentage and believed by most people to be the bastard son of the Emperor. I loved the book for this, and finding out that the manhua was on Bilibili is a lot of what drove me to download the app.

So - that's everything I'm currently reading: 6 titles inspired by explicitly BL danmei titles, 2 based on other books I like that aren't BL, and 1 BL that just looked interesting and my taste.

There's SO MUCH MORE, seriously. I'm going to be reading on this app for months and still finding more, I'm positive of it.

But unforth, I hear you say, there's some other manhua I want to read! What about Mo Dao Zu Shi? What about Erha? Are those on Bilibili? Can I read them? And the answer, sadly, is no. Those two are published by Kuaikan, which does not offer free legal English translations at this time. But! I am holding out hope that if the audience for Bilibili grows, other manhua publishers will see the profitability in emulating them. I cannot guarantee that anything we do will result in this happening, but I do feel pretty confident that if we don't read with the options currently available, we sure ain't likely to get more options.

SO. GO FORTH. READ THE THINGS I'VE MENTIONED. READ OTHER THINGS. COME BACK AND TELL ME WHAT YOU LOVED SO I HAVE SOME IDEA WHAT TO READ NEXT.

PLEASE.

I'm begging. GO READ MANHUA!!!

RIGHT NOW.

ON BILIBILI.

(and signal boost this post to get other people to do the same!! help the small fandoms grooooow! I really just wrote all of this so I'd have someone to scream with about the current awful that is the recent chapters of Legend of Exorcism PLEASE WE ALL NEED SQUEEMATES COME READ!!! THE THINGS! THEY'RE GOOD! WITH PRETTY ART!)

[atomicnebula13]

Just passing by to say that I started reading your fics and I love them. One thing I especially liked is how you include song lyrics at the beginning, I think that sets the mood somewhat (I personally love to share a song with my stuff to give a little help in building an atmosphere). Also that you mentioned that you can't write horny stuff without putting some feelings into it lol, I share the sentiment, no matter how hard I try to do something outright erotic it will always end up being an emotional bombshell at some point. Other than that, I really like the terms you use, I found some of my favorite English words in your writing and I really got excited about all the others I learned hahah, thanks for that!

But what I really want to say is that as I am prone to enjoy more tender stuff, I found myself weeping over your sweeter works. They really got to me. I finished the ones I read with a heart a little broken and mended at the same time, and to be able to generate that in another person is wonderful. It reminded me of when things started to get ugly in the comic a few chapters back as other things got sour in my personal life and after I finished reading the episode I just had to sit and cry for a while. There is something sacredly healing about acknowledging our pain in the art we consume. It's curious how a small bunch of fictional youngsters can steal our hearts to such an extent. I guess it is because something of ours is reflected in their experiences or personal characteristics, or because as characters they are excellently builded, or simply because having followed their history for 8 years (8, I think?) means that at this point we love them as if they were real. (Damn, 8 years is a lot of time!) I don't know, I just wanted to thank you for reminding me of these feelings. I'm going to continue reading your works that I haven't read yet, and I'm sure I'm going to like them as much as the ones I've read.

(Sorry if I wrote too much, but I feel it was worth)

Excuse me while I blush furiously over this message. My number one motivator for writing is music. I almost always get inspired to write a fic based on the song I reference and one of the things that immediately drew me to your art (besides how stunning it is, seriously, you have your own hashtag that I use exclusively when I reblog your works) was that you included songs and lyrics as well. I think that's absolutely beautiful, I love that art just manages to breed more art. It's never ending, beautiful and organic form of creation and I can't help but be enchanted by it over and over. Haha, yes I've never quite mastered writing smut without putting feelings into the interaction. I find it especially hard when I'm writing for TianShan because there are just so many instances where something deeper is going on than what we see on the surface level. I'm so happy that you are finding your favorite English words in my works! I love particularly flowery language, especially if it's evocative. I feel genuinely emotional reading this. Tender works always have me feeling a little heart broken as well so for that to translate through the writing is such a compliment. I always hope that my writing will resonate and be well received by the reader but in the end I'm selfish, I'm usually writing for myself because it's a catharsis. As you say, it's sacred to acknowledge our pain through the art we consume. That's something I've always found particular powerful as a writer - reading takes time and people's time is precious so for someone to stop to read my writing feels like such an honor. They are investing their valuable time in me and it's really something I hold very dear. I don't ever want to take it for granted. I agree, I don't know how this fictional group has so many of us in an absolute stranglehold but they do. I'm so thankful for it though because it brings so many of us together in a really meaningful way. It is shocking how long the manhua has been going for (I remember reading when it was JUST Jian Yi and Xixi). Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings with me. This message really warmed my heart and lifted my spirits, my friend. You really are my favorite artist so to hear that my writing is something you enjoyed makes me a little emotional. I'm not sure I'm worthy. And should you ever have any requests I would gladly write something for you, you have only to ask. (Also, don't apologize, you can never write too much). 💕

[sofiagh000]

Top 4 Historical BL Artstyle

Hi! Keep in mind this is just my opinion and it also doesn't have to do much with the plot they have, it's just about the artstyle which, at least for me, has a huge impact on how much I enjoy the story.

Number 4: Silent lover

The art style in this story is amazing and never fails to capture perfectly the way the characters are or feel.

I'm not going to lie, the plot itself is great and the love story could have been so beautiful it would hurt but Jun Xuanxiao is so abusive and toxic to me that I can't enjoy the romance in it as much.

I haven't finished it yet so I can't say much about it but I believe that Shen Yu deserves much more.

Number 3: You own my all

I haven't even started this BL so I can't say much about the story itself and whether or not I like their relationship but the artstyle is just so so beautiful that I can't help but put it here.

Number 2: Lone Swan

Incredible so far. I'm in the middle of reading it but it's already one of my favorites BLs out there.

First of all, as you can see the artstyle is breathtaking and, yes, every single panel is that beautiful. Second, the plot is so good, a little confusing if you are reading too fast because it's the small dialogue that pulls every string together but if you pay a little attention it's pretty clear what's going on (or at least is how I see it). Finally, the romance is so pure and so raw, we have a man pinning for the other so hard that he could explode and the other is really confused because he forgot about their whole past together and just believes that they are complete strangers.

I wish more people knew and read this story because it's amazing and it doesn't get enough recognition honestly.

Number 1: Heaven official's blessing

My all time top 1 favorite BL, irs just incredible in every way. The novel is amazing, the plot is so good and their relationship is everything that one could ask for. It is a huge slow burn but it's worth reading every single word. Also, as you can see, I have never seen a Manhua more beautiful that this one, each panel is a work of art and I can't wait to see more of them.

--------------------------------------------------

If you know more Historical BLs please tell me because it's my favorite thing right now!

[ge]

hi ! do you not like the novel like is it written badly? sorry it's just i haven't read it i have only seen untamed but i was thinking about reading it? i just saw an anon say the author only wrote lwj to be wwx's husband and whaaaaat

hiiiii yes i hate the novel so bad... the author mxtx is a cishet fujo who doesnt know how to write gay men and its awfull literally god awful if i could go back in time and stop my self from reading mdzs i would shoot myself the second i clicked open the equally fujjo translation site........ pls just stick to cql and the donghua.. the novel is not worth it.. its just not worth it.... i personally rhink cql did a better job handling their story than the novel... the only redeeming part of the novel is the confession scene which wldve taken place during the guanyin temple jgy death scene in cql... i forgot which ch that was tho :[ but anyway if u want the full novel experience without the dumbassery read the manhua or watch the donghua.. they both follow the novel pretty closely unlike cql

[clearancecreedwatersurvival]

if you haven't read the tgcf novel yet, I 1000% recommend it alongside the manhua! it goes far more in depth than the manhua so you get to experience both the story and pretty art in full✨

WHAT IS UP ANON I AM ALREADY ON IT

I started the book, remembered the manhua exists and there isn’t much of it and figured that would probably be an easier way to hook my brain on it and get me grounded in the story (and also get to the bit where Hua Cheng comes in sooner cause priorities). So I read that, died about the art (holy shit the ART), and then immediately started the book again. I’ve been endeavoring in this effort basically all day and now I am...just barely 25 chapters into the novel. I would usually indulge my adhd drive to not sleep until I finish it but my God this book is long so that’s a terrible idea. I’ll try and find some quick fluffy not too spoilery fic to read to calm my brain’s NEED for plot resolution so I can sleep tonight. In a couple hours. Once I read some more. Although hey if anyone has any knowledge on if I could successfully read part or all of one of the later chapters for some fluffy nonsense and not get too spoiled for all the fun reveals everyone keeps hinting exist. Usually I just spoil myself but I’m trying not to for this since everyone says it’s worth it. MDZS did have those like 20 post-canon one-offs which I loved, is TGCF similar in that regard?

Anyway yeeeee the book is GREAT so far.