You're welcome ^^ Spoiler: Friends' Reactions Li Yan is actually also a gay character so he wasn't anything but supportive of their relationship. As for Pan Zi, I don't think he cared whether Jiang Cheng was gay or not; he just wanted Jiang Cheng to be happy. In fact, when Jiang Cheng told him that he and Gu Fei were dating Pan Zi actually told him that "Gu Fei is his first love" because his ex couldn't count Spoiler: Jiang Cheng's Ex They only got together because his ex-girlfriend liked him and he was too nice to say no but he never actually liked her. This is why Pan Zi said, "You (Jiang Cheng and his ex) couldn't really count as dating". Spoiler: Being Gay Yes, both main characters were fully aware they were gay from the very beginning. Jiang Cheng's family was in the dark because he practically cut off all contact from them after LBG's death, but everybody in Gu Fei's family is aware by the end of the book and is very supportive (especially Gu Miao, she is super attached to Jiang Cheng). Gu Fei's university life wasn't mentioned much (he did get to go in the end, but just a local one) but Jiang Cheng's friends in university were all aware of the fact that he has a boyfriend + who his boyfriend was. They were very accepting and supportive of their relationship and also played a huge part in supporting Jiang Cheng when he and Gu Fei broke up. Spoiler: LBG's Death It's honestly a little depressing to say but except for Jiang Cheng's elder sister, nobody was actually sad over LBG's death... He was standing on top of their building and his elder brother was the one who was baiting him to jump; Jiang Cheng only felt guilty because of the belief that he could've prevented it. He knew that he could've called for him to not jump or asked his brother to stop, but he didn't. It technically wasn't his fault but he still felt bad (basically the same with Gu Fei and his father); it's just survivor's guilt. Thankfully, he managed to recover thanks to Gu Fei. As for his adoptive family... They basically cut off all relations the moment they kicked him out. I think except for a phone call (which I'm not sure if it even happened or was just at another time), they didn't do anything. Spoiler: Break Up Jiang Cheng's reaction was... Terribly bad. He didn't scream or shout at Gu Fei, he just quietly hung up and started crying. He actually started crying so hard he started vomiting; this state had lasted for days where he'd have to call sick from class and stay locked up in his dorm. By the next time Gu Fei heard from him, his voice was so sore he couldn't even talk properly. However, it wasn't Jiang Cheng who took the initiative in getting back together. Although he wants to, he knows that this time it has to be Gu Fei who took the initiative to walk forward himself (since the whole reason for the break up mainly lies in Gu Fei's psychological problems) so he waited for Gu Fei to take the first step. In the end, Gu Fei did not disappoint and Jiang Cheng started crying (again) when they got back together (yes, I would say Jiang Cheng is actually the more emotional between the two). Spoiler: Dom + Sub Like I said before, they are a very equal couple. There really isn't a person who is more dominant/submissive between the two. If you're speaking about bed matters, then yes Jiang Cheng was the first to top (Gu Fei volunteered) but it was Gu Fei's turn the very next time. The two pretty much take turns topping? Of course, it isn't the perfect 1, 2, 1, 2 pattern, but you wouldn't really feel like one tops for a longer period of time than the other. If I must say, I think Gu Fei tops a little more often in the end...? Physically and emotionally, I'd say they're both pretty balanced. Physically speaking, although yes Gu Fei has a beautiful face, I don't think the author means that he is an effeminate guy. Both he and Jiang Cheng are both very physically capable (hell, Gu Fei is actually even stronger than Jiang Cheng when it comes to fighting) and are two very masculine characters. Emotionally, although Gu Fei tends to be the more dependable between the two and often acts as Jiang Cheng's rock, more often than not he can grow to be very pessimistic. This is where Jiang Cheng balances him out; even though Jiang Cheng does have a volatile temper, he also has a very determined attitude and the need to rebel against the circumstances that he doesn't agree with. This attitude is also what eventually helped Gu Fei walk out of the marsh in the end.
Reading this spoilers and wanting to reach those parts even more As for dom + sub.. I didn't finish many boys love novels yet but it's the first time when I see something like this in yaoi, is it rare or are there others like this? Now I'm even more curious to read it. Thank you for the spoilers, I see that you care about the novel so much so I'm glad you are the one who's translating it
Thank you so much. Your words have given me a lot of motivation to continue translating ^^ Sadly, most of the BL stories you will read will have a set person topping and bottoming, and they usually wouldn't switch throughout the entire story; either because the shou (bottom; uke in Japanese) is completely uninterested or gong (top; seme in Japanese) has too much of an ego to let themselves get topped for once... so reversible gems like these are rare... =_=; Don't worry though, even if most couples aren't reversible, there are many BL couples that have a healthy and equal dynamic.
Wishing you good luck, I'm and other people here are looking forward to your translations I'm glad to hear that. I used to read more japanese works until recently. And the ones I read sometimes got really close to changing roles.. but the last moment uke changed his mind or seme proposed the game where uke lost. I don't really mind that but something realistic feels good and fresh for a change
Hello, I'm just here to give a heads up that there may be some problems regarding the translations on my end. I had asked the current translator mid-February if I could take over the translations gave them a week’s time to reply. Seeing that they didn't give me a reply for two weeks, I went ahead and started translating and was prepared to upload from where they left off tomorrow (since I mentioned many, many times that I would start posting on March 1st). However, what I didn't know was that they replied to me just yesterday saying they want to continue translating and asked me if I want to co-translate while directly uploading chapter 15 today. The whole situation honestly leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but I don’t mind co-translating. However, considering how they were so busy with work they had to drop out for 5 months, I am a little concerned if they can keep up with a frequent update schedule. SAYE is my favourite book, and I plan on giving it a dedicated schedule if I’m translating. If they are unable to guarantee that, then I’d rather work on my own. If the current translator doesn't think that they can guarantee a frequent schedule yet still want to continue translating anyways… we might have to talk a little more. They mentioned that they still have some chapters already stocked up, and I don't want to end up in a race of repeating chapters with them. What I'm even more afraid of is that they will cease updating again for an unknown amount of time again without informing me, leaving me in an awkward "Should I? Should I not?" scenario. So I hope that this problem can be solved as soon as possible and that we will all be able to enjoy finished translations. I am sorry for unable to keep my end of the promise at the moment. (._. )
Wow, once again thanks for the spoilers. So at the end of the story, does JC live alone in his bio father’s house or does he live in the dorms of the university? So almost all of the important male characters outside of Phan Zhi and Wang from their class, are gay? Seems kinda ‘unrealistic’ but maybe not. And how was the relationship between LY and the college professor of JC described? Like are they both attracted to eachother when they first saw each other or was it kinda slow in the beginning? And will the relationship between GF and his mother improve? Cause right now I got the impression that his mother is very bitter at him because of his meddling in her relationships. Will anyone at high school find out or where they at that point not a couple yet? If so, how was their relationship received? lastly is there lots of affection between the two characters like kissing, hugging etc? once again thank you!!!
I hope I'm wrong but it sounds like they panicked when they saw your message and put out a chapter before you in order not to lose the novel so they answered only now This is so unexpected and upsetting for you because you already started translating I think regardless of what agreement you come to with another translator, I still think you should upload the chapter you translated even if they uploaded it too.. There're a lot of cases where more than one group translates the novel, and it's not against the rules and especially because you even contacted the original translator..who had been mia for 7 months. There're also a lot of danmei translation projects on twitter that translate the works that are already being translated by other groups on NU..Frequent translation schedule could be the idea scenario sigh In any case no matter what you decide, you should pick the way that won't be stressful for you, but you should know that there're people who'd love to see your translating the project and continuing to share the love you have for the novel
So GF, JC and GM will live together at the end of the series? Is it in the same neighbourhood where they met and grew up together or is this somewhere else? And what about Wang and Phan Zhi at the end of the series? Have these two characters even met eachother? And from what you’re saying is that both of them play the supportive role of friends, right? But will Phan Zhi (I’m kinda interested in his character as I like his personality) make lots of visits to JC and eventually GF? Like will these three hang out with eachother a lot? And where does JC gets all his money from in the beginning of the story where he buys all these clothes and room accessoires which are expensive, considering he doesn’t have a job. BTW will JC ever get a job (still talking about high school) Or does he live offs his adopted family’s money. Once again thank you!!!!
Like I said before, they will live together in the big city. The place where they met is in the suburbs. Spoiler: Gu Miao I think I forgot to mention, but them being able to live in the big city by the end of the story is actually a pretty big deal. A huge reason why Gu Fei felt so burdened was because Gu Miao was unable to go to any unfamiliar places without having a panic attack and his mother was in no way capable enough to take care of her; so it technically means that Gu Fei had to stay in that small town whether he liked it or not despite how capable he actually was. The fact that Gu Miao was actually able to progress enough for the three of them to live normally outside of the little town they originally met in is huge progress. I also mentioned before that Pan Zi does have a good relationship with Gu Fei later on and makes fairly frequent visits. Spoiler: JC's Money I'm also pretty sure I stated this before, but it probably wasn't too clear; when Jiang Cheng's adoptive parents kicked him out they had given him some money. The money was honestly quite a lot, but it makes sense considering that it was basically compensation. But don't worry, he doesn't live off it forever (there's no way he could even if he wanted to lol, his adoptive parents weren't THAT rich); he eventually gets a job in the extras and so does Gu Fei. Jiang Cheng is a lawyer and Gu Fei becomes a teacher (was it for language or history...?).
Thank you!! do you know how old they are at the end of the story where they both have their own jobs and live together? And whose idea was it for the the three of them to live together? And did everyone initially agree with the plan? Does the ending mention what the other characters are up to and what became of them? Like what kind of job does Wang, PZ and LY do at the end of the story? lastly the most important question is: do you know in which chapter(S) they officially become an couple and when they confessed ? Thank you
Thank you for the support, but first I'm going to see if I can co-tl with the current translator. If they end up stopping again then I'll just translate myself I suppose... I just don't want to get into too much drama because I really do appreciate their translations. They have honestly done a very good job so far and I really respect them for their work. I'm pretty upset that we had to start talking under these circumstances. Spoiler: Ending I'm not sure how old they are exactly tbh, but I do know they should've graduated from university not too recently so somewhere in their 20s. Gu Miao should've been a preteen by then. I forgot who suggested it first; that stuff was kind of skimmed over. The author just mentioned that the plans they had and what happened after. The other characters do show up and get brief mentions of their own. I remember Wang Xu(? I think that's what the second character was) had repeated high school to accompany his crush and eventually took over his dad's restaurant, I don't remember the details for Pan Zi but I remember that he was fairly well-off as well, and LY eventually became a hairdresser. Once again, no I don't remember the exact chapter number. It has been a long time since I looked back and checked.
Thank you so much for spoiling. I hope the translation thing gets solved quick i can see how much you love the book just reading your spoilers and the care you give writing them and i would love your style of translations as well. I'm really excited to read this because honestly healthy relationships are a little rare in danmei world lol + the plot and characters seem really well written. Just from the spoilers it has a place in my top ten i cant wait to read the translations AGAIN THANK YOUUU
Good news!! The original translator of SAYE and I have reached an agreement; she mentioned that she was unable to continue translating due to work reasons but now that she has a new job, she is able to have frequent updates from now on. She also stated that she honestly didn't see the messages where I stated that I would post on March 1st and that because of said work reasons, she hadn't been able to be online at all and see my messages till recently. We managed to add each other on a platform that both of us frequent more often and chat for a while; she is a really nice and friendly person. I am very relieved to say that all the previous happenings really were just misunderstandings and really bad timing. She is a translator whose quality of work I admire and I am happy to say that I will officially be co-translating with her! The two of us will be alternating chapters starting from chapter 21 (she already has up to chapter 20 in stock) until the third translator comes back, then it will be the three of us alternating. Therefore, you can all rest easy now and wait for the new chapters to update! ^^
Just finished the novel and I gotta say I understand why the Chinese fandom value this work so much. I myself prefer plots that are more dramatic and exciting in my danmei novels, and struggled with a bit with Saye’s slice of life vibe. but I really appreciate the way Saye portray what it’s like to be an adolescent feeling trapped and lost. our 3 mains, Jiang Cheng, Gu Fei, Gu Miao, probably have felt different and out of place since the moment they were born. JC and GF are gay, while GM is autistic. and as they grow up, they become more and more suffocated by their harsh unforgiving environments that can’t and doesn’t try to understand them. so JC protect himself by putting on a prickly and irritable exterior, GF cold and apathetic, and GM literally shut her mind off from the rest of the world. that’s why I totally get it when if ppl say that the characters are unappealing at the beginning. I even saw someone who read the first 10+ chapters say that Saye reads like a bad chick flick lol they didn’t lie. I think it’s intended to be that way. the moment JC stepped foot into that town, I felt uncomfortable and icky, like a bad stench I can’t shake off. but then its as if JC and GF heard each other’s silent cry for help, they spend time together and slowly begin to liberate themselves revealing the beauty underneath. JC also becomes a liberating presence for GM too, bc he actually tries to understands her. and personally I always have a soft spot in my heart for any work that depict the struggles of autistic children at the same time, I also understand why Saye might hit home less with readers from other countries. those familiar with western media would be no stranger to a realism story about 2 closeted teenagers coming of age in a rural town, but Wu Zhe’s realism style where the romantic relationship is so natural and equal *coughswitchingcough* is rare for danmei, and probably a fresh breeze for Chinese readers tired of the status quo. that scene where they came out to each other and had that moment of camaraderie is so good, and I was so impressed that Wu Zhe wrote something like that first instead of just having them bang out of hate sex then “surprise, guess I’m gay now“ like how danmei tropes usually go (although I know plenty of readers would enjoy that more lol). Saye is also unique in the sense that its steeped in nostalgia and the experience of Chinese students transitioning from high school to college. particularly how descriptive Saye is about the school and exam system. I suspect these parts won’t resonate much with foreign readers ngl out of the long list of danmei works that are scheduled to be adapted live action, Saye is the novel that would make me the most bitter to see censored. imo JC and GF’s sexual orientation is not just about romance, it is soooo crucial to their own characters and the overall theme of Saye. if this live action was made properly, it might actually help young people struggling with mental health and sexual orientation. like how powerful would the coming out scene be on the Chinese screen, but ofc China has no intention of helping anyone with that so 95% chance it’ll end up being another fangirl fodder I can only pray they take autistic scenes seriously
Spoiler: LBG's Death This LBG is JC bio father? Why'd his brother do that? And why'd the father just follow it?
Spoiler: LBG + JC's Brother Yes, LGB is JC's father... you can actually say that the brother wasn't "purposely" doing it. Yes, he meant every word he said, but he didn't plan to make LGB suicide. LGB was just kicking a fuss up on his own and I guess you could just say that his children were getting sick of him so JC's brother told him to just jump. LGB wasn't following anybody's orders; I'm not sure whether he intended on actually jumping, maybe he did, or he just g angry enough to actually do it. I definitely agree with everything you just said 100%. Although I understand why some people wouldn't understand the sentiment (I know that even some people in China feel that Saye may be too depressing so they couldn't continue on from the first couple of chapters), I really do wish that everybody can give the book a proper shot... Even though the themes may not be anything particularly "new" in the Western community, I personally felt that it was better executed than any movie, book, or show that I have read or seen in English. I'm also personally both excited and anxious about the drama too... I'm excited because I feel like the show itself would probably do well, as it is hard to mess up the setting of a school-life show, unlike many ancient-style ones (yes Chen Qing Ling I am looking at you)... But I am fearful of the writing... As you said, JC and GF aren't just gay for being gay, it's actually a crucial part of their character settings. Even if they can't explicitly include that in the show due to government censorship, I hope they could deal with it in a way that doesn't completely "straighten them out" (like emphasizing that they're "good bros", I'd much rather take Chen Qing Ling's "soulmate" method). Same thing with the mental illnesses portrayed in the book, Wu Zhe has done such a good job, I hope the drama could at least deal with things in a mature and decent way as well. I feel like you should post this as a review on the Saye homepage. So far, I think I'm the only one who has posted a review that is this long and I feel like Saye is seriously lacking in reviews compared to many other novels hhhhhh... xD
Hi, is this novel completely translated (as much as the best grammatically correct good translation is available).. could someone share the link plz