kind of an epic gay love story, which also focuses on the hardships they face in a gay relationship while also dealing with self doubt and hate for being gay. Not the usual hot possessive male god type ml coerces mc into a relationship type stuff. a realistic ML with a personality who faces self hate for being gay. so yeah something with realism yet drama, beautiful moments added with some angst, no uwu gong seme rapey danmei type shit something like the movie your name engraved herein
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/after-my-ex-boyfriends-white-moonlight-proposed-to-me/ https://www.novelupdates.com/series/break-up-next/ This one does have rape in it but the gong isn't quite right in his mind either. Its not really what your looking for now that I think about it..... https://www.novelupdates.com/series/sect-master-and-psycho/ This is the extent of my angst novels I like fluffy things. https://www.novelupdates.com/series/ever-since-i-take-home-an-adonis-who-has-lost-his-business/ https://www.novelupdates.com/series/my-wife-always-thought-i-did-not-love-him/ https://www.novelupdates.com/series/i-just-want-to-be-in-a-relationship/
'Sad' BL that I've read on this site are mostly just very dramatic, depressing and angsty. Maybe: (though I haven't read it myself) https://www.novelupdates.com/series/waiting-until-35-years-old/ Or this manga based on an essay by a Japanese gay activist. Though it ends in a happy ending, the author mentions his struggles along the way as a man struggling with acceptance and his sexuality: https://mangadex.org/title/50139/until-i-meet-my-husband
What about Brother... Not only does it talks about the prejudice and discrimination of being homo, since it's the age where these subjects were strongly rejected. it also scheme through morals, esp, it's incest.
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/through-the-strait-gates/ https://www.novelupdates.com/series/saye/ https://www.novelupdates.com/series/seizing-dreams/ not sure if these fits your requirement but i have heard of them being described as poignant and the characters more realistic than other bls. i recommend going through all of these three author’s works as they do put more thought into character development and not so much the typical tropey stuff.
When I read the backstory (allegedly) it was 10 times sadder. If its really happens, I wonder what the hubby feels? Will he feel guilty? I come to like Nan Qi so much...
The Rental Shop Owner it would be a good film, stone realistic, with happy together vibes and so on, love it