I really feel like you're reading a bit too much in this. Also, after the incident with the old woman, a lot of the story goes more into third person. I don't know, it's probably just different for someone like me who actually read the whole thing.
As HEAVY on drama and as angsty as it is, I personally found that it was a good read. Given, the ending was a bit lackluster, therefore being a bit unsatisfying, it was still good. (also note that the story was written in 2013) I don't know, maybe this is just my inner masochist coming out.
MC does drug and blackmail ML at the start, which is criminal behavior so i can see why ppl would not want to read this. At the same me time however, i believe less in retributive punishment and more in rehabilitation - not just having the villain or criminal suffer for the sake of suffering but get them to realize wtf they did wrong and atone and apologize for it. An eye for an eye justice is problematic at best when even in society, we have folks who kill (law enforcement, soldiers etc) and sex work etc where things aren't clear cut re: power structures, prejudice et al. So in a hurt/comfort story like this, reading about someone who would be labeled a villain in a different story and most likely imprisoned or out right killed for the sake of 'justice'...it's interesting to see an over arching character arc and a redemption story for MC. Additionally, ML pulls a lot of shit but some folks may even say he has stockholme syndrome so him trying to take revenge and then later him still wanting MC even after being forced to stay away shows that there is more to the relationship perhaps. Of course ML doesn't seem to display healthy behavior through his lack of self care but i appreciate that MC adopts a child and tries to make a new life. We've all done sh*t we regret and wish we could take back so in some ways it's nice to read these spoilers and see how, despite the lack of rebirth etc MC still bounces back in the long-term and ML makes his own choice to be with MC after all the years go by. The only difficulty with hurt/comfort is often it's a lot of the former, and not enough of the latter for relief and sometimes all that hurt experienced by the mc isn't acknowledged or narratively rewarded so... looking forward to reading spoilers on how this ends
Such an emotional ride. For some reason I felt like I've read this spoilers before about mc drugging and blackmailing ml. Was there another novel similar to this novel in these aspects? I actually thought I've read these spoilers in the past. I'm tempted to read this because I like to abuse myself in heavy angst ridden novels.
I literally had the same thought, which was why I tried looking for it. I couldn't find it so I just ended up making a thread for it.
Whelp guys, I'm officially done with this novel. No more emotional roller coaster for me. It was funNO IT WASN"T So here's the last of what I remember. I'm on to read happier things. Spoiler: Vague ending (my memory sucks) MC, ML and MC's daughter (mtl switches her name up waaay too many times for me to solidly know what it is so I'll just call her little Mu) all move in together. ML basically gave up the rights for inheriting the company? the family? I don't know what exactly it was but he still works as the CEO for the company (whatever it is) I think it's just that he doesn't have the right to anything in the family. Xu Wei had this nephew that's a cute brat. (he likes things like bugs and stuff) The kid is pretty surprised that Little Mu is not phased at all when he showed her a worm. Also that she's basically chill with his toys (robots and stuff) cuz other girls would usually scream, cry or wouldn't be interested. He likes hanging out with her. It's cute. side note: ML already had a room ready for Little Mu. ML really likes watching the father-daughter pair. Little Mu was a bit scared (or at least wary) of ML at first but in the time skip (extra?), you see that she warmed up to him. ML's mom is fed up with ML not letting her meet MC so she went to visit him on her own. MC and her had a pretty good time (MC didn't know it was ML's mom since he never met her before). She was also really happy to meet Little Mu since she loves kids. ML finds out and has his mom come over to their house for an official meeting. MC had a mini freak-out. All is well though. ML's family still demands for surrogacy which both he and MC agree to do. Baby boy, mtl-ed as YiHang(?). ML didn't really care about him (one of the things he had to do from the demands of the family) but MC and Little Mu absolutely adored the boy. YH only saw the three of them on the weekends but the author wrote that the weekends were the happiest days for small YH. This changed when he grew a little older (still under ten if I'm remembering correctly) and heard about how he came to be and stuff like that. Blamed MC that he didn't have a mom. Said he hated them and didn't want to see them again. After a while (don't remember how much time passed), they saw each other again when the Yi family was having a gathering (birthday party I think) and YH sort of picked a fight with Little Mu. She didn't fight back but some other kid who she was hanging out with came in to protect her. ML gets mad. Don't remember what happen here, don't worry though, nothing too bad happened. I think ML just scolded YH, in an intense way. Really short period of time passes by and the kid realizes how much of a brat he was and how happy he was whenever he was with MC and Little Mu. YH went and apologized to them and was able to patch things up. Honestly, the ending felt a bit too abrupt (sped through) to me. Though I don't know for others. Given, I did skip a couple of stuff since I don't remember it but still...
Spoiler: How I remember it 3 years ago, MC did drug and blackmail ML with the photos to be in a relationship with him. However, after that first time, he never attempted to do anything sexual anymore. ML had a lot of power to kill/destroy MC but he spared MC and decided to stay in the relationship because he was curious and wanted to torture MC. During their three years, ML did many things to MC like sleeping with other people, throwing away the gifts, and sometimes physically abusive (unintentionally?). Several times, he got drunk and forced MC. He only slept with other people because he wanted to hurt MC. After they separated, he stopped sleeping with other people. I think many things in the story were a bit over the top... like how MC kept hurting himself and landing in the hospital. The misunderstanding was because ML wasn't used to express his feelings so he never said that he loved MC. MC, on the other hand, didn't realize that ML love him because he'd tried hard to make ML fall in love with him for three years and failed. There was no way it could happen after they broke up. (It made sense actually.) Then, there were also all of these side characters who kept telling MC that ML just pitied him and he should give up.
Argh ! Seriously The family only knows what mc did to ml and are judging him on that basis. But the heck do they even know what ml did to mc!! They think that mc is not fit for their good son but did they investigate further to know what ML did to him ?Pushing him to the point suicide ! And The Ml is not even bothering to tell them that h too is at fault only insisting on being wig mc . Now won this only make them see mc as a very scheming person who tricked ml into liking him afterwards . and even if they allow them to be together they will never have positive feelings about mc and its even possible that if in future mc goes to their house he may suffer from their cold eyes and hatred . If ML really so much likes mc he should try to make favourable impression of him and tell them how he came to like mc so that they understand him better instead of just insisting that he wants to be with him . Edit : OK this was posted before I knew the ending , since at the end ML's mother comes to like mc iguess all good . but in neverthless I think the family drama could have cooled down a lot or shifts. In other direction had ml told them his faults.
I don't think it was over the top, unless there was always a car crash or drama in every corner without rest. Just try to understand MC's situation. He is an orphan. No loving family and relatives. Friends? And when he met the old lady who thought of him as her son and he finally gained happiness, and the next moment she died, it will break any person.... esp when he thought no one would ever love him. Eg. ML. It also depends how frail that person is and considering what MC went through... well... and i dont even need to mention MC's dumb decisions.... the drug.... Yea such ppl truly exist in RL The misunderstanding is also logical. ML who doesn't know how to express his feelings. Being for so long with a person can make someone fall in love. It's possible. One would notice all the small little details and so on. MC for not realising ML was in love with him is also logical. I mean MC already has low self esteem and then getting rejected by ML and people keep telling him ML is only with pity with him. The people telling MC to give up. It's normal too. Ok there might be someone who takes pity on either MC or ML. Or they have their own motive on doing so and telling it to MC. Like that person is in love with MC or ML or they are just too noisy about ppl's affair
Is this a coincidence? Today, there was a new series called Love, Expired and the premise is pretty much the same as Muted (aka, MC blackmailed ML into a relationship). Since I like Muted, I'm going through the raw version of this.
Not the same?? I thought it was the same novel and I'm here for spoiler, my heart can't take this abuse-relationship anymore.
Hm.... not the same at all. Spoiler: Spoiler for Love, Expired Like I've said, MC and ML's relationship started out similarly. ML had a BFF that he loved and MC blackmailed ML with the video of his BFF so they started their 4-year relationship before breaking up when ML found out that it wasn't his BFF in the video. MC didn't have a good childhood; his father died when he was young and his mother remarried. He was obsessed with ML and got very crazy and clingy around ML who rejected him. The difference about Loved, Expired and Muted is that our ML here was a lot stronger. After his mother died, he decided to give up on ML and move out to house with a kid who liked him (let's call this side character SY). Everything got really messy from here because SY had some dude who he used to sleep with to get money and he did it again to support his relationship with MC. During this time, ML found the online Douban diary from MC and realized MC's love and started pursuing him. MC was mad at his lover and slept with ML a few times. So it was like double-cheating... There were a few other side characters like MC's BFF who fell in love with a straight man, ML's three sidekicks and ML's childhood buddy who knew SY. Anyway, I gave up half-way. I don't think it was good at all because I don't like side relationships and I like MC and ML to be faithful to each other in my novels.
i'll say. i thought it was gonna be super cute..... thank goodness for the bl train lol imma *swerve* this
Soooo how does one join formerly mentioned danmei sect? Also I'm only 3 chapters in and I'm already about to cry! Thanks for all the spoilers!!!
Damn I will probably drop this. Thanks for the warning and spoilers. But really, what is it with authors having their MCs doing dumb sh*t (rape, blackmailing, forcing relationships, etc.) for love and expecting us, the readers, to feel bad for the MCs because the ML don’t love them. I will never get this kind of concept. Like it’s so illogical. Why should I feel sorry for a criminal and then it’s with a dumb excuse of being in love. (I mean judging from multiple spoiler threads it’s obviously working on others but that’s just because they are the MCs. Turn it around, think a lil bit and the MCs are actually the perpetrator). And in the end both stay in a toxic relationship and I just- I just want to read some angsty slice of life danmei but not when literally most of them start out like this (╯°Д °)╯╧╧