As far as I remember, the purpose of Xiao Si was to set the world back on track after some early transmigrators brought into existence legal criminal organization-- and so the people chosen are people who could shut it ALL down. Shi Jin was option #999, Lian Jun #1000. Lian Jun was Xiao Si's Darling because of the fact that he's its last hope-- but given the hard life he's already leading, Xiao Si is definitely cheering and pouring its all for Jinjin So no, he didn't actually choose a Darling for Shi Jin-- Lian Jun is just its Darling that it wants Shi Jin to protect and help, because only they together can fulfill the mission to put out of existence all those legal criminal organizations.
It's 100% impossible to actually summarize it-- it's the entire novel's journey. But taking, say, one of the brothers as an example... with the eldest brother, Shi Weichong, it's pretty... complex? Shi Weichong never really did anything outwardly wrong towards Shi Jin in the first life, but he did in the back: he was usurping Shi Xingrui's company and his mother ordered an organization to kidnap Shi Jin and torture, disfigure, break his fingers and slowly kill him. In this life Shi Jin got through to him easily, because at his core Shi Weichong is not a person without emotions-- within a few dozen chapters into the story he's already genuinely worried for Shi Jin who's following Lian Jun, and he often tries to make up for his actions and misgivings by trying to return the Ruixing shares their father left for Shi Jin as well as make him go to school and have a promising future. But Shi Jin, while logically understanding that he's trying to do something good and be a proper big brother, doesn't want it. He doesn't want that wealth or to run a giant of a company, and he knows the life he wants to live already. So it instead becomes a weight on Shi Weichong's shoulders-- he's trying to make up for his mistakes but everyone keeps rejecting his efforts, and he becomes clinically depressed. Furthermore, there's the entire matter of his mother actively, continually, and lastingly attempting to hire people to torture and kill Shi Jin (as did one of his other brother, earlier on in the story), and he really does care for and love his mother as a mother. He tried to get her to stop and make up for it with Shi Jin multiple times, but he can't exactly control either sides-- in the end, he does tip over to the right side and tiredly denounces his mother and is now fully on Shi Jin's side. (Before shitting on Shi Weichong, understand that it can be really hard to cut ties with the parent who raised you and cares for you but who is an absolute insane wench to someone else, and he got into multiple huge fights with her trying to restrain her.) Despite being the first to like and care for Shi Jin, Shi Jin's grudge against Shi Weichong is actually the last to be resolved-- partially because of the mother trying to kill you thing, but also because it's the most complex. Shi Weichong really looked down on Shi Jin early on, but he has an instilled 'eldest brother' mindset and I reckon would've come across as one genuinely. He also is the most consistent in coming forward and trying to reconcile with Shi Jin, always trying to apologize and make up for it. But it's really just, yanno? Forgiveness is not a right, it's a privilege given by the wronged. In the end Shi Jin forgives him, but that's at Shi Jin's own terms and not Shi Weichong's. Honestly my favorite part of this entire thing is just the few chapters in the last dozen of the novel-- all five brothers "mysteriously" get the same dream of Shi Jin's last life. Their reactions show the character development they've all gone through-- they're basically going "FUCK YOUUUU GO FUCKING DIE" at themselves for 3 entire chapters and just in so much pain looking at Shi Jin's suffering, and when they woke up they immediately started beating each other up (except Xiang Aoting, whom they cheer to beat them up because he's the only good one) because they were so angry at themselves for being massive assholes. It's just so. It's both painful and just cathartic, I love it. I'm pretty sure someone picked up a foldable garden chair during the fight. (Shi Jin was NOT happy that at 9 AM when he woke them up for breakfast they started fighting in his backyard. Lian Jun takes him out for the day because he was very unhappy about that, and Shi Jin just went let them not have dinner with us for that LOL)
Out of all the brother’s I’m the most confused over bro 3. Like... I don’t know why the two of them reconcile? Or why #3 would consider Shi Jin as his brother? I mean, the two of them have a very sibling bickering type of dynamic, but given that #3 never liked Shi Jin, I found it hard that all of a sudden bc Shi Jin grew a backbone and talked back and teased #3, that the two grew close. This was the only relationship that I found weird. At least the other 4, each of them got an arc and tons of chapters and one-on-one time with Shi Jin.
He does get one-on-ones with Shi Jin, actually. He hated Shi Jin, but after their first meeting where they got rough and fought and Shi Jin proved to not be a "dumb useless idiot" in his eyes, he started putting him in his eyes and cared about him. Prior to that, Rong Zhouzhong just thought of him as being very stupid and gullible, and him proving that he's not humanized Shi Jin to him I guess. The initial fight was their first step, so to speak, but later on Shi Jin quite often calls him out on his asshole ways (though they more often interact through text). Later on Rong Zhouzhong needed to rent a beach (an island? I forgot) from Lian Jun (who said that it's Shi Jin's and so he needs to talk to him instead) for filming. He got invited for dinner and had to actually ask a new assistant how exactly you act when visiting a younger brother for dinner lmfao. After several days Shi Jin invited him over to basically resolve his main grievance-- he wanted to watch Rong Zhouzong's early movie, one he acted in as a child. It was about an older brother who hated his young brother but faked being nice before betraying him at the very end-- Rong Zhouzhong told Shi Jin back then that he acted really well in it because it was him, and there was such contempt and hate in his eyes that it left a shadow in Shi Jin. They (now) watched it at like... 2 AM, while eating cake Shi Jin got-- Shi Jin got so emotional and upset over that memory that he started just attacking Rong Zhouzhong and demanded to be called various insults Rong Zhouzong threw at him in his past life, asking why he's such a piece of shit-- then he ran off to Lian Jun to sleep the upset off. I guess the thing with 3rd gege is that he never saw Shi Jin as really human because he saw him as just a stupid shit. It was the fighting back and Shi Jin showing his hurt and anger that fleshed him out as a person to his eyes, and when he's human he can care about him. Then the guilt settles in. Also, the 5 brothers have an actual group chat talking about Shi Jin (as their brother, not about ruining his life)-- I reckon that also helped humanize Shi Jin and cemented the new "perspective" that he is their youngest brother. It's kinda hard for me to really answer why Rong Zhouzong suddenly caring isn't really... weird, mostly because I can understand it? I have a very rocky and hate-filled relationship with a sister myself, and the moment I started seeing her as not just a shitty piece of shit older sister and as another human suffering in another way, there was a massive shift in basically everything. There used to be mutual wishes that the other dies early and violently-- it was pretty nasty and physically violent, but nowadays my sister actually talks to me when she's having friendship problems and how she wants to plan her future. ¯\_( ツ )_/¯ As for Shi Jin's side, he's naturally with a big heart. Honestly he's just a sweet child; but had 3rd gege not respond to his moves, he would've dropped the reconciliation attempts the same way he blocked off Fei Yujing initially. (He treats everyone well as people, but there was a clear emotional wall against Fei Yujing until the latter sought him out.)
At what point does this happen? I stopped reading around chapter 105 because it went back to all the politics and shutting down the criminal organizatios (which I find really boring). I just wanted to read about Shi Jin and the brothers (and Shi Jin's relationship with Lian Jun). I hadn't gotten to the part with Ruan Zhouzong renting a beach house and watching a movie with Shi JIn. However, up to chapter 105, Ruan Zhouzong was already trying to pamper and spoil Shi Jin, which I thought was super weird. After Shi JIn confronted him about giving him a cucumber pillow, and Shi Jin fought with Ruan Zhouzong and punched his jaw, Ruan Zhouzong all of a sudden treated him better...Started texting him, asking him to watch his New Year special program, went to walk him to his college welcoming ceremony. Perhaps some nuances were missed through MTL, but I got Fei Ying softening towards Shi Jin (even though Fei Ying is more calculating and colder than Ruan Zhouzong) than I did Ruan Zhouzong softening to Fei Ying. Heck, even with the doctor brother, I got. I suppose for Ruan Zhouzong, it's more about earning his respect and being independent to get him to care than it is about being a poor, weak kitten.
Let me try to find the chapters, I honestly don't remember I'll edit this post as soon as I get it, if you don't reply by then. EDIT: It starts at chapter 110 I do agree that Rong Zhouzhong might appear a lot more abrupt than the others. I just find it as likely that he had some changes of heart due to new understandings and perspective on Shi Jin off screen (because early on Shi Jin also was nice and bantering back before he remembered that Rong Zhouzhong was a piece of shit). He also actually understands people and psychology, so he's not exactly emotionally stunted like Fei Yujing and Li Jiuzheng-- he just needs a slap in the face and thoroughly rewriting how he sees Shi Jin. Also, with these two, they're pretty much unable to understand how love and relationships work; Shi Jin basically need to teach them how to do it properly. Rong Zhouzhong is able to do it by himself-- he just needs a "reason" to, the jackass
OOO awesome! Thank you so much!! I'm so close to chapter 110. I'll pick it back up again. I just dropped it because I JUST finished with the whole taking down the 9 Eagle(? forgot their name) criminal organization arc and boy that one was sooooo long. And it's already not easy doing MTL lol. I actually felt really sorry for Shi Weichong, with the whole exposing the mother. He was caught in the middle, and the author did an awesome job of writing the tension with the "will he or won't he" call by the end of the deadline. Even though i read the spoiler and already knew Shi Jin and Weichong reconcile by the end of the novel, it still made me nervous. You really root for these brothers to reconcile, because you want Shi Jin to be happy. Despite Shi Jin readiness to cut his brothers from his life, you can tell that there's a yearning for his brothers' love.
My pleasure! I totally understand how reading is a drag if you dislike on major aspect of a novel-- feel free to ping me any time you want to know what chapters something happens! I regularly reread this novel anyway, so it's no hardship for me to recheck chapters. Shi Weichong is kinda tragic, yeah... like his mother is the one in the wrong here, and he tries very very hard to stop her. He submitted them both to psychiatric hospitals to help guarantee she can't do anything-- he might not have been able to steel himself to put her into jail, but he pretty much is in the morally right camp after he found out everything. And he definitely needed that time in psychiatric ward after he found out how much his mother really wanted to kill Shi Jin //wheezes Shi Jin really, really does want his family to be a family, and to have one to belong to. Even as a teenager, in his past life, he kept a notebook of what each of them like to eat or like in general-- it really hurts to read how sweet past Shi Jin was, and how much it all got thrown back at his face in the most painful way possible _(┐「ε: )_
In the extra - Spoiler: Little Death Once both progress bars go down to zero, Little Death has to go away. I cried in that scene . MC keeps telling Little Death to not forget him, to try to come back etc and even Little Death is very sad. Plus ML was incognito that time coz of building up new identity etc etc. Little Death goes away leaving a last msg - Not... Forget.... Last.... Gift.... MC starts crying, 1st elder bro doesn't know what happened and ML comes from behind. MC cries - He went away, why didn't you come sooner? Basically, ML and MC spend an isolated 10 days doing nothing but leisurely activities. MC is super affected by Little Death going away. He keeps getting kinda depressed thinking everyone will leave. So ML makes sure that he is as much as possible within MC's eyesights. Slowly MC recovers, they go to their new home. As reward for completely destroying the progress bar, ML gets house-keeping skill lmaooo. He tried to learn cooking and suddenly became super good at it. Cleaning, dusting, laundry, making bed - pampered young master ML is an expert in that . MC graduates Police Academy and gives a talking to to ML about how dangerous his job is, odd working hours, he may not even be able to come home a lot of times etc etc. ML frowns but understands. One month into the job, MC still comes home on time. Everyday. Like all he does is printing and traffic. Other cops are like - wtf where did all the criminals go? MC - This damn bug-like golden thigh.... (Before this, MC felt as if the will of the world itself is pampering and petting MC and ML) But one day they get a call about some trafficker being caught trying to kidnap a child but staff in the amusement park are cautious and managed to stop him. MC + others rush there only to see a crying child. They do a search and stuff but the trafficker seems to have gone poof. He came from thin air, disappeared into thin air. Everyone is confused. Suddenly some cop comes to MC and says - the kid seems similar to you. MC - wtf? MC goes and stares and says - well yeah, but nope. Not mine. The kid starts crying and crying and MC thinks - this annoying cries... Cannot be... IT IS LITTLE DEATH MC is so happy he almost starts crying then and there and takes him home. ML comes and that Teacher Long warns ML - Harden your heart. Lol. ML sees MC and kid interacting and gets all growly. All ends well coz whenever MC was drunk or sometimes when sleeping, he would unconsciously talk about Little Death. So ML kinda knew there was something else inside MC but ignores it. First thing Little Death does when he sees ML is literally crawl on his leg shouting - Aaaaaah, Darling!!! MC is Dude, he doesn't know u. ML sends Little Death to Six (that something-Six henchman of his) and jumps MC's bones. Right when MC just faints in exhaustion, he hears ML say - I won't ask anything as long as you do not leave my side. ML treats Little Death perfunctorily at the beginning. But realises soon that Little Death is like MC - very cute, very silly and a lot stupid. Lol. Little Death goes to a kindergarten where be gets bullied (or rather, it is implied that he let himself get bullied coz he doesn't want to go to the kindergarten). ML, who has turned into stupid, doting Dad by now, decides to build a kindergarten right inside their community. MC - ..... All's well that ends well
I just picked up this novel this week, now out of new chapters to read. Even reading the spoiler summaried got me all teared up. Idk what's going to happen yo me once I'm immersed in the novel again and read those chapters
Hi, may i know who is the gong/top/seme and who is uke/shou/bottom? because im hopping that Shi Jin is the bottom. Because he is cute. And i kinda didnt notice up until you mention that Lian Jun jumped on Shi Jin's bones.
The Xiao Si bit is ADORABLE. Spoiler: More Deets Lian Jun was kind of scary to Xiao Si at first, telling the little baby that they can coexist if he doesn't try to take Shi Jin away. And also to change his face so it doesn't look so much like baby Shi Jin. This was after Shi Jin attentively gave Xiao Si a bath (ADORABLE....) and THEN Lian Jun jumped him LOL But anyway like a couple days later Lian Jun did learn that Xiao Si is pretty much mini Shi Jin and became nicer and more doting. The 5 brothers came over and Xiao Si was like YOU CANT ENTER YOU AND YOU AND YOU AND YOU ARE MEAN 4th gege is okay. Then Lian Jun just swoops in taking baby away LOL The geges are like DONT LIE TO US THIS IS JUST MINI XIAO JIN. Everyone talked about how unlucky Xiao Si's name is and wanted to change it, and so ended up asking Xiao Si, who got embarrassed. Shi Jin laughed and revealed that when asked, Xiao Si's favorite words (for the name?) are Jin and Jun, and everyone just collectively died because "doesn't that mean he's saying his favorite things are his parents??" Lian Jun is stunned and just 100% becomes doting and pulls Xiao Si to him, and Xiao Si is just WAAAAAA DARLING DOESN'T HATE ME???? And Shi Jin is just you told him you hate him????!!? And Lian Jun's just it's all a misunderstanding (carries Xiao Si and walks off to the kitchen) So Xiao Si ends up with the name Shi Jinjun (the Jin I think is the character for Gold but I forgot what the Jun was) Honestly the last chapter gets me so emotional. Lian Jun is just carrying Xiao Si who's in a tiny suit and everyone important is there for Shi Jin's graduation, and the last line "Now everyone's graduated from suffering."
Oh my god this is so sweet uff my patience in waning I think I am gonna read the MTL even if my brain has to wotk 10 times my usual brain power to understand.