DANMEI Reading List (RAW) Pt. 2

388. Reborn As the Ex-wife of the Paranoid Male Lead

Translator: Otaku Translations

Chapters: 122 +  2 Extras

Tags: rebirth, school life, white lotus(?)/green tea(?) MC (Lol)

Synopsis:

Jian Shiwu was reborn. In the previous life, relying on his family background, he forced the male protagonist Shen Cheng to get engaged to him.

Only after his death did he realize that Shen Cheng was terrifying.

The man's power was overwhelming, and he retaliates against everyone by means of brutality, and single-handedly built a business empire.

This taciturn man in everyone's eyes has never been a soft persimmon, but a dormantly waiting wolf.

After the rebirth, Jian Shiwu decided to stay away from Shen Cheng to keep his peace

At the beginning:

Parents: "I heard that you like Shen Cheng, do you want to get engaged to him?"

Jian Shiwu: "I'm afraid you want me to die!"

Friends: "I heard you still like Shen Cheng?"

Jian Shiwu was shocked: "It's fake, don't believe in rumors, don't spread rumors!!"

Impressions: I read this before (main text), didn't really liked it. Just finished reading the Extras today.

So our rich boy MC falls inlove with poor boy ML and forced him into marriage. Laters, MC parents died and later, MC died. Anyways, MC rebirths during their school days when he was still madly chasing after ML. MC has realized that he is simply a "cannonfodder" and shouldn't have thoughts about the protagonist/male lead ML. But....he still likes ML in his heart so he still helps ML while also improving himself this time, studying, slimming down etc. but he always makes sure to deny any kind of friendship/relationship between him and ML.

Meanwhile, they discovered a switched-at-birth trope, and ML was actually from a rich family too!! (Didn't find it in the past life). ML goes away, comes back years later. MC is still on the fence on whether to like him or not.... etc. etc. Anyway, they get together. The End.

For me, this was cute at first then started going downhill. I like MC's introspection after rebirth, he understood that he 'forced' ML before, he was fat and spoiled and richer compared to ML. He didn't think how all those things would affect how others view ML.  According to him, ML was so excellent, but MC didn't think of improving himself to deserve him. He just wanted ML and forcefully obtained him. So, him studying, dieting, bettering himself after rebirth is good good good.

ML belongs to the pitiful trope so MC can't help but help him. And I love MC's mom for this...like, tangible help. They even found ML's real parents. I love the friendship between them.... if only. I hate how MC keeps clarifying their relationship to others as acquaintances or ordinary classmates which is really hurtful. He acts buddy-buddy with ML but when asked by others (and ML is not present), he denies their close friendship. MC is convinced that he is a "cannonfodder" and should stay away but he still keeps being involve in ML's life. And I'm even doubting the 'forced' part in the last life cos ML has a good impression of MC.

​And maybe it's just me, but MC smells like green tea, it's not that he is leading ML on, but he keeps him hanging. Like ML said, if his answer is "no" then they will completely cut-off contact, but our MC keeps sending him 'polite greetings' during the holidays so its not really 'no contact' right? So our ML is still waiting for MC to "think it through" which fast forward took 4 years until ML returned from abroad.

I guess, what I didn't like is our MC being so wishy washy about it. His parents are alive, he didn't marry ML, he should be happy but his heart still yearns for ML, oh, but he remembers he's a cannonfodder... C'mon! I mean, I like character growth and some internal drama is okay, but the problem is this internal drama dates all the way back to middle school up to when MC is already a working adult. Ohmygod. Make up your mind! I'm even entertaining thoughts of ML giving up on him, and they just both stay single forever. Lol.

And I dunno.. the entertainment circle elements pulls it down for me even more. There's a PSA contest and even MC's jo​​b hunting is a variety show... It's starting to feel like domineering CEO x fresh grad/new employee setting. MC FINALLY acknowledges his feelings around 70-ish % of the novel. (Took him long enough)

This novel is also prone to injuries.. ML gets injured, MC gets a fever, get into a car accident etc. gets splashed by hot water (And MC was soooo...white lotus about it, saying not to make it into a big deal. WTF). Like being held hostage and giving a "smile with no blame." (Reallly??? You're just so holllyyy??? ) Kidnapping!! Car accidents! Also, too much timeskip. Four years later, 1 year later... Lol, it just reminds me how long MC has been mulling over his feelings.

I was glad for the ending, and at least they're HE now, but the OPEN-ENDED and TOTALLY UNRELATED EXTRAS saw it fit to hurt my feelings. It gives some explanation for the past life, how ML never knew what a real couple/husband and wife should look like, so all he does is earn money for MC to spend, their cold marriage cos MC & ML didn't really communicate their thoughts and feelings with each other. And that #SPOILER freaking VR helmet... I just want to forget that I ever read the Extras... although it does give some explanation, why our MC is just so good/holy/white lotus...cos that's probably how ML saw him.

Errr... read this at your own risk. Don't read the Extras if you want it to remain HE. Main text: MC POV, a little annoying but HE. Extras: ML POV, sad sad tragedy.