The Male Lead’s Villainess Stepmother

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Yan Shuyu, a big fan of all sorts of cliche CEO novels, had transmigrated into a book —

In the novel, the wealthy CEO male lead has a villainous stepmother. She put up a front of being nice and tender to him, when in fact she was bullying the male lead with her son. After she had successfully driven the male lead and his father apart, her ambition continued to grow as she attempted to take away the inheritance from the male lead. In the second half of the book, the truth came out — that the father had no feelings for her whatsoever but was merely using the two of them to hone his son’s character. In the end, both the stepmom and her son were sent to jail by the male lead after he took over the family business.

Yan Shuyu transmigrated and became the well-hated villainous stepmother, but she had transmigrated to the time before everything happened, and the male lead was still a foolish child. Only a fool would want to become the stepmother of a foolish child. Yan Shuyu took a longing look at her “assigned husband”, who was pretty much like the Sleeping Beauty, before she quickly packed up and made a run for it.

After that, Yan Shuyu checked out her $250 remaining on her card. She turned to look at her son, who was clinging onto her leg and asking for milk. She wanted to look up at the sky and howl. Is it too late to go back to become the male lead’s whetstone?

Associated Names
One entry per line
MLVS
The Evil Stepmother Fled (Webnovel)
成为男主的反派后妈
成为男主的恶毒后妈
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Apollo’s Heart (11)
Transmigration: Raising the Child of the Male Lead Boss (10)
I Raised A Black Dragon (9)
Under the Oak Tree (7)
The Male Lead’s Substitute Wife (5)
Transmigrated into a Parvenu’s Ex-wife in the ‘90s (5)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Favorites
  2. Instant Wives / (Step-)Mothers
  3. mother knows best
  4. Straight Modern Romance
  5. Modern novels I have Read

Latest Release

Date Group Release
09/29/21 Fringe Capybara c343
09/26/21 Fringe Capybara c342
09/24/21 Fringe Capybara c341
09/22/21 Fringe Capybara c340
09/19/21 Fringe Capybara c339
09/17/21 Fringe Capybara c338
09/15/21 Fringe Capybara c337
09/12/21 Fringe Capybara c336
09/10/21 Fringe Capybara c335
09/08/21 Fringe Capybara c334
09/05/21 Fringe Capybara c333
09/03/21 Fringe Capybara c332
09/01/21 Fringe Capybara c331
08/29/21 Fringe Capybara c330
08/27/21 Fringe Capybara c329
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lacerem
lacerem
January 30, 2022
Status: c1
she is exhausting to read, I like low maintenance MC's with basic comedic characteristics but this one is just make me give up this novel. I hate leaving novels unfinished but this is too much I cannot read her anymore.
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Dultse
Dultse
January 25, 2022
Status: Completed
Even after reading all the chapters, I still cannot like the FL (FMC). I don't have anything against the part where she was planning the on relying on her parents in her first life, even after she finished college only bc that was a decision the parents seemed to have agreed to as well. But, once she transmigrates, she's even planning on relying on her son. She wants to make him work his little self hard so he can then provide for her. OK, she isn't his real mother so... more>> let's not bother about how she doesn't care about her son, but even later into the story she still has no qualms over it.

If she had any problem, physical or psychological, that stopped her from going to work, I might have understood her. Simply not wanting is understandable too. But shoving that responsibility on someone else isn't.

She's very irresponsible. I'm trying to reason all the time that she only suddenly became a mom and wouldn't have known all the details about being a mom, but how can you let your child go somewhere with your barely met boss (Yang) ? And even pet your son have to strain himself all the time to bath? OK, I get a child needs to learn to do things on their own anyway, but he's still 4 at the beginning of the novel (well, that age got messed up further on in the novel and I'm still confused about what age he was supposed to be).

She's very selfish, even if she entered a relationship. Fair enough, she didn't enter the relationship completely of her own accord, but since she decided to go ahead with it, she could bother with giving the ML some thought from time to time. She really says things that would hurt anyone in a relationship, however superficial. She plans a trip for her first paycheck, but forgets to think about asking her bf whether he wants/can join them (her and the two children). She only packs her bags - her excuse of 'one of his assistants will probably sort it out' doesn't stand as why on earth would any of his assistants would enter a bedroom belonging to a couple? It might have been OK to get one of the male assistants when he was single, but they were living together at that time.

I do like that she isn't the sort of person that would dwell too much on things - whether good things or bad ones. Her happy-go-lucky attitude might be a good thing sometimes. But not when she's a mother. Tbh I'm not certain all the people with her characteristics would have partners as good as the ML or children as good as hers. But she has a good end since this is a novel.

The ML is not very good either tbh. I don't like that he's either manipulating the FL into doing what he wants her to do, or scaring her with his 'aura'. It's funny and maybe even se*y in a novel, but I would never want to experience something like this in real life. Just my personal opinion anyway (as all this review is just MY opinion).

Spoiler

I do have to give him an apology for thinking he was an absolutely horrible husband in the original novel tho. FL said that he used the original body and her son to train his son and that sounds absolutely horrible. But, once we get more details, I can sort of understand why he did that. He might have married the original hoping that she would love him as much as she obviously loved her late husband. Even treating her son better than his own son could have been so that she can see him in a better light. But the original FL in the novel loved her late husband too much and never even took a proper look at the ML. She even went ahead and plotted the ML's son's death with her son. She hat was probably the straw that broke the camel. And her end was obviously not a good one. But, again, in light of what the FL did in the novel, it is understandable.

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The one star I gave the novel is for the translation, and the interaction with the children and between them. Those bits were really cute.

I wouldn't reread the novel, but I'm not sad I read it either. It was OK to pass the time with. <<less
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chande
chande rated it
October 2, 2021
Status: Completed
I originally love this story but the ending made me feel a bit complicated.

The story started as a simple transmigration story with MC being transmigrated as a single mother with a very complicated relationship with the handsome CEO, Zhou Qinhe.

... more>>
Spoiler

She was destined to be a villainess stepmother to Zhou Qinhe's son, Zhou Yi, who was also the ML of the original story. She schemed to get ahold of Zhou Corporation for her own son, Zhang Yuanjia. The mother and son got a bad ending after unconsciously fell into Zhou Qinhe's scheme instead.

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MC started to run away from Zhou Qinhe after learning about her and her son's imminent ending but of course her action only piqued Zhou Qinhe's curiosity even more and they started a cat and mouse game afterwards.

MC was a very refreshing character. I never read about MC that was as "useless" as Yan Shuyu and it was quite hilarious. In her last life, she was a spoiled and pampered college girl and never fell into any hardship. Even her former boyfriend treated her like a princess. When she was transmigrated, she was broke and had a child on top of that. Fortunately, she was pretty and could play a cello and piano so she could get a decent job. It was also because she was so lucky that she met a kind people along the way so yeah, she got it pretty easily.

Many dislike MC because she was so childish and irresponsible when it came to her own child. At first, I didn't agree with that because I thought MC was genuinely a transmigrator and Zhang Yuanjia wasn't her own child anyway. It was rather unrealistic if she could accepted Zhang Yuanjia wholeheartedly and suddenly being so affectionate like many other transmigration novel. But I took back my comment after reading the plot twist.

Spoiler

In fact, MC was already transmigrated since birth and Zhang Yuanjia was really her child. She suddenly lost her memories when she met Zhou Qinhe for the first time and instead remembered about the original plot of the novel.

Seeing how Zhang Yuanjia wasn't perturbed by MC's behaviour after she lost her memories, I conclude that it was how she always behaved all along. I began to symphatize with Zhang Yuanjia after that.

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Now we're back to the ending that I hate.

Spoiler

I resented the ending because what happened with Ye Rongchen. He was Zhang Yuanjia's biological father and MC's ex husband. He was presumably dead when Zhang Yuanjia was only several months old.

It turned out, he was still alive but in critical condition. He was took back to his original super wealthy family to get a treatment. After he regain his consciousness, he suffered an amnesia and forgot about MC and his son. His parent, who looked down on MC's background, decided to erase her existence along with his son so Ye Rongchen won't look for them again. At the same time, they also faked Ye Rongchen's death so MC won't look for him either. Cliche, right?

Ye Rongchen regained his memories but it was already too late. MC still chose Zhou Qinhe over him and Ye Rongchen himself remained single for the rest of his life, presumably because he couldn't forget MC.

I really hate MC and the author for that. It wasn't even Ye Rongchen's fault that he was missing for years. I also believed that what he and MC had in their youth was genuine so how could MC forgot her feeling just because she lost her memories and even chose an evil, schemer, and manipulative Zhou Qinhe whom potentially led her and her son to their demise?

What made me felt more bitter, Ye Rongchen was a nice guy and a great husband and father on top of that. He gave up his bright future when MC asked him to elope with her. He didn't even hesitate to join a gang so he could provide MC and his son a better life at the risk of losing his life everyday. How could MC disregard all that and still resent him because he was missing for years (and once again, it wasn't even his fault) ? It was okay if he could have a happy ending like MC too because he really deserved it but the author just made him a pitiful man who never remarried again while MC was being lovey dovey with Zhou Qinhe. Ugh, give me back my 2 days of reading this novel.

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kawaii12345
kawaii12345 rated it
August 28, 2021
Status: Completed
Just a great comedy, with great characters. Unlike the majority of novels with the comedy tag this one made me laugh out loud and had me smiling the whole way through. The main character is simply a delightful laugh riot. You never know what she's going to do next but it's always funny.

The writing and translation both top notch. The author has the art of writing a silly but loveable character down pat. The ML and the side characters were also done wonderfully as well. The kids were exceptionally great... more>> straight men and foils to their goofy mom. Fringe Capybara/Fuyu Neko did a fantastic job with the very difficult task of translating comedy. 👍 If you're looking for plot try elsewhere. The only purpose the plot has in this novel is to move the MC from one hilarious situation to another and I didn't mind that at all.

Bottom line: ENJOY <<less
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vivivivivivi
vivivivivivi rated it
August 11, 2021
Status: c304
The MC ruined it. Completely!

I mean the premise is so goddamn awesome, I was expecting so much more from this. But just.. the shallow, flippant and really irresponsible and spoiled attitude of this bratty MC just didn't work for me. You'd think somewhere down the road she'll get better or it's just adjustment issues to a new world but HELL NO. She's just gonna stay as she is. I swear she has huge personality issues, narcissism and honestly I don't get how anyone would like a person like that.

And ML.... more>> He's the usual.. eh there's nothing new about this super rich and hot and workaholic sexy dad... you get it, the usual.

Spoiler

Also also, one thing I hate even more than the way the MC takes her son for granted? IT'S HOW f*ckING EASILY SHE "ADJUSTS" TO THE MALE LEAD. I mean what the hell is wrong with her, she just decided to avoid him, not get married etc and then she thought he's too hot to give up so she started dating without marriage in mind. And then ML forces her to move in and SHE. DOES.

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She truly has no personality of her own and is so goddamn indecisive.

Pros: The children. And the fact that the MC and ML aren't virg*ns. <<less
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dami200
dami200 rated it
April 2, 2021
Status: --
All things considered it's not actually that bad but fMC is a serious irritant... more>>
Spoiler

she was clearly spoilt growing up because she seems to care for no one other than herself. Thankfully she doesn't completely neglect her son but that's about all I can give her. If her son wasn't mature and her boss wasn't accommodating she would be dead on the streets somewhere.

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the only reason I stuck it out this long was because of the kids and the side characters because the main leads are seriously off-putting. <<less
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J Doe
J Doe rated it
March 11, 2021
Status: c233
This is a fun take on the transmigrating into a CEO novel trope. Our MC is delightfully flawed. Her knowledge of the original story colors her outlook and her taste of poverty (for her and her instant son) is also a motivating factor for her to waffle about being with the ML. He's also interesting and the scenes between navigating their relationship are the best. There's nothing too intense (so far) except for some scenes of her drooling over him.

The kids are all cute. Both of the boys are too... more>> wise for their years, but are written as reasonable kids with reasonable schemes- like getting to sleep over at a friends, not taking over the world.

One minus for me is the focus on their looks, but I've gotten over that in so many of these transmigration novels that it's not that big of a deal for me here. Her comments about it are funny, though. <<less
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RoseCh
RoseCh rated it
February 26, 2021
Status: --
I can't stand the MC. We know that she's young but no one is actually that s*upid on that age. Most of her decisions are very questionable as if she's 5.

I've finished half of the novel and I still don't see any hint of character development.

... more>>
Spoiler

I will never get over that she made up an excuse saying that her son is ill to resign and at the same time, brought him to get her last salary? Is everyone in that company so dumb specially the HR to not notice that?

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The writing style is too tiring to read. There are unnecessary internal monologues. It takes so much words to explain one point when it can be easily elaborated in a concise way.

I also don't like that this is on the same trope of transmigrated MC suddenly acquiring A level ability out of nowhere.

But I'll still rate this 2 stars instead of 1 just because the translation was done so well. <<less
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ReadBhell
ReadBhell rated it
September 12, 2020
Status: Completed
From this novel I highlight, the behavior of Yan Shu Yu towards Zhou Quinhe, I like it when he makes it difficult and makes him jealous, and when he tries to be independent from Zhou Quinhe, I also liked the way in which the author handled his relationship It is not like the typical novels where they do not know the male protagonist well and are already getting married, here both protagonists took their time to get to know each other, it was refreshing. I just didn't like how they... more>> handled the transmigration and the return of the dead father, but ignoring that, it was entertaining, and passionate: 3 <<less
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wispybits
wispybits rated it
July 19, 2020
Status: c127
I really tried to give this one a chance. But damn the female lead was really unlikable. To the point that I can't fully read a chapter she's in (yeah basically all chapters lol).

I ended up skimming until I reached the latest update. I was hoping she may have improved by then but boy was I wrong. Like what others said she's s*upid, childish, narcissist and a brat. I honestly don't know how people find her charming.

BUT in the end that's just me.

I recommend just reading the spoilers if you're... more>> really curious how this will progress. Though if you insist then the first chapters are bearable I guess and who knows maybe you'll like this even.

So yeah. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK PEOPLE. <<less
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ACE11111
ACE11111 rated it
July 13, 2020
Status: Completed
Stop rating this below freakin' 5 and 4 like this is a solid 4.5 atleast..... for me it's 5......

It's perfect in any way shape or form.... the plot, oh dear the plot... it has a good flow no overbearing leads that's too over the top... and no abuse whatsoever.

It's a HAPPY ENDING...?
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Crayon
Crayon
May 6, 2020
Status: --
  1. I've finished this story long ago and I don't know if I forgot anything but reading the reviews about MC leeching off her parents? Eh. Correct me if I'm wrong but, she found a job right? After quitting her job at the hotel, she didn't borrow money from her parents? I don't remember that part. She work as waitress in a restaurant and playing piano as a side job. She did not abandon her son. I'm honestly confused with the bad reviews Seriously you need to finish the novel before giving a bad review to the author. I mtl this bcs I can't wait for the translator but I believe I didn't read wrong. For this novel future reader, ignore the bad reviews. I assured you this novel is worth your time. I think the one posted the review got the wrong novel. Anyway, if I don't have new novel to read I'll definitely read this again. Good novel!

    She followed her 'deceased' husband and ran away from home when they were a teenager (forgot the reason) they got married and had a son. MC is not your typical villainess, she do all the bad thing for a reason. She love her son.

  • Spoiler
    [collapse]
    The novel she transmigrated is her original world before she transmigrated to the second world which she think her original world, and then she cameback
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GingerMessiah
GingerMessiah rated it
April 30, 2020
Status: Completed
Our female lead is a very "normal" girl. Not everyone's a saint and can do no evil. So I could give her a pass but her judgement in getting out of her predicaments make her seem very naive. Even though it's a very Asian way to be not direct but her indirect tactics just backfires on her all the time.

... more>>
Spoiler

At the end of the story we realise she's actually supposed to be very intelligent and did very well at school, but because someone meddled with her results. She failed to go to university. So it kind of contradicts her s*upidity in the beginning of the story.

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The male lead is a male God. Excellent in everything from being a gentleman to a great businessman who built up a corporate group. Like some of the comments, how on earth he finds time to be with the female lead is really questionable. In a way both of them are perfect couple as they are both very superficial if you think about it. There is no reason why our male lead likes her except her beauty and her little antics in his eyes. There does not seem an in depth connection to cause him to pursue her regardless of how she treats the children. If it is about children he loves her or loves the way she can look after his child?

The main point why I give this a lower rating. Read the summary and you cannot throw away the fact the male lead ruthlessly use our female lead and her son as wretstone for his son. Living callously with someone for twenty years and they never have a child of their own. Just goes to show what a horrible the male lead is. He might be better this time round but it does not change the past. That is his character mind set. <<less
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Skyhighxx
Skyhighxx
April 17, 2020
Status: c10
I'm surprised there's some people who read it that far. When I first read I thought either she was going to change how the MC was suppose to treat the "male lead son" or at least be able to find a job or something. But she dumb as hell. I just didn't get why she didn't hug the big boss thigh? Like she do realize if she treat his son like her own son and tell her son to just be grateful to live a better life and don't Covet... more>> things that doesn't belong. I just don't like reading stories where the MC act so dumb or incapable of doing something no matter if you're rich or poor anybody could do it <<less
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Drenlith
Drenlith rated it
April 7, 2020
Status: c80
The overlook of the story was promising. It was tolerable to a certain degree for the first few dozen chapters but soon stagnated and I found myself losing patience with this MC who's got a head full of rainbows and sunshine.
The split opinion about this novel is mainly caused by the MC's characteristics.
I'm sure people who can resonate with her will like it to a degree more than those who are just naturally appalled by it.
She's mentally too immature, carefree and ignorant. Not sure what was going on in author's head to deem her as a protagonist.
Genuinely prefer to read some lame face-slap brain-dead ('refreshing') story than this.
The reading experience compares to waddling through a swamp.
It's a revised review and it's been a year since I took a glance at it and man, all I can remember is her repugnant personality while the rest of the cast remain as unimpressionable as ever.
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alyun
alyun
March 24, 2020
Status: c76
And that is why you should try to find who the male lead is through spoilers.

Spoiler

Its the Ceo that she was "running away" from.

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While I can tolerate her being irresponsible and it is even funny some times but I hate the Male lead. Some may like it others will not.
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sphenimersus
sphenimersus rated it
March 23, 2020
Status: c65
I actually rather like the MC in this story. She's cute and relateable. She makes mistakes and she's also irresponsible at times, but she really does try to some extent. She feels far more realistic than a lot of other novels' FLs.

However, I decided to drop this because the ML was kind of creepy to me? He was kind of pushy imo. Like, I get it, he's chasing after the MC but all the meetings/run-ins he has with her feels incredibly forced.

Also, while the MC is incredibly relateable, none of... more>> the other main characters (ie. ML and both of their sons) feel realistic to me. I'm honestly far more attached to the backgroumd characters tham the main characters.

Spoiler

Actually, I cried a little when reading the first husbamd who died because he seemed like such a wonderful person and just incredibly sincere.

On that matter, I feel like the ML doesn't feel ver sincere and the romance is being very forced.

And, as I said earlier, the ML is incredibly pushy imo. The MC might not have directly said that she wasn't interested to him, but she also made it pretry clear that she wasn't interested in him. (At least, that's based on what I have read so far.)

Anyway, despite the MC's constant refusal such as ditching him after s*x and doing as much as she could to avoid him (with her limited brain capacity bc she's not very bright aka a little dumb). But I think she made it pretty clear that she was avoiding him especially when she didn't go out to serve him in the restaurant when she was working there.

At that time, she was also limited by her circumstances and she couldn't just straight up say to his face to get lost. Which cam of course be extended to when they're not working. His status is too high, so even if she wants to say no, she can't really say no without any consequences.

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Anyway, I just don't like the ML because his approach feels too forceful. Of course, it's not a violent or agressive kind of forceful, which I'm grateful for but it's still rather pushy and unnatural imo. Another way to put it would be that he's somewhat passive aggressive while getting to know her.

Overall, it's an okay read. I've decided to drop this because I really can't bring myself to like the relationship between the MC and ML. Nevertheless, this was a nice read to pass the time. <<less
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minako25
minako25 rated it
February 17, 2020
Status: c59
Okay to start, this is a fun and realistic read about a normal woman, that born from a standard household or you can say a family with a stable income, full of love and wants the best for their child. But she was an only child so receive all the love she could get.

I don't quite understand as to why people are complaining "why is the person that transmigrated is so normal?" That's the plot and aim of the story, so trying to push in your favored cliche (atm) to... more>> judging a story is... childish or I maybe too narrow.

Spoiler

which is why I often avoid writing reviews, since I know myself that I don't like the plot or where the story is going in some novels and there others that would like to read a specific genre or flow. Besides the point

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the story is realistic and.. refreshing. I've read so many stories with a depressing back story (and there's a lot of those) so this breaks from the depressing cliche to this cliche that is more lighthearted. There's a lot of cute mother and child interaction and the way the characters were characterized are very fitting for little to no misunderstanding.

And, personality wise, the MC is pretty likable not because she's like a white lotus but rather like a friend or a sociable acquaintance.

I would recommend this to people that would like a change of phase from cliches such as "op trans" (this may vary from lazy to hardworking mcs) which is similar to "I've suffered before and now I transmigrated and became op and happy (or not based on the author", "heartwrenching stories that would give you heartaches just by thinking about it" or "s*upid and dense MC but has an op ml"

I'm not saying that those cliches are bad. I'm able to say those cliches since I've read a ton of those and now I want a new one. <<less
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benjibabe
benjibabe rated it
February 15, 2020
Status: c60
Up to the translator's chapter 60 this is an enjoyable read. I won't give it a five since I feel it doesn't quite reach that rating, but if I could give it an extra half star I would. The MC is hilarious in how realistically she's portrayed as a "spoiled but not actually mean" person. She seems to be a natural air-head, the type who you roll your eyes at and click your tongue at but can't end up disliking because the negative things she does aren't deliberately malicious.
Spoiler

She actually seems to be progressing into being a more reliable human being and mother as time goes on, and that is nice to see - here's hoping that's a trend and not coincidental.

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All in all I would recommend giving it a try.
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chibigamer
chibigamer rated it
August 14, 2022
Status: c121
It was interesting in the beginning, but pretty quickly turned from a rating of 4 or 5 to 2.

How do you save yourself from marriage? Well you don't if you get free popcorn.
The kid is so mature until he sees the ML, then turns into a fanboy who'd discard his mother instantly.

and there were lots of other points that made no fkn sense at all, not even good for casual reading.
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