Divorced ML but-- HE LITERALLY SAID "f*ck it!" AND BECAME FRIENDS WITH HIM! HOW DID THEY EVEN GOT TOGETHER AT THE END??? LIKE THERAPY HELLO

MC & ML's relationship was toxic (on ML's side), MC who once got saved by ML when he was a child about to be locked up in a dark room by bullies saved ML who was being beaten up when he grew up (and stole MC's necklace which was a keepsake from his mother), then was deceived by white lotus thinking that he's his saviour. MC's dad's company was in trouble and sought help from ML's family, who then found out MC's the one who saved ML and liked him, so they married them off (ML still deceived). MC told ML's family of white lotus' lies (want ML and his family's riches to be above everyone, saving his uncle's business in disguise (aka he doesn't give a damn)) who then sent him away with a deal (studying in a music school).

Meanwhile, MC was abused physically, verbally and emotionally as ML's spouse for years. He was also not allowed to touch piano (that he loved, because his mother was a pianist, and he met ML when ML played a piano in an event), with no one helping him, just symphatizing with him. ML's family told him to tolerate ML (who they spoiled rotten) because he has a little 'temper' (heh, a little temper caused MC to regularly went to the hospital? Shouldn't that world's humans almost die off by now, then?), yes, they know ML's been abusing MC, they're rich, they need almost no effort to know such a thing. ML simply thought they didn't know and 'ordered' MC to put up a front.

There're lots of people saying that MC could've left. But it seems they forgot why he was stuck in the first place, the first, is of course, he loved him, quite stubbornly, which could've enabled him to leave later. But, the second reason, is that MC's dad needs ML's family to help their business. While MC's dad was kept in the dark (he had an inkling, but never sure plus he felt guilt towards MC for kinda neglecting him after his mother died). Third, he basically treated ML as the only light in his world (fixation not obssesion), which is hard to let go of plus Stockholm Syndrome. Trauma from all that abuse and twice kidnapping isn't that easy to get rid of.

ML never repented, after he knew the truth, all he did was blaming white lotus for deceiving him (he could've checked the truth long ago, but never cared enough), his family and MC for keeping quiet about it (ML didn't trust anything that's equal to MC being good and white lotus being, well, white lotus), and MC for being heartless and not giving him a chance (you can see from the words that MC is still quite scared of ML since 100% of his injuries came from him or because of him, he had panic attacks when seeing him and his legs (that almost became disabled) throbbed). Even other abusers are better than him. Do you know? Normally domestic violance abuser will ask forgiveness from their partner after abusing them (in chinese novels, you can see terms similiar to dogeza), and treated them well for a period of time. ML? He never did. What he was doing is forcing MC to forgive him by forcing his (unwanted and traumatic) affections on him while guilt-tripping him. He has zero remorse.

Like what Shi Jin (From Death Progress Bar; Ch 111) said: Those who got close to you for benefits will leave when the benefits are gone; those who get close to you for compensation will leave when they've been compensated enough; those who got close to you because of guilt will leave when their guilt subsides... Only those who are with you for you will stay with you regardless of circumstances.

ML was with white lotus because of gratitude, so when he knew he got the wrong person and was deceived, he turns his face (even before, when he was simply suspicious, they never had any intimate contact, he simply spoiled him a little and abused MC to his heart's content). ML sticked to MC because of guilt, gratitude, and longing (for his love). What he wanted was the unreserved love MC show and gave him before, he knew there's no one else apart from MC who'll give him such love, plus feeling uncomfortable from his guilt and belated gratitude (past and present), he sticked to MC without any considerations of MC's wellbeing (trauma, emotions, etc) and reputation (people (not netizens) thought MC's using ML or blames MC [victim-blaming], etc). When one's in love with another, one would worry about the other's well being (physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual), and wants to do the best for them (like second ML). He's definitely gonna relapse at some point, when he got bored of the 'devoted, homely' MC. And while maybe, perhaps, probably, kinda unlikely the physical abuse might be gone, the other abuses will still be there. And MC's trauma and illnesses (old illnesses that's not treated properly almost never got cured, it's like a heart disease, welp, actually, MC might develop one in the future) will relapse.

Please read Don't Pick Up The tr*sh From the tr*sh Bin for the correct ontake about domestic violance in marriage.

ML's family is all tr*sh. ML's brother (?, who liked second ML's brother) forces and threatens second ML's brother to fall in love with him, with no regard of how mentally taxing it'll be on him. His parents and grandparents may seem to be kind to MC, but at the end, they tacitly let ML's abuse on MC (I'm sure if MC even thought of going to court for abuse at the beginning, they would've locked him up. Just look at how angry they are when the company's reputation was affected by ML's 'love' (heh) affairs).

Basically, this novel romanticizes domestic abuse. It's a happy end for ML and his family, but a merry bad end for MC and everyone else. MC got stuck with ML and his shitty family, MC's father couldn't do anything since ML's family is more powerful and MC looks happy (and scarred, so terribly scarred just because of one person), Second ML was forced to fall in love with someone he didn't like because of 'amnesia' plot, rendering him helpless to help MC if anything happen again, Second ML's brother is either dead or got stuck with ML's brother (?) or someone as worse. I think author love ML and hates or feeling sadistic to MC.

And yes, I skipped some parts aka doesn't completely read it (but from the manhua, some chapters, the ending, and comments), it's basically like the above. Everything I read is what I commented on.

1 - ML believes that MC is the reason he was separated from Shen Luoan, who ML believes [with all his heart!] to be his true love and savior.

2 - Then ML was forced to marry MC against his will [under the pressure of his mother], which made him resent and despise MC even more, since ML believed that MC was simply scheming.

3 - No one would tell ML the truth about what happened on that "faithful day" and they comply with all the lies that are being spread by Shen Luoan.

4 - They "force" MC on him by constant nagging him about how great and nice MC is and how much MC loves ML, which only results in more anger and resentment [because of #1, 2, 3].

5 - MC s*upidly naively hopes that one day ML magically realizes [out of nowhere, without any help, or facts, like completely on his own] that MC is innocent and would fall in love with him. MC does nothing to expose Shen Luoan and prohibits others from saying anything as well.