One enjoyable surprise is the fact that our couple isn't stereotypical and just stick to their top and bottom characterization. There is actually a scene in which the two swaps positions and the top actually ends up doing the receiving. Which I find pretty rare in this genre.

The MC, in my opinion, sorely lacks love. Seemingly disowned by his family, and the novel hinting at a troubled romantic past, he doesn't like to get close to anyone. It seems like he was close to accepting that he'd be alone for the rest of his life, and I think that quite sad. He also has to hide that he's gay from basically everyone, as he works as a news reporter, and considering the novel's setting, his orientation wouldn't go over well with the public. Only a small group of online friends know.

The ML is seemingly aloof solely because he was ab*sed as a child, often told not to talk or make a sound by his mother. It's not entirely clear as to why she's trying to hide him, I assume from the father/father's family, and maybe it might even spring from good intentions for the child at first, but it definitely crosses into ab*se territory quickly. He eventually develops selective mutism, and whilst he has overcome this as an adult, his past still troubles him.

I presume everything involving both of them is revealed in future chapters.

the absolutely terrible first time was hard to read because these are literally the last two characters I would have expected to go for it without any prep at all... after all that waiting... a bit disappointing ngl

ML's inevitable forgiveness of his tr*sh mom,

I think many people who have experienced relatively normal, safe, happy, and healthy childhoods will have zero tolerance for Shen Yan when he chooses to forgive his abusive mom, and maybe later when he forgives his cousin Five. However, those people may have some selective memory loss (or ignorance) about how important the concept of family is to Chinese people. If the reader is American, they may find the concept of a family-oriented culture to be strange, because in America it's normal to move out of the house after high school, and have a relatively independent family of your own. The amount that your parents can influence you in terms of marriage, key life choices such as university, and other critical moments is not that extensive in America because after you become an adult, American parents have a sense of boundary where they "let go" of their children and their children also become quite independent emotionally. That's different from many traditional cultures around the world, including China. In China, even if your family members hurt you, you will still strive to forgive, because that kind forbearing forgiveness is normalized. Moreover, children who were subjected to emotional ab*se will inevitably develop a sense of "learned helplessness" where they don't dare to ask for help and think they deserve the treatment they're receiving. I myself have gone through this, and I have to say that countless times I feel strong hatred for my controlling and abusive parents but at the same time, they are also extremely loving to me. A sense of cognitive dissonance develops over time, where I know I should be angry, but the kindness they show later will inevitably diffuse my anger. No matter how much I hate them at times, at other times I know they have their own sufferings and that I'm the only one who actually takes the time to care for them. I think Shen Yan also had that sense of frustration, pain, and tolerance, not just because he's a gentle person by nature but because that's the huge inner conflict that occurs when a person who is raised in an environment that emphasizes the importance of familial ties is ab*sed by the very family members who are supposed to love them unconditionally. I think it would actually be less realistic if Shen Yan chose to take revenge on his mom or his other selfish/homophobic family members.

all six retired VAs got together along with Qi Jing (MC)

I got a bit out of touch in other themes of reality.. Hehhe. The novel explicitly described the VA community in this novel as a different world than the most common media hype in other novels. It was written that the VA community mostly just communicate online and do not meet up, so the anonimity was played to the maximum degree. I was waiting for a huge face-slapping just like usual and that frustrated me. Which I am aware is my fault. Not all people in real life can do face slapping, how can I expect characters in a novel to do so? Am I being 2d biased myself!!?? To be honest, if u read those instances when MC was wronged but he kept working on it by himself, I just want to throw hands. The VA's were doing it for free and basically, they had no right. The novel showed me another side of the fandom and creative community that made me stifled to the point I was ready to punch faces. How many free arts in the internet and fandom wars happen due to marketing hypes are there? Which ones gets justice or what they deserved?🙄 I felt like those villains weren't getting enough karma. But the way, the novel proceeded with the flow, the ending and the translators comments made me feel that there's nothing wrong with the novel and it's just me that has a problem. That's why I figured it's an expectation problem of myself.😂 to the point that I asked myself whether am I reading too many novels that I have lost my touch and my perceptions to society degraded? 😂

not to mention, they switch. 😉

& THEY ARE A f*ckING SWITCH COUPLE TOO ?!?!?!?!

When he said he would retire, I was shocked like seriously? What for? Are you a child, just giving up something just because of this?

Like on one hand, it’s very sweet and all, but really from the first few chapters I already wanted them to change out the leads in the Trap recording and redo the whole thing. Was just waiting for it to happen. Took too damn long.

Although I don’t feel reconciled with the turn with his mother, don’t feel like she deserved such a quick forgiveness. She tried to mu*der him, for goodness sake. Even if diagnosed with some mental illness, it still isn’t right. His cousin’s actions were another bomb that kind of got suitably explained, but still...

(Well, I'm deducting point off the painful first time where they were legitimately not prepared at all??? Like Shen Yan obviously cared for Qi Jing, but he didn't bother to research gay s*x so that it wouldn't hurt so much for Qi Jing???? I'm so salty about it. It's a trope that I very much dislike. Plus, there are some parts that read like an exaggerated dog blooded novel, but it's tolerable).