Old Injury

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There is a scar on my stomach which is hard to heal over the years

***

Ning Yu is forced to marry Song Bai Lao, whom he was deeply entangled as a teenager. Because of the misunderstanding they had before, Song Bai Lao keeps bad-mouthing Ning Yu to the point that he even becomes Ning Yu’s nightmare. As they get together, Song Bai Lao finally confronts his feelings for Ning Yu, and Ning Yu finally sees his true feelings and sincerity.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Bad Memories
Chen Shang
Old Scar
Old Wound
Vết Sẹo Cũ
陈伤
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
One-way Passage (2)
Devil’s Political Marriage (2)
Sunset Boulevard (2)
My Former Significant Others Were All Alphas (1)
My Roommate Probably Is Not an Omega (1)
Slow-Witted (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. A Symphony of Trauma & Love
  2. Sucker-Punch to the Feels BL
  3. BL ~ Good novel (top rated)
  4. Finished
  5. (BL) Chinese modern novels (1)

Latest Release

Date Group Release
02/12/23 Templesreader extras1-5
01/05/23 Templesreader c71-74
01/05/23 Templesreader c66-70
01/05/23 Templesreader c61-65
01/05/23 Templesreader c56-60
01/05/23 Templesreader c51-55
01/05/23 Templesreader c46-50
01/05/23 Templesreader c41-45
01/05/23 Templesreader c36-40
01/05/23 Templesreader c31-35
01/05/23 Templesreader c26-30
01/05/23 Templesreader c21-25
01/05/23 Templesreader c16-20
01/05/23 Templesreader c11-15
01/02/23 Templesreader c6-10
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Review
46 Reviews


shanabanana
New shanabanana
Jan 14, 2025
Status: --
Well, this was depressing to read. I feel sorry for the characters; so much of their suffering was caused by endless misunderstandings piling one on top of another.

The ML does offer a heartfelt grovel, but the terrible events that happened weren’t entirely his fault. Yes, he was cruel at times, but his actions had a reason behind them. He wasn’t just awful for no purpose, and honestly, if I were betrayed and deceived the way he was, I might have reacted the same way. That’s why, even though the grovel... more>> was well-written, it didn’t bring me much comfort. By the end, all I wanted was for the characters to finally stop suffering and just be okay.

It does have a happy ending, but I still feel sad. Maybe I need to avoid ABO danmeis moving forward, I haven’t come across one I genuinely liked yet

. <<less
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FrostyDragon
FrostyDragon
Aug 08, 2022
Status: Completed
TWs: r*pe, dubcon/noncon, reversible r*pe (but with a twist, the MC isn't a rapist), child ab*se, trauma, emotional cruelty, forced abortion, forced marriage, lots of lies and deceit, forced pregnancy, tragedy.

Ending though is (mild spoiler) :

... more>>
Spoiler

Very happy - the CP make up for previous loss and trauma by being very happy together, clearing all obstacles and starting a real family

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CP: beta x alpha - dogblood and angst but with later doting and caring family, cute child. The ML looks like a scum in the first chapters, but he's not.

Setting: A future world where a deadly virus has turned humans into mutants with 3 extra s*x types: alpha (men and women can imp**gnate betas and omegas), omegas (men and women who can be imp**gnated by alphas or betas) and betas, who are in-between. The additional sex/gender is decided by blood type. Blood type A = alpha, O type = omega, B type =beta, AB is extinct because it has no resistance to the virus.

Alphas and omegas have 100% immunity to the virus, and can get into heat. An alpha can mark and omega, which will make them bonded so they're unable to have s*x with others or even endure being apart. A mark between alpha and omega is protected by law, and if an alpha is married to a beta but marks an omega, the marriage will be dissolve because the marking is considered a more valid bond.

Betas cannot be marked, and while both men and women can give birth, they can only carry a pregnancy to full term once, since they have limited fertility. They also don't have full immunity towards the virus, and for those reasons they are discriminated against by society.

MC Ning Yu: A young beta man who has suffered his whole life, but is still smart and relatively resilient despite all his trauma. He's the result of his mom's affair with a rich man, who rejected them both when NY turned out to be a beta instead of an alpha or omega. NY's mom is a beta and couldn't get another child. She became the mistress of a rich man who already had an omega son, but he didn't want to marry her because of her beta status. NY has low self-esteem because he's been told all his life he's not good enough as a beta, and his mom hated him for limiting her options in life and not living up to expectations. He got pregnant when he was in high school and his mom forced him to remove the fetus. He's been unlucky in life, thrown out of his home, dropped out of school, later lost his main career as a baker because an omega cheated and falsely promoted NY's work as his own.

NY gets a second chance in life 7 years after he lost his child. His mom reappears, claims that she managed to save the child who was just born prematurely, and if he agrees to marry Song Bolao, a big shot CEO whom he went to high school with, she'll pay him a lot of money and eventually reunite him with his child. NY has a complicated, tragic past with the ML, whom he fears and hates, but out of desperation he agrees to marry him.

ML Song Bolao: Rich CEO who runs a big company owned by his step mother's family. He suffered a tragedy as a child, when a conspiracy between two rich families forced his mother and father apart, so he grew up with a step family and without contact with his mom. Hates the MC Ning Yu and acts cruel towards him, but also seems to be strangely obsessed with NY and gets easily jealous despite claiming that he doesn't care for him at all. Later the reason for his strange and cruel attitude gradually gets revealed. He's suffered a lot, though he hides his trauma. A single dad with a sweet, 5-year old son who's mother's identity is a mystery. Bolao has huge abandonment issues and beta prejudice for good reasons.

Story: Very abusive and full of dogblood melodrama. Really good though, even if I could predict a lot of the major plot points, I binged the story in 3 days because it was so addictive. The MC and ML suffer a lot, and while it's not the most angst-filled story I've ever read, or quite as well-written as e.g. Green Plum Island and Flying Gulls Never Land by the same author, it's still a good read and overall enjoyable. I found the gradual reveal of the past, the resolution to the CP's conflicts and the ending with extras very satisfying.

There are lots of misunderstandings and miscommunication, extremely bad parenting, and ML who acts quite emotionally s*upid (but in a way that makes sense for his character) and a MC with an understandable grudge against the world and especially the ML, who's a victim of circumstances, a cruel fate, and society's prejudice. Despite how pitiful he is, Ning Yu is still a good person who tries to lead the best life. I was a little unsatisfied with how gradual the author reveals his feelings for the ML, so gradual that for the longest time it looked like the ML - who was clearly into the MC very early on - didn't get his feelings returned. But finally the MC, who's not a very reliable narrator BTW - revealed what he actually felt and it was satisfying to witness.

Momo is just the cutest kid, and I'm glad he ended up with a good family after enduring so much drama and the CP's complicated love-hate relationship. His relationship with the MC was heart-warming.

Very tropey story, but a good read overall. The extras are very sweet. In the end you just want the MC and ML and Momo to be happy. I even - grudgingly - almost forgave the ML's horrible dad for his terrible decisions, since he had also suffered so much and clearly wanted to create a better society for the people he loved.

Interesting take on ABO, so if you like that setting, it's worth a read.

EDIT (one week after finishing) : Need to adjust my review - I should have praised this story much more, I've already re-read it (I normally never re-read right after finishing a story, not even my favorite novels) and am now addicted to chasing the manhua version (called 'Bad Memories' on Bilibili, check it out, it's really good). For some reason this story just resonates more with me than most books, it's not a perfect story, but realized upon second reading that the writing is much better than what I initially thought (read via MTL, which probably impacted my first assessment). <<less
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rimirinrin
rimirinrin
Aug 05, 2022
Status: Completed
If you've read other Hui Nanque's works, you shouldn't miss this awesome ABO novel. It's a rare alpha x beta setting. Yes, betas can give birth but with limitations.

MC has a painful past but he is currently doing his best to live his life even though it is very tough. As with Hui Nanque's other works, his MLs often have a "metal mouth", unable to be true to their hearts and always spewing hurtful words. Had they been more open with their hearts there wouldn't be so much problems. I... more>> like Ning Yu (MC) for his personality (his inner thoughts are really funny), how he treated Song Mo like his own child. Song Bolao (ML) is an idiot but you can start to see him slowly 'caring' and being jealous about Ning Yu's matters after he got married to him. As more of the past unfolds, the pain and sourness really swells in your heart. Small details in the chapters also tells you a lot about the MC and ML. I like how the author can express a whole lot of emotions through these details that seems so easily to be missed. You'd find out that
Spoiler

MC and ML were actually mutual pining from school days. Even after the incident, ML still kept a close lookout for MC.

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There are 10 extras chapters that contains their daily life as a family, you see all the kid raising moments and you can really feel the couple living their lives. The loose ends are also tied up. When such a tough mouth ML learns how to express himself, he overdid it again. His sweet nothings are super romantic. Kudos to author for throwing all these sunshine and flowers at me with the extras.

It's an enjoyable dogblood story without overdone crematorium, just seeing how two people slowly open up to each other and learn what is communication. <<less
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Shrike1978
Shrike1978
Jan 30, 2024
Status: Completed
A few words first.

1. I suggest that you read the second translation. It's cleaner and in a story with family relations this complicated that's important.

2. Yes this is dog's blood. It's not as bad as some though actually.

... more>> 3.I appreciated the author taking on the question of not only the status of betas in the ABO universe but how the As and Os can be adversely affected from being bound to pheromones.

4. The main reason I'm writing this review is because after reading the summary (which told me nothing) then the reviews (which left me very confused) I felt compelled to try and add something for others trying to figure out whether they want to read this.

Big, long spoiler to follow, but it explains a lot.

Spoiler

All the family relationships.

MC/shou/beta - his mother was a female beta, father is unidentified "strong alpha" -- his mother was the mistress/later wife (through selling the MC in marriage to the ML) of a rich, old family alpha who has a white lotus omega son

ML/gong/alpha - his mother is a male beta, father is a male alpha from another old wealthy family. They didn't accept his parent's marriage and literally forced his alpha father to mark an omega from an another acceptable old and rich family which was legally an automatic divorce from the beta mother who chose to leave entirely.

You can see up front that both leads come from well balanced families who care about people rather than position and money.

The r*pe/pregnancy question. --This one had me confused reading the other reviews. There are actually multiple r*pes (In part because these crazy families treat their kids like cattle for breeding.) The first is what I would categorize as a double r*pe of both the MC and ML. They are tricked into a room, sprayed with O pheromones which causes the ML to lose control (mind r*ped) and then he physically attacks the MC. The MC gets pregnant-what happens to the baby I won't say but it's not the ML's son Momo.

Then there's a second r*pe incident for the ML where he's tranquilized, and has his s*erm extracted BY HIS FAMILY which is used to imp**gnate a "suitable" omega.

There are actually other instances of estrus being forcibly induced to create "family alliances" or chaos just to make untangling this piece more complicated.

The misunderstandings between the MC and ML. -- ML thought for a long time that MC engineered the first incident. He never knew about the baby. Lots of secrets are being kept. Usually this kind of thing makes me crazy because if the characters just talked like normal people the angst would be over. I thought the author made a decent argument for why both sides made bad decisions. The MC is short on trust because he is a beta who is considered the bottom of society and has already experienced many instances of being plotted against and never being believed, both before and after the event with the ML. Though he's better than the ML. The ML is short on trust because so many of the people around him (and there are a LOT) who either want to use him for stud purposes or are people who've been destroyed by others using the AO connection to forcibly mate people for profit.

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Regarding the story - I don't read a lot of dog's blood but I thought this one was pretty well done. There weren't a ton of hysterical or almost catatonically depressed scenes from the MC. The sneering contempt by the ML was there but it was more of a front than truth, cause he was trying to protect himself plus he was angry and hurt.
Spoiler

As it turns out, he always liked the MC from when they first spent time together in high school.

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One final comment
Spoiler

That HORRIBLE, EVIL white lotus stepbrother of the MC barely suffered when he should have had all his limbs broken then run over by a truck! Half star deduction just for the lack of severe consequences for all the lives he destroyed! Argh! So maddening!

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<<less
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Taigaike
Taigaike
Aug 03, 2022
Status: Completed
I really love this novel, it's my favourite in the Mpreg Category and it really shines as an ABO novel. So glad it's being translated. The main pair is AxB, which by itself is rare, but it also has a really valid explanation for the ML mistreating the MC. Even the side characters are fleshed out and make normal human mistakes with only the villains being a little 2d. You will not regret reading this, even though the ML redemption part is a little dragged. I also hated that
Spoiler

the MLs parents hadn't gotten back together by the end,

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CrossMyHeart
CrossMyHeart
Oct 07, 2023
Status: Completed
Overall, a 4/5 for me. I cried more than I thought I would because the MC goes through awful things. The ending is happy but the wife-chasing part was a little lacking for me. If you like Before My Withering, I would recommend this story.

Summary: Ning Yu (MC) is a beta who knew Song Bai Lao (ML) in high school. They were acquaintances (?) but due to a misunderstanding, ML now hates the MC and the MC is indifferent towards the ML. In this omegaverse world, betas are only able... more>> to get pregnant one time and MC has already been pregnant once. However, MC is forced into an arranged marriage with ML due to blackmailing from his mother. The ML doesn't want children with the MC however and already has a child of his own. And so their story begins.

MC: Ning Yu is a beta baker and the son of another beta. His mother is the mistress of a businessman so she she makes MC marry the ML for their business. 7 years ago MC was pregnant and was induced and the mother claims she hid the baby away from him, so if he marries the MC, he can see the baby again. The MC knew ML in high school and had a crush on him. 2 years ago, he was framed for plagiarism and has not been able to work as a baker so he has been streaming baking content. To me, MC was very weak for the majority of the story. I could understand to a degree because he goes through awful things and is misunderstood by everyone. As the story progresses, he becomes a little more likable but I don't really know what he sees in the ML.

ML: Song Bai Lao is an alpha and the current heir of a huge company. However, he is actually also the son of a beta. His parents had been in love, but his alpha father was forced near an omega in heat and they ended up bonding. ML's beta father decided to leave the ML to let them have a happy life together (but was terribly wrong). As a result, ML hates the idea of being forced to be with an omega. He also has a 5 year old son and marries the MC under the stipulation that they will not have children together. I don't like him as a ML and his redemption was not really anything to applaud either. He is violent, callous, and jealous.

Their relationship:

Spoiler

I think it's pretty easy to guess from the beginning of the story that the MC and ML slept together 7 years ago and the baby the MC had was with the ML. Unfortunately, they were tricked by MC's brother to sleep together so the ML hates the MC. On top of this, MC's mother lies to MC about his child. She hires a child to act like his child when in reality the baby had died. Reading about that child's ashes and how he was treated by the ML was really heart-wrenching. ML also r*pes MC throughout the story because it's his marital right. As a result, the MC is pretty indifferent to the ML the majority of the story. He does everything he needs to in order to hopefully see his child, but he does love the ML's son.

ML was forced to sleep with his step-brother and have their heir due to ML being an illegitimate child. Song Mo is a sweet child though. ML didn't seem to particularly care for his son either though. Of course as the story progresses, we find out that ML has loved MC all along. But he has a crappy way of showing it. The only reason he finds out the truth about the MC's character and their child together is because MC leaves and ML reads his diary (which I hated--what an invasion of privacy).

MC ends up getting pregnant again with ML's child again which along with ML reading the diary is what spurs them to get back together. Once he reads the diary, the ML changes his whole tune but if I were the MC, I wouldn't have taken him back. The author tries to show how the ML has loved the MC the whole time, but I don't understand how he could have treated the MC that way if this was the case. I guess it's nice that they have a happy ending together with both children, but I was slightly frustrated because the whole premise of the story was that betas should only be able to be pregnant once (it gets explained in the story but I didn't care for it as a plot device). However, I will say I appreciated the MC the most when he tells the ML that he doesn't care about what feelings they have towards each other. He only ever cared about knowing his children and not their biological father and I respect him for it.

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I will say I think MC's mother is the most interesting character. She does a lot of things that are detestable as a mother, but as a female (and beta), I think she made cunning choices. I judge her for what she's done but I could understand to a degree. But I definitely felt the most empathy towards the MC. As with most omegaverse stories, I think it touches a lot on the female experience of not having any worth unless you are able to have children. With the omegaverse aspect too, there's the inherent part that bonded alphas and omegas are inseparable regardless of your feelings beforehand.

In terms of writing, I think this story was a little confusing. The switch between flashbacks and present was hard to distinguish the majority of the time for me. I wouldn't say this is a literary masterpiece by any means but the topics discussed made me very emotional and empathetic.

So if you want a wife-chasing crematorium in the omegaverse setting, this is a pretty good story. I would recommend it to fans of Alpha Predator and Before My Withering. I feel that these stories touch on similar themes. Not a story for everyone, but I got a good cry out of it. <<less
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Your_mommy
Your_mommy
Jan 04, 2023
Status: Completed
One of the best ABO novel.

The ML redemption arc is excellent and ML is the best alpha in the ABO novel world..

At first he was the typical ahole but damn... DAMN he is the guy you would wanna marry.

MC has a personality and he is not the typical white lotus. He is relatable even though it's fiction. I don't wanna spoil but don't rate this novel low cuz ur dumb and didn't finish reading it. ML and MC has a lot of misunderstandings and at the beginning and you will... more>> really hate the ML but TRUST ME he will get his character development. There are alot of triggers in this novel so be careful.

I highly recommend this novel if your patient and love crying cuz you will need tissues while reading this (don't worry the side chapter will make u happy again).

It has a happy ending. <<less
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xjgg
xjgg
Sep 01, 2022
Status: Completed
i usually really, really hate wife-chasing crematorium novels but surprisingly, I really love this one. It's probably the calm narrative and dry humors. Even the explosive moments were narrated rather calmly.

... more>>
Spoiler

ML treated MC badly because he thought MC r*ped him.

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probably this is why I liked this novel. ML made mistakes but it was very understandable; he was too traumatized to think clearly. MC clearly loved him and didn't drag out the i-still-love-you-but-since-you-hurt-me-i'll-give-you-the-taste-of-your-own-medicine phase. He didn't even have that phase. When he was seemingly dying but still wanted to give birth to his child, he readily agreed when ML wanted to drag him to the hospital. He knew his priorities. ML is a rogue and can be really petty lmao. ML at the beginning of the novel made me slap my forehead but by the middle he became endearing. <<less
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wasthequeen
wasthequeen
Mar 02, 2023
Status: Completed
The plot has every sterotype of the " contract marriage " trope. But it is the morally gray characters that bring life to this generic plot line.

... more>>
Spoiler

You have MC, a beta who is forced to get married to ML who despises him. All the generic plot devices such as a child suddenly getting attached to a stranger, accidents, kidnapping, and the pregnant person not knowing that they pregnant until the very end.

But it is the characters that are unique. I like the MC who is battling hatred from everywhere and still is staying sane. I like every character despite whether they are "good" or "bad"

We have the ML who had gotten r*ped twice and had to father the product of r*pe and marry one of rapist because of social norms. He has a wild temper which is understandable, due to his upbringing. He has serious abandonment issues and you could see how stressed he is until the very end. He doesn't magically change even when the truth is revealed . You could see the entire process of his grief and regret and you could see he sincerely repented of what is a series of misunderstandings.

You have the MC s mother. She is very set on her ideas and her ideals and even though she despises the MC she keeps the fertility sac. She is not a good mother in any case but at times even she had humanity.

ML s father. He plays an important role as well. He is simply a product of betrayal of his beta wife and pressure from society and family to maintain an alpha personality. He simply chose to conform to the ideals.

Song Mo. He is very cute. You could see the development there when he was afraid of his father to talking back to him towards the end. I feel he calls the MC as his mother because the ML would have smiled and enjoyed the MC s broadcast.

ML s beta father. I didn't feel much since he seems so rational but like the MC said I'm very curious of their love story

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I feel these characters were very humane. And that's why this novel is one of the top tier ABO novels. <<less
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LeniSnow
LeniSnow
Aug 18, 2022
Status: --
Spoiler

I can't give this any point higher than other regret gong and wife chasing.

Of course no communication cause if they do there will be no story.

Assumptions? Tons of it.

Pitiful MC who don't say anything and let the wind do its thing? Wooooooo, extra.

How dragging do you want this to be? Yassssssss

A character that wants to relive pain over and over? Totally!

What! You want to raise the child on your own and never let them know their other father? Nice, it's not selfish at all for the child and the father, nope. In both case, the first and the second.


Sometimes if makes me wonder if the MC actually ever talks, they narrate too much in their head and I know people who live in their head are unreliable.
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Kuromi.Soldier
Kuromi.Soldi
Jan 17, 2024
Status: Completed
The angst is top-notch, haven't read anything that made me extrememely emotional as this so far other than 'A Decade of Deep Love'

Angst covers 99% of the novel. ML "suddenly" likes MC for some reason? I don't sense the chemistry or connection or any reason at all towards how ML could've possibly liked MC. Same goes for the both of them, there were barely any romance and it feels more like interactions between colleagues. Them acting lovey-dovey doesn't feel forced but there was something missing, it just feels like they... more>> don't actually like each other but they "have to" so they just went along with it. I don't see the *love* between them.

I'm not a fan of 1st person pov because I wished I could get the ML's pov often times. Quite disappointing.

As for the angst, they're dragging their traumatic grudges with them for so long and it could've easily been vented out by simple communication. I dislike lack of communication, mostly on MC's part because he doesn't want to resolve and talk about it and just lets himself be resented by ML. As for ML, he's a jerk but with reasons. I want to blame him and call him out badly but if I were to be in his shoes, his actions speak for his traumatic past and it made sense that it made him the way he is. This is probably the only "ML is a red flag because of his past" that I accept.

Spoiler

As for MC's mother, I don't support her wrongdoing no matter how much she suffered. She chose to keep her child because of a man and she should've known the risks instead of being naive. She vented her anger on her own child and even deceived him for her own benefits. Forced abortion is as hurtful and traumatic as forced pregnancy, though both aren't comparable doesn't make one hurt any less. No, I'm not going to "understand" her pain after abandoning her own child especially leaving irresponsibly at that tattoo shop. She has the audacity to come back looking haggard? Who cares, she's a bad mother. STAY AWAY MC ALONE, YOU PRICK! If she suffered being a single parent then she should know the pain of being one but she acts like it's MC's fault that she became a single parent 🙄

That Luo guy that saved MC from trouble (I forgot his name 😭) is the MVP alongside MC's bestfriend and the cutie patootie Song Mo 💕

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I give 3 stars because the angst made me hooked and it got me crying like a little child <<less
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damnmei
damnmei
Jan 08, 2024
Status: Completed
This was basically 50 chapters of knives to the heart without stop. Very mild on the tears on my part as it takes a lot to make me cry, but the physical pain to my chest cannot be understated. The plot was pretty engaging, and I was able to finish in one sitting, but the end did drag a bit.

Usually I don't read first person POV novels, but made an exception for this as I feel the poignancy of what MC went through really needed his first person perspective. ML... more>> is kind of an as*hole for most of the novel, but it's definitely not without reason, and once you learn the reason... he really wasn't as bad as he could have been, will give him that.

Probably wouldn't re-read though just because this flavor of dog blood really isn't to my taste. I like a scum gong but this ML is more a victim of circumstance and manipulation than anything else. The romance is also not that intense, and I didn't really love the main couple together at the end. They don't have much chemistry together, and they're both a bit boring when you take away all the trauma.

Honestly the more I think about it, the novel really was a bit lackluster overall. It's definitely not a bad novel but it's a pretty forgettable one. <<less
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SavingRemedy94
SavingRemedy
Sep 24, 2022
Status: Completed
Although there were parts that felt a bit over dramatic, I still enjoyed this story. It tugged at the heartstrings. I cried a couple times from just how tragic the things the MC had to go thru. It does have a “happy” ending ... more>>
Spoiler

in that neither of the main characters die. The end up together happily married despite the awful things both of them had to go thru.

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One thing I was not expecting was the ABO dynamics the author created for this world. I really appreciated all of the details that went into the dynamics and their relation to blood type. The story is not your cliche A falls for O and they live happily ever after.

If you are willing to overlook some pieces and are in the mood to shed a few tears, I would recommend this story. Please read the tags though as this story heavily discusses r*pe and its repercussions. <<less
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jiang ying yue
jiang ying y
Aug 08, 2022
Status: Completed
I’ve read this ages ago, while I have to admit it’s my least favorite out of all HNQ novel’s it’s still amazing (I may or may not be biased).

I’m not a big fan of Abo but I love atypical abo stories that feature the main cp being something other than a x o or a beta turning into an omega (i despise that trope!!) and I’m so happy HNQ did something different.

Again angst is the main theme of this novel just like her others novels and tbh in my opinion... more>> I think this one of her more angsty ones. At times I would hate the ML and feel pity for the MC but all turns well at the end.

Overall I would give this a 4.5 out of 5, not my favorite but still a really good one!

Now I’m still waiting for the day my favorite HNQ novel would get translated... <<less
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olhaalder
olhaalder
Nov 30, 2024
Status: extras1-5
The novel started out very typical, but quickly deviated from the norm with its unique beta-alpha pairing, a cool, lucid, and intelligibly spelled-out world, a compelling narrative, and a well-translated text.

The novel has clichés, misunderstandings, and a certain level of cruelty, but that's Hui Nan Que. She makes tropes engaging and clingy. She writes flat characters in a dimensional way.

I was done with this novel many, many months, if not a couple of years, ago.

... more>> And it is, without a doubt, one of the highest-quality ABO formats I've ever seen.

I won't write about the cons, otherwise, there would be no plot/culmination in a particular work. <<less
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Poison
Poison
Nov 27, 2022
Status: Completed
I wasn't that interested at first due to MC's personality and medium/heavy translation error, but I persevere since I read quite alot of positive review.

Unexpectedly, the story is growing on me. I have to say that I'm stuck with the novel due to my love hate relationship against both MC and ML. I'm glad that I read this till the end.

I search all kdrama OST from youtube while reading; I was crying ugly since anything related to children and husband makes me melt. I now need to take care of... more>> my swollen eyes. Ciao. <<less
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sofourmore
sofourmore
Sep 11, 2024
Status: Completed
It's a solid 4.5 stars. The beginning of the plot reminded me a bit of Alpha Predator by Shui Qian Cheng, except this one came out earlier and it's a different take on omegaverse, whicn is refreshing. The story is about Ning Yu, a beta who has suffered a lot through his life: being unloved by his mother, bullied in highschool and to this day, was framed twice and this has caused a bad public image and difficulty with jobs. In this world, betas are at the bottom of the... more>> pyramid, while alphas are on top and omegas follow. His struggles will only increase when his mother coerces him to marry an alpha from an influencial family for her benefit, Song Bailao, someone who has hurt him in the past. Ning Yu hides a big secret from him as well.

I like melodramatic plots because they're very entertaining to me, and this delivered exactly what it wanted to. Ning Yu was a nice MC, he was easy to follow and feel empathy for, and his character develops even more through the novel, gaining agency for himself and making decissions which he couldn't before. Song Bailao, the ML, was despicable but this was expected since it's a wife chasing crematorium, however there is explanation for his actions. ML's son, Song Mo, was an absolute delight and a good addition, I loved his relationship with Ning Yu from the start.

About the relationship, I was totally on Ning Yu's side all the time, but slowly the novel lets you undestand that ML's behaviour is because he is another victim of manipulation from others. He really put MC through it and I despised him for it, but at certain moment I realized that from his perspective, MC wanted to take advantage of him. I do agree that he was impulsive and should've let MC explain many years ago, but how could he trust anyone at that moment? It was pitiful for both sides, even more so for MC since he endured and beared all the pain.

This novel does a good job on delivering angst. I almost wish it was a bit more painful, which could be something about the writting/translation (note: I read the latest and better MTL version, crossing fingers it'll get licensed someday), but it had some punches that made me wince more than once. The author also does a great job on the worldbuilding and mixing it with real themes such as bullying, discrimination, parental ab*se and campaigns for equality.

Going into spoiler territory, the chasing crematorium aspect left me satisfied overall, although I wished ML had been more emotional. But I accept it because
Spoiler

he apologized to MC multiple times in a very endearing scene where he kissed his tears and held him to sleep, he became devoted of him and did everything to make MC happy after things were clarified.

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It hurts even more because the dialogue following that is about feeling sorry for his two children and two roses, while he visits ML's kid at the hospital. Such a strong line, it was devastating.

I'm actually glad about the ending here, which doesn't always happen with chasing crematoriums. I loved that
Spoiler

MC got another chance at having (another) kid, that ML pampers him a lot, and that the bad guys got what they deserved.

[collapse]
I was also interested in the side couples, the MC's best friend (male omega) x ML's relative (female alpha), I mean how cool is that?!?! The only type of straight couple I like in a/b/o lol. I also wanted more from ML's parents, the tragic alpha/beta couple, but at least there's an open ending for them and in my head they could start over again. <<less
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lysurisu
lysurisu
Jul 24, 2024
Status: Completed
Hmmm, 3 is the most I can give. The writing is good, don't get me wrong. However, I just feel flat most of the time. I don't feel it's boring, but more like "oh, this is a story where they will he together", so yeah. Drama, yes but dog-blooded, no, maybe a bit. I expect myself to cry but no, not at all. Angsty? meh, didn't feel like so. So, if you are not the type to read something painful yet want to drama, this story is for you.

It's just... more>> that this story is more like acceptance and the MC, I think he needs to be more so much more angry. But throughout the entire story, I can't even feel angry because in the end, I know he will accept ML peacefully. I just can feel it in my heart, there will only be acceptance.

However, I like the whole aspect of the ABO setting.

Yet, I feel like what the MC had gone through was downplayed to just an apology with kisses and hug by ml. Even the ml's father, I just can't accept it. ML himself, I also don't like him. Everything feels anticlimatic. Some got their karma, some didn't. That's why it's anticlimatic. I wish MC be more angry. Yes, it's tiring and realistically, he is angry and tired... Overall, the sadness, the angriness, the pain, everything is there fall flat to me.

I want to say more but I don't want to. That's all. <<less
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OllieGarden
Nov 08, 2023
Status: c1
The story overall was ok. It’s not like it was extremely bad but wasn’t amazing either

It took like 50 chapters for them to actually develop as characters

Don’t get me wrong we see a the MC develop slowly during those chapters but the ML doesn’t seem to develop at all until then which is kind of annoying

... more>> I would have liked to have seen them grow together and talk everything out with each other but I’m ok with how it ended, it was a pretty cute ending

BUT did they have to go so hard on the mc? Like I actually started crying because of what he was going through like he could not catch a break from any of them. Momo and mc’s relationship was the only good and healthy relationship, that was constant and in almost every chapter, we see

but other than that I did enjoy it <<less
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isafangirlprblm
isafangirlpr
Aug 27, 2023
Status: Completed
I rate a 7/10

Tbh I didn't like Song Bo Lao at all and I felt like the get together was too abrupt. Ning Yu basically suffered from marital r*pe all the 3 times they did it, and considering how SBL verbally and physically ab*se Ning Yu, yeah no lol. You could say he was being possessive but forbidding interactions with Ning Yu's only friend that it's such a big red flag I don't even know what to say.

I feel like he only ever changed his way after Ning Yu ran... more>> away and I felt like he was forced to be gentle due to the circumstances more than anything. Like yeah he had a rough life but that's no f*cking excuse. He never once show any sign of tenderness towards Ning Yu before he ran away, and if that's his definition of love then I sure as hell don't want it. I mean it's a happy end and they got together but I'm really unconvinced lol.

The star of the show is, of course, Song Mo. He's the cutest kindest nicest kid ever. He loves Ning Yu so much that it made me tear up sometimes. 10/10 to him <<less
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Haitang
Haitang
Aug 15, 2023
Status: --
Frankly, Ning Yu got on my nerves at first. I dislike characters who are portrayed unnecessarily weak and pitiful but as the story progressed he becomes a likeable and I was able to sympathise with him. ML tho is really not very likeable up to the end and although this book has a happy ending, I wish Ning Yu had died so ML could really reflect on what he had done. He is the kind of person who thinks he is the most misunderstood, miserable person on the planet and... more>> no one has it as bad as him. Other people's misery doesn't matter to him because everyone else just wants to take advantage of him.

The side Characters are really good and I love his best friend. The ending was kinda, teeny-tiny bit rushed. I wish Song Bai Lao redemption arc was a little bit longer.

Story - 7/10

Main Characters - 6/10

Side Characters - 8/10 <<less
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