ML's behavior at the beginning of the book isn't consistent with his character: In their first life, their only interaction is on the night that ML goes and has s*x with MC, who's obviously not in a good situation and not having a good time. It's completely different compared to how he treated MC in their second life.

Fated Instalove: Eeegh, yeah, this qualifies. Still cute though.

Obligatory ableism: I can't say I'm super comfortable with the ML's 'episodes'. He doesn't show any homicidal tendencies when he's lucid but turns into a muttering killing machine whenever the poison acts up or his emotions get too unstable. I would have almost preferred if it was the opposite and he became completely helpless and incapacitated (NERF that kid!). It just didn't make sense on its own-- I think more could have been added to flesh out the reason for this tendency.

For quite a while, neither the ML of the MC talk about 'the dream' (their past life) despite it being pretty obvious that at least one of them knows they both experienced it fairly early on. It just felt forced and so the tension of that mutual misunderstanding dropped almost right away.

Li Yunzi: The guy comes out of nowhere to fill a major plot hole in the last chapter. Honestly, I think I would have preferred if it was left empty like so many other transmigration/rebirth novels. He wasn't even a character so much as a human plot device.

The resolution dragged on for too long. The climax was exciting, even though it was pretty obvious how it would turn out, but a lot of that excitement dies long before the story is actually allowed to end

I also wish we had gotten at least something hopeful for Li Yang! My sweet bunny boy deserves to have a connection with the big brother he adores! I was so bummed that we didn't get another scene with them. Which is another thing-- The story puts an emphasis on how close the imperial family seems, defying all the usual tropes, but we don't really get to see that carried out through the end. It would have been so sweet if we could have expanded what the author already established into a found/rediscovered family situation for MC and ML.

but later on, it will be both

at least he tried and endure to coax the MC after knowing what he did wrong, not like some other MLs *cough* and this ML truly doted to him.

What happened after? like how about the son and father (gong) building up their interaction to be close again, the ML's condition (like what's the condition), the prince getting on the throne and the forgotten "after retirement adventure trip around the nation", wuwu.

I almost forgot to say this but I think that this is the ancient times Hulk but a packaged good-looking husbando material. *smirks*

there's only a time skip, and it's really only li xiao who grows/adapts.

also, I just think it's so wack how song song is so obsessed about having a kid for a few years sans then once the kid grows up, he stops caring as much and practically stops giving his kid attention?!?!? Like I know it's due to li xiao's sickness, but they kicked him out of the house at age 5! I had low expectations about li xiao being a good dad, because of his personality, but I expected more from song song, especially after the author specifically mentioned song song's grief for so many chapters.

The ML's character isn't too enjoyable to read for me at least. He's possessive (and I quite like that) but that's it. No character development from what i've seen whatsoever. His character is okay, but doesn't really feel 'alive'.

Well just from the title u can see where this is going... I quite like him, tbh. He's smart, and know what to do. But he can be such a damsel-in-distress and that distressed me sometimes (pun intended). But it's all ok.. for the plot..

Ngl "the past" story isn't too satisfying for me. There's so much that can be improved there...