jigglywiggly

Hot take on Black Lotus:

(this does contain a bit of spoilers)

First off, it is one thing to incorporate physical and mental @buse, (possible) r@pe, and toxic relationships as a stepping stone for the MC to flourish and get out of the messy situation that they are in to become the best versions of themselves that was lost in the process, and another where they DO get out of the messy situation and be the happiest they can be and all for it to go to waste when they bring themselves back to what they once call "hell."

Black Lotus and its main character is the embodiment of that.

I had high hopes for this manhua especially because it touches on such dark topics- the story basically is about a pianist named Wen Nian Nian and is married to Gu Yansheng. The relationship between the two couldn't be anymore worse as everytime Gu Yansheng looks at Nian Nian, he is greeted with physical torment, words far more harsh than you could imagine and just total and absolute mistreatment. This is rooting from the influence of Gu Yansheng's other lover, Luo An. Gu Yansheng believes that Wen Nian Nian, in order to get Gu Yansheng's attention, steals Luo An's talent as a "pianist" when in fact, it is the other way around and it is Luo An who steals Wen Nian Nian's talent. Luo An went missing for a period of time and believes that Wen Nian Nian had something to do with it. All the while Wen Nian Nian takes all the violence Gu Yansheng inflicts on him, even accepting the fact that even if they have to put up a front to others, he is content from that.

I am not taking that away from Nian Nian. This is truly the case for people who are stuck in an abusive relationship and they are in somewhat a trance and is willing to accept anything, good or bad. It does take a while for Wen Nian Nian to muster up the courage and leave Gu Yansheng and to pursue his pianist career with the help of Tang Shuo. Now whether if I am unbiased or not, the only person who deserved better in this whole story is indeed Tang Shuo. He was always there for Wen Nian Nian through all the times he would have bruises on his face and all over his body, was there to encourage Nian Nian and supported him through ALL of his times in need.

Now one would believe that after all of the things Wen Nian Nian had gone through, he would come to his senses and choose the so very obvious person that can truly make him happy all the while being the better of himself right?

You're absolutely wrong.

In the end, he chose to go back to Gu Yansheng. This little seminar that I am having could not even paint half of the picture of how evil and how much of a piece of absolute DOG TURD Gu Yansheng is. Yet Wen Nian Nian chose to go back to the one person that truly made his life a living hell all because he started to show the immense regret of what he had done to him.

I am all for character development, but for someone who has gone through what Nian Nian has gone through, Gu Yansheng actually deserves to go to jail, literally. I understand that you were under the impression that Wen Nian Nian is this "coniving, sneaky, and dirty little thing" but if you had so much of a human decency, seeing him all the time should not give you the urge to always hurt him, verbally, physically, and mentally wise. This novel and Manhua pained me so much just by reading the first few chapters because I see how much pain and suffering Nian Nian is going through and I see all this group of people willing to help him, and even he himself has his own resource to get himself out of that situation.

The one part of the story that really had STEAM come out of my head just because of how angry I was, was when Gu Yansheng had the nerve to wreck Wen Nian Nian's Mother's piano, and Wen Nian Nian KNEW this was the tipping point, yet still chose to stay. He knew how much that piano meant to him and for his mother.

As a reader, I a 100% do not commend the author. Yes this story was written wonderfully, but the overall story is truly not something that people should not even find entertaining, better yet written of. These subjects are something real human beings go through, and it would've been such a beautiful writing to see if Wen Nian Nian had ended up with Tan Shuo because you can see it, literary and pictorially, how much he cares for him, or better yet, be on his own and continue to pursue his dreams that was once lost.

There was absolutely no reason for Wen Nian Nian to go back to Gu Yansheng. He could cry tears of blood, split a sea just how Moses did, hell he could even call upon the heavens which I doubt he could, and I still truly believe that Wen Nian Nian shouldn't have accepted his apologies and to the extent of going back to him.

This story should not be taken as an inspiration to others who are going through the same thing that just because one person shows deep regret and aplogizes to you hundreds and millions of times, it does not take away the fact that they have erased and killed the person that you were once were, the one that has put you through situations one should NEVER even go through, and make you even doubt yourself and make excuses for others just to make them stay.

Im not sure if anyone else has this but I loveeee mangago for graying out the chapters we've read, its so convenient especially when binge reading. Kuddos to that (๑•ㅂ•)و✧