theres 3 love interests-- the prince, the beast guy, and another guy in the future (i think his hair was pink or smth)
we really did not need a season 2. that guy is 22 yo if she is 39.
Perfectly legal. :)
might be legal, but morally fucking weird.
I don't know what morals you are talking about. Which school of thoughts?
uhm as a human being? i mean, there must be a reason why we all have a instinctive aversion to the thought of a much older person being together with a much younger person. if the guy was 25+, then fine, but then she would be 42, and ig too old now, huh?
Human being is not of school of thoughts. You cannot tell me something is morally wrong and not refer to which kind of morals are you basing that on: what is the compass? I find nothing morally wrong with this. It is not first time I heard about some men liking older women. He is more than legal and he is the one pursuing the lady. Really, I cannot understand what morals have to do her. You have issues with men liking older women... on a personal level?
I don't think it has a lot to do with instincts. As far as History told us, age gap was WAY bigger back then and it was often coercive. Instincts, which are primitive, found little issues with such age gap. So again... two persons of legal age pursuing in their own consenting spirit a relationship... is pretty lambda?
it's not philosophy; it's common sense. your argument of "it's legal so it's fine" is equivalent to "she's 18, so it's legal".
such age gaps as fine, so long as their brains have fully matured. maybe in asian countries, 22 yo is considered fully matured and ~20 year age gaps are fine, but not in other countries. as u say, most large age gaps were coercive, people were forced to marry much older people often to achieve some status or money, otherwise, they wouldnt.
younger men pursuing older women are fine, but a 17-yo age gap is pushing it. it's like a middle-aged woman's fantasy, which i suppose is what the producer is aiming for. this story is trying to present it as "it's not grooming and he's the one pursuing her and love is love", but given how simple the story so far, i doubt it will be able to capture the nuances beyond just "he's too young and different life experiences". it's widely frowned upon for a reason.
and did u read with ur eyes close? cuz when the student asked "was i only just a student to u", the fmc didnt answer; the right thing to do as an adult who involved an innocent kid was to cleanly cut off his feelings right there and then. instead we get some icky flashbacks that implied she did feel something for him. it wouldve been better if the romance happened later... but alas, she would be too old. 39 is fine, but not 40, huh?
look it's clear that u think it's fine bc of ur morals, culture of whatever. so im not going to try to convince u otherwise.
- Morality is a major topic in Philosophy, so is epistemology (the study of knowledge).
- What might be common for you might be uncommon for others.
- My argument is that I don't see what is the moral issue here. And instead of explaining what morals are being violated, you keep acting as if your stance is self-evident, when it cannot be rationalized.
- Yes. They were coerced back then, but it was not seen wrongly back then. You have just stretched my one sentence point.
- "younger men pursuing older women are fine" Hmm. Do you know what is cognitive dissonance? Ageism? Social Stigma? Irrational biases/prejudices?
- Why is a 17y age gap is pushing it? Because it is a fantasy? They are bigger age gaps in the real world. I can see different life experiences as an inconvenience, but this has nothing to do with morality. No grooming presented, because she made her position clear on the matter.
- Of course I read my eyes closed; reading eyes open is so has-been. She did not answer because she did not want to hurt his feeling further. She clearly told him that she used him and will use him for her ploy. Her intentions were made clear around chapters 10-20 if I remember. It is like asking if you can travel to a certain country after being told that border has been closed. How hard do you want to be crushed by sad reality?
- "39 is fine, but not 40, huh?" I don't get the question nor why later would have changed anything. The age gap won't change.
- "t's clear that u think it's fine bc of ur morals, culture of whatever" Clearly not. My stance is based on default acceptance. Same principle as innocent until proven guilty.
- I asked one basic question, but have yet seen answers: what morals are you basing your views on? if something is deemed morally wrong, it presupposes the existence of a moral framework that defines right and wrong. What is your framework?
im basing my morals as a 21 century human being, as every other human. i dont need to be thoroughly versed in any specific school of thought or epistemology to know why this age gap along with their history is problematic. since moral frameworks are subjective, then neither of our stances are objective truth. but if rationale and legality can be used to justify anything, then why do humans have a moral compass? why have large age gap marriages nearly become obsolete in the modern era?
to reiterate my point, i dont care about a 17 year age gap. i didnt say it’s illegal or wrong. i was curious how the story will go about with this relationship, but i assumed the LI would be at least 24-25 yo. the producer's obviously trying to frame their romance as still within socially acceptable bounds, at the expense of making the love interest 22-yo, barely out of college, just so the fmc wouldnt be deemed “too old" as apparently a 40+ yo is, but not 39-yo. his maturity would be different if he was 25+ yo instead of 22 yo.
even if he would be crushed, she was done using him atp and if she was genuinely sorry at all, as an adult she shouldve clearly rejected him so he could get over her properly. if she had crushed his hopes thoroughly, but he still pined for her, then that’s on him and out of her hands. also, you ignored my point about the flashbacks. if it was simply about not hurting him, the story didnt need to add that in.
sure there are bigger yet socially acceptable age gaps irl... when the younger person is at least 25+ yo. if 18 yo is considered the legal age, why are 18 yos in 10+ age gap relationships still frowned upon? since it's legal, it should be fine, no? there might not be grooming since this story wants to idealize their age gap romance, but if she truly wanted to make it clear she saw him nothing but her student and not a romantic prospect, then she shouldve rejected him.
not sure what ur point is about agism/biases/etc. clearly i was talking about situations with a simiar age range; gender doesnt matter. it's a different matter if the much older person is pursuing the much younger person, for obvious reasons.
altho the story is fiction and thus morals are moot, i have a right to judge. i was going to keep an open mind, if the story had ended with that s1 ending and maybe an epilogue that implied their romance, but they had to make another season that focused on the love triangel. if my stance is not self-evident, then we obviously have a different set of morals. and i do not see much point talking about it.
It was problematic in the past, because it was no consensual and also involved minors. In this situation, it does not.
It is not about seeking objective truths but grounds. Your reluctance or perhaps inability to provide framework fuels this debate. You said your morals are as of 21 century’s people. I could say the same of myself and the people still commending death penalties. However, this gives 0 insight on good or bad.
I insist on saying I see no wrong. Henceforth, I asked to provide the framework outlining what would make this situation “morally weird”. Realism - “if there’s no harm and both parties consent, then it’s acceptable”. Pragmatism – “If the relationship is healthy and beneficial, it’s valid”. Skepticism – “Societal norms should be questioned, but so should personal biases”. Rationalism – “If both individuals are capable of informed consent, there’s no rational basis to object”… Your judgments appear to be biased against this relationship as you fail to distance yourself from grooming undertones.
“rationale and legality can be used to justify anything, then why do humans have a moral compass?” If you were able to provide an actual moral compass, you would not need to ask this question.
I did not simply ignore your point. I disregarded it. She left him behind and refused to stay by his side. Her actions speak volume. She rejected him; maybe not to your liking, but she did. The FL is not cruel by nature as she is presented as a relatively soft person but responsible enough to not deepen herself into dangerous territory. It’s not her fault if he is the persistent type. Of course, you may remain displeased with her actions or thoughts as the expectation for people to act in a particular way, with a certain level of intensity, is ultimately rooted in personal inclination.
“age gap relationships still frowned upon?” The answer dwells on cognitive dissonance, Ageism, Social Stigma and Irrational biases/prejudices.
I don’t use a set of morals to develop my arguments, as clearly mentioned before. I use default acceptance. It is not a moral framework but rather a starting position in reasoning that avoids arbitrary rejection.
As you said, you have the right to judge. I can only concord. Still, if you claim morality is being undermined as this relationship being “morally weird”, you should be able to substantiate what morals have been hurt. However, your argument highlights THE LACK of a clear moral framework— morals as of 21st-century people is vague and provides no clear ethical foundation.
Hence, I point out that Morality (ethical principles) and Moeurs (social customs) are distinct concepts. If you claim morality is being undermined, you must specify which moral principles are violated, not just reference societal norms. Mœurs evolve with culture, while morality requires rational justification based on ethical principles like harm, autonomy, or justice. Without clear moral transgression, objections are rooted in tradition, not ethics.
In summary, this was never about morals but mœurs. I have arrived at the conclusion that this relationship is not morally weird but socially unconventional based on this exchange. I acknowledge that it may unsettle those whose views remain anchored in social stigma. Now, I understand.
FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY WE'RE GETTING TO THE BACKSTORY. ENOUGH OF THIS GRATUITOUS SMUT.
im willing to buy the manhua just for the art. like i just want to eat it up
Its usually pretty Cheap on Kuaikan, when I bought Little Mushroom it was less than $14
would it encompass the whole story, or the just the released chapters so far and any released chapters after the purchase wouldnt count? also would i have to pay in chinese currency?
ig in a sense, im glad the creator created sheep's mask, which led to this masterpiece
sheep's mask wasn't the story paskim's talking abt. she made "lets make it seductive" before litc, sheep's mask was published when litc was on hiatus after s1 ended
oh, is that right? good to know
I just wanna say, during S2 i commented about cirrus's lack of character growth, and in S3, that skylar should know about cirrus's plot to bring pink hair and chan-il together. and some of yall jump me, saying cirrus changed for the better, and skylar shouldnt know bc there's no point since it actually helped him in the long-run. yea im petty for airing my grievances, but some of yall are brain-dead. this isnt a simple romance story. it's a coming-of-age gay drama with romance. falling in love doesnt equate to character growth (how simple if it was! but the story was never that simple); he's just as insecure and twisted as before (legit yall excuse a hot guy so long as he's pitible). and the basis of their relationship was transparency and honesty, which bred trust. in S1-2, skylar grew to trust cirrus with his secret of unrequited love bc he was upfront with his nasty personality, he kept his promise not to tell chan-il, and actually helped him with his mom (so given his past, cirrus exploiting his inability to confess to make him get over chan-il for his own self-gain is a huge breach of trust and needed to be addressed). if the story swept his scheme under the rug or gloss over it, it would only undermine the story's themes, their relationship which was built so gradually over this precarious trust, and the hazard of cirrus's insecurities and toxic behavior. it doesnt matter that everyone is happy when it's built on manipulation; it is skylar's (and pink hair) right to know, and how he react, whether forgiving him or breaking up with him, is his right as well; neglecting that is taking away his agency. so, i am soooo glad the story addressed my concerns, not letting cirrus go scot-free of consequences (bc only when he hit rock bottom would he actually let go of constraints and would feel the need to fix himself), and didnt become a fluffly story about how love overcomes trauma or smth like that.
i think this story has a good redemption arc, bc the story establishes a legit reason why ml would feel angry and resentment and hurt mc (not that it excuses his actions). and it makes sense that the mc couldn't completely hate him (despite claiming he does) bc the story also established their relationship and that ml and mc genuinely loved each other before the misunderstand/imprisonment arc. in the novel, the arc takes 30+ chapters, and the redemption arc was 40+ chapters, in which the ml didnt exactly beg for forgiveness (bc he knows he doesnt deserve it) but gives mc a means to kill him if ml wrongs him again and a space to live with the old woman comfortably. he distances himself from mc bc mc hates him, and even when suffering from insomnia (a nosebleed from stress and lack of sleep), he doesnt ask mc to sleep with him. a major part of the reason why mc starts to forgive him is bc after the old woman died, he didnt have anyone else in the world who would love him, besides ml, and with his limp leg, it would be difficult to take care of himself. ml gave him a comfortable life, and he liked that, so mc sleeps with him again (not sex. they dont have sex again in this life). after they both die from kang's scheme again, this granted an opportunity for ml to wipe his ledger clean. his problem, as claimed by one of the co-conspirators, was that he loved too many things (his friends, his business, and mc) and if he had chosen to believe mc, it wouldnt have led to this tragedy. so in the new life, ml chose not to be greedy, forgoing friends, family, and ambitions, to dedicate his life to serving mc and never overstepped any boundaries or dared ask for affection. for 10+ years even when mc didnt remember his past life, bc he still felt guilt and thinks he doesnt deserve mc. as for mc, he loved the ml who adored him so despite hating him he also still liked him. he enjoy ml's misery and guilt but simultaneously feel jealous and angry if ml looked at another woman. the ml was soley his to inflict hurt. this ambivalence is conveyed well in the novel. and given this new life opportunity, he took advantage of reincarnated ml's clean slate to love him freely (but spoiler alert: ml knew his past life when he was 20 yo). yet mc begins subconsciously searching for past life ml in new life ml. he is happy to be in a clean slate relationship without the baggage, but he couldnt be 100% happy bc he still missed past life ml, and only with him can he truly heal from his trauma. i think what makes this story's angst arc particularly good, is that it's written as a tragedy they were both victim to (yes, even ml) that irrevocably changed their otherwise loving relationship and life's trajectory, instead of... a minor hiccup in their relationship or an abusive power play fetish for masochists. it forever scarred mc and he is justified to never forgive him, but at the same time, it is his perogative to forgive and judged that ml paid enough to mc. the heart wants what the heart wants. (personally, im still a little dissatisfied, but overall they deserve to be happy)
Where did you read about the 2nd lifetime? Can i read it for free? I read the novel, but it was only until MC found ML's subordinate shoot/stabbed (i forgot) in front of MC's house.
i used a pirate aggregator site and MTL the raws. booktoki468.com
basically kang dude and the freckled maid confessed they were the conspirators. mc almost dies from slitting his wrist. ml redemption arc ensues. the old lady dies. mc realizes he cant heal unless mc leave the place of his traumas and restart their relationship. but then kang kidnaps mc. they both die, mc reincarnate into 2023. mc remember his past, and probes ml, but he doesnt seem to remember. since he's not the same person, mc wanted to get together with him, since he still loved ml, and their relationship will be without the baggage. ml have been his secretary for 10+ years; he is hesitant at first, but eventually agrees. mc also reencounters the other figures in his past life, and the old lady is actually his maternal aunt, but they dont seem to remember their past lives either. over time, mc begin to hallucinate past ml bc he still miss him. once day mc sees that ml have this old photograph of the two together from 70 years ago, and had bought the house that mc had lived in after he and ml separated. so yeah, ml remember his past life when he was 20 yo. but reincarnated rich 14-yo mc didnt remember him at all; ml worked his ass off so he can serve mc and basically gave up any prospects of friends, family, and aspirations to completely devote himself to mc. and when mc remebered his past life, he pretended not to bc of his guilt and thinking it will be better for mc. but the plot twist is that mc had realized he remembered his past life. and pretended to be ignorant bc he could be happy in this baggage-less relationship, even if it's a illusion. as long as ml hid any clues, then mc woudlve pretended too. anyway, mc cant forgive ml entirely, but maybe partially bc he still love him. mc encounters the kang dude, who remembers the past and wants revenge. mc calls ml, who comes, but they both get kidnapped. they both make it out alive, and kang is dead. mc forgive ml completely
Okay thanks for that, so I wouldn't have expected anything like that
np! i think the story handles this type of situation relatively well. and at the end, it didnt feel forced that mc forgave ml bc ml is estalished as a pretty good guy, he just made huge mistake which he paid for for the rest of his life, and continuing on the next.
what in the melodramatic shit.