[Chinese BL novel] Giant little stepdad (rebirth)* / 豪门小后爸（重生）

Title: 豪门小后爸（重生）/ Giant little stepdad (rebirth)*

Author: Tangerine boat / 橘子舟

Year of release: 2020

#of chapters: 84 + 1 extra

Status: Completed

Link to NU: n/a

Tags: rebirth, family drama, mpreg, dancing

*the title is MTL'd, not official translation

Summary: 

In his previous life Fang Li was unlucky to have his leg broken and under schemes finally lost his life to Yue Wenxi, his actual cousin. After being reborn he realizes that he is actually just a cannon fodder to a glorious life of Yue Wenxi. Driven by the desire to revenge himself Fang Li decided to seduce Yan Moyaoi, who is the current patriarch of the Yan family and is also a nominal adoptive father to four sons, including Yue Wenxi.

Storyline:

Fang Li wakes up realizing that he was reborn, there was no broken leg, no scars on his face. He was again a 19 year old student of a dance academy, living with his actual aunt. His first goal was to leave this family who stole his family's property and used it for their own good, but still treated Fang Li with scorn and hate.

It's been some time since Yue Wenxi was adopted to the Yan family. His and Fang Li's mother are actual sisters, but YWX was always jealous of Fang Li's happy life. And even after his own parents were to beblamed for an accident that took 4 parents lives, he still spread rumors and especially blackened Fang Li's name in front of his step-brothers to help him retaliate.

In this life Fang Li decides to seduce Yan Moyao, since to pay all four back he must be above them. An accident where Fang Li rushed on the road and was hit by Yan Moyao brought them together and Fang Li couldn't help but thicken his face and started chasing Yan Moyao, although without much success. But since he was at fault for hitting people and also briefly knew Fang Li's father he still couldn't help but worry about the kid.

Fang Li and YWX both are dance students, but unlike YWX Fang Li is a dance genious, always working hard and placing first,w hic drives YWX's jealous mind till the point of breaking. He tries to pit Fang Li in several occasions, like during the trip they wanted Fang Li to break his leg, but it was intersepted by bodyguards that Yan Moyao sent to keep an eye on Fang Li.

Emotional entanglement between MC and ML was based on ML's past. Yan Moyao was rumored to kill his wives. He was married thrice and each wife died unexpectedly, after which his mother met a fortune teller who helped to find auspicious dates for kids who migth be good to bring back, Yan Moyao was opposed, but his mother still brought four kids along the way. Yue Wenxi was like a lucky star to these people so they liked him a lot.

But because Yan Moyao didn't know of true nature of those accidents, he still didn't want Fang Li to be involved, so he refused him time and time again, but later was really harsh in his words. Yet after appearing and being ambiguous as if hanging Fang Li, MC couldn't take it and was finally angry, but tides turned, now ML under guise of caring didn't leave MC a way out. He couldn't leave MC to other people who were not worthy of him.

By this time feelings of Fang Li changed, they have encountered each other countless times and Moyao was really considerate and kind, so he couldn't help but long for this warmth, while his last life and struggle lacked an ounce of genuine care from other people. He was basically caught by this. And although angry at Moyao's selfishness of constant attack and then stepping back he agreed they should be together, especially with perspective of marriage and having kids.

One accident actually made Moyao think that he should finally disclose their relationship, since he already couldn't see Fang Li being wronged and the last thing he wanted to see is Fang Li unappiness. Their marriage untied a heart knot for MC, but actually tied ML's knot being afraid for his beloved person. Fang Li on the other hand was happily taking care of himself for the future birth of children only from time to time to instigate the 3 son (one was abroad for half the story). Which was obviously just a tease to make them restless and do stupid stuff. One of which was YWX again trying to frae Fang Li, but people who followed him took the video as evidence of YWX's scheme.

Mrs. Yan was biased towards these grandchildren since they lived under her care for years, so she often was on their side even questioned by Moyao how does she think it's ok to stay behind outsiders, but not her own son.

Fang Li as a reborn person also knew about some vague things that were important in the future, that's why he paid close attention to people around. And once noticed a person who appeared in his dreams of future, that's why he brought him to his side.

Out of four adoptive sons, who weren't even sons, since they weren't legally adopted, were just nominally named that and used it to theor advances, only one who came back from abroad acted respectfully towards Fang Li. But it still felt strange and fake. But listening to this son reaction to You Ran (the boy from his dreams) he delivered the news to his husband to deal with and investigate.

Many schemes of three to sow disorder failed miserably, two took a turn to leave the house at first. But when Fang Li became pregnant, other two were asked to leave as well. YWX of course cried and refused. I don't remember when he didn't cry or acted hysterical etc. But after hearing that Fang Li is pregnant Mrs. Yan who was ooposed to these two leaving was first to change her words and softly but resolutely asked them out.

Last part, which concerns the old family drama is about Moyao's father. Mr. Yan actually had a mistress outside, Moyao before becoming adult and dealing with his father and his illegitimate children had to pretend and hide deep. Right now the scheme of Mr Yan who pretended to have dementia for years was way deeper. He put his own kid into a Yan family, who gave their own child (You Ran) away, then after creating the legend of wife killer, they schemed with fortune teller to make Mrs Yan take several kids under protection, including this illegitimate kid who they wanted to inherit Moyao's properties and businesses. It'd be all good, if Fang Li didn't catch that strange reaction to You Ran. So the plan was thus uprooted.

Conclusion:

This is the third novel in the shared universe of rebirth/mpreg. Tbh I like the second novel the most out of three. Third one is a little weak in the aspect of the plot. It's also strange a bit the way Fang Li and Yan Moyao fell in love, there wasn't really a time before and after. It felt like were led by emotional stimulation to reach love so fast. Villains are not very prominent at all and also act stupidly. Maybe it was an idea, but it wasn't really delivered that Mr Yan was actually indisriminately wanting to place kids from his beloved woman as heirs to Yan family (all the riches actually coming from Mrs Yan family), but his kids are not that smart at all and just waited for the inheritance to fall on their heads. And although this 4th son tried to be worth it, it still lacked in delivery if he was truly worth it, since later it was disclosed that he did a lot of illegal thinsg for which he was put to jail. This I find flaw, since Moyao always guarded these 4 "sons", so I have no idea why he never found those things prior to the final showdown.

YWX as protagonist was really vain and weak, only in extra it shows how vain and unwilling to work hard he is, although partly it's obvious how he likes to show off and such, but there was part to want to win against Fang Li fairly (then not) and he worked for it, still later as a result of being thrown out of Yan family he gave up pretty easily and mixed with bad people and later just sold his service to rich people.

All in all it is an easy read, like true easy read, that can be finished during one evening. When you don't need to think much. The drama is relatively weak, there's no true suspence and such. It becomes a bit bleak on the background of the previous novels. The only good part is the relationship between Fang Li and Yan Moyao when they finally came together. It definitely could have more in-depth.

Character-wise one particular thing I found good: interestig how Fang Li is attrackted to unusual animals and also loves exotic birds a lot, he is also super cute when he was happy to find out that they finally had a child and it was heart-warming when they shared this joy together. It's funny how their son Fangyao in extras doesn't like Fang Li to read bedtime stories, but since he loves his father he doesn't say it, because stories make him excited instead of sleeping, n the contrary Fang Li is the one who sleeps first, but Fang Li is a cute dad, he tries his best for his son what he deems good for his kid. This is a really wholesome part.

RATE: 3,5 / 5.