This is definitely either an arranged marriage or a lavender marriage.

This is definitely either an arranged marriage or a lavender marriage.

By lavender you mean a gay man and a lesbian?

Still waiting for the other shoe to drop but I’m thinking maybe lavender too

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender_marriage for those who don't know.

A noteworthy exception that demonstrated the precarious position of the public homosexual was that of William Haines, who brought his career to a sudden end at the age of 35. He refused to end his relationship with his male partner, Jimmy Shields, and enter into a marriage at the direction of his studio employer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.[3] Some companies punished actors for defying these clauses by not paying them. Universal Film Company justified their actions by labeling the actor's behavior as unacceptable; this included having attractions that were not heterosexual.

Sounds as bad as modern idol culture in Japan.

Oh, and then there's a whole section on China. With its own page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongqi

last edited at Apr 24, 2022 6:04PM

I don't know, I guess I'm on the fence about it, either this is indeed a loveless marriage probably set up by their parents or Wu Jihang actually does love Zhang Guo but knows she doesn't love him back like that.

I do think there is no universe in which Zhang Guo is entering this marriage willingly though. She's obviously very non-plussed about it.

I do think there is no universe in which Zhang Guo is entering this marriage willingly though. She's obviously very non-plussed about it.

I think she's probably willing, in some sense. But not enthusiastic, or doing it out of love.

She's kinda giving off stalker vibes idk I'm gonna read the whole manhua first

So, I think we're finally getting a hint at why Zhang Guo is going ahead with her "Fruitless Betrothal"....

It seems like she probably needs money so that her grandmother can continue to be cared for in the nursing facility, and Mr. Childhood Friend is willing to help pay for it. Not that it's necessarily a gold-digger or transaction thing, she probably just thinks that a marriage is the only way to do it and he's someone she's close enough to. I think the vibe from her earlier was that she might not be really aware of LGBTQ+ identity despite being drawn to Dai Yi.

Also, I don't really like JiaoJiao's actions here. It feels like she's trying to push Dai Yi back in the closet, or to "get over" being a lesbian. At best, she thinks Dai Yi shouldn't burn bridges she doesn't have to, but it really seems more like she's mad Dai Yi isn't giving up on her own sexuality, as if it was only ever about Zhang Guo rather than Dai Yi just...being gay. She comes across as a lot less of a supportive friend and ally here than she seemed before.

last edited at Jun 10, 2022 3:56PM

Zhang Guo's conceitedness grates on my nerves. Whatever she knows, whether or not she ever learned the meaning of "bats for my team", she's an insensitive lonely jerk who has no idea how she's affecting Dai Yi. She won't take a hint that Dai Yi wants a little bit of distance, and if Zhang Guo has even a microscopic hint of self-awareness of her comically blatant flirting she's still as selfish and mean as she was as a child. I can't bring myself to like her yet, she's somewhere on a spectrum from empty and dense, to a bit dense and selfish, to just selfish and cruel.

At least Zhang Guo is partnered with a friend she probably can't totally lie to, though it sucks she needs to do this. The man knows Zhang wasn't a fountain of empathy in childhood. I hope Zhang isn't making unrealistic assumptions and unfair asks of him as well. If she's going to hurt childhood-friend here, people would be better off if she instead used gay bars or fake-relationship matchmaking services to pair up with a gay man.

Dai Yi however continues to be adorable and handles her homophobic family in a firm way. She's got a cool side.

last edited at Jun 10, 2022 4:37PM

Is it time for the "pretend to be my gf" arc?!

Zhang Guo's conceitedness grates on my nerves. Whatever she knows, whether or not she ever learned the meaning of "bats for my team", she's an insensitive lonely jerk who has no idea how she's affecting Dai Yi. She won't take a hint that Dai Yi wants a little bit of distance, and if Zhang Guo has even a microscopic hint of self-awareness of her comically blatant flirting she's still as selfish and mean as she was as a child. I can't bring myself to like her yet, she's somewhere on a spectrum from empty and dense, to a bit dense and selfish, to just selfish and cruel.

At least Zhang Guo is partnered with a friend she probably can't totally lie to, though it sucks she needs to do this. The man knows Zhang wasn't a fountain of empathy in childhood. I hope Zhang isn't making unrealistic assumptions and unfair asks of him as well. If she's going to hurt childhood-friend here, people would be better off if she instead used gay bars or fake-relationship matchmaking services to pair up with a gay man.

Dai Yi however continues to be adorable and handles her homophobic family in a firm way. She's got a cool side.

bro! your dislike for Zhang Guo made you makes so many assumptions XD this is reaching for the god damn starts!!! XD

well, well, Dai Yi sure is getting some ammunition with this revelation though I suppose we'll have to see what she will do with the one-sided knowledge that Zhang Guo's fiancee is gay. Especially when we really don't know how much Zhang Guo does either.

If one thing it'll probably dash Dai Yi's attempt at trying to get over her crush. haha

Aaaaaaand the penny drops! Cookies for the people guessing it was a lavender marriage all along, though I guess the question still is, "does Zhang Guo know that?"

nice, it had to be a fake and it really is, so I hope the right person will accompany Dai Yi to see her parents)))

Oh good, it looks like a hiatus gave the author the space to deepen the characters! Zhang Guo's attitude now is clearly a crush with little to no toying with Dai Yi. She's still oblivious, but it won't come off as one-note and callous if we know her meticulous but still unfocused side from laundry, which proves her quirks aren't restricted to dealing with others. Quick touches like these can massively clarify and improve story and character! I think the author wanted to portray her as a strong mysterious person, but for me instead of relatable (like "been there, sis") she just came off as lacking empathy (at its worst in the childhood flashback).

Dai Yi has kept thinking like in ch10. This final ritual for complete closure is properly asking someone out ready to be rejected I guess? Or testing someone's sexuality in any case.

Haha literally when I read the new chapter I was like "the style seems different" and lord and behold

guys won't chat us up

It's a gay bar though, doubt straight or bi men would go there to hook up with women

guys won't chat us up

It's a gay bar though, doubt straight or bi men would go there to hook up with women

Um, isn't that the exact point the character is making in the story?

guys won't chat us up

It's a gay bar though, doubt straight or bi men would go there to hook up with women

They might. In my city it's a known thing that women go to gay bars to have a good time without being chatted up . . . there might actually be guys who would think hey, that means they can find women there--and who would not think past that to "You dough-head, they're there specifically to avoid jerks like you" because that kind of person does not think that way.

Oh good, it looks like a hiatus gave the author the space to deepen the characters!

Gonna be frank, everything in this chapter, aside from the revelation that Zhang's fiancee is gay, was already there. I honestly don't know how you read 8.5 without coming away with the conclusion that Zhang was aware of Dai Yi's feelings, increasingly interested in her, and eager for her to express them. Most of her actions have been aimed clearly at helping Dai Yi or getting closer to her, the only missing piece of the puzzle was the fact that her betrothal is a complete show. They're both gay. They almost definitely know they're both gay, but they're getting married to throw their families off the scent, because China is horrible about LGBT issues.

Zhang Guo's attitude now is clearly a crush with little to no toying with Dai Yi. She's still oblivious,

She's not oblivious, she's guarded.

but it won't come off as one-note and callous if we know her meticulous but still unfocused side from laundry, which proves her quirks aren't restricted to dealing with others.

I mean we already knew that she has OCD. She literally has to count to the nearest 5 minutes any time she does something.

Quick touches like these can massively clarify and improve story and character! I think the author wanted to portray her as a strong mysterious person, but for me instead of relatable (like "been there, sis") she just came off as lacking empathy (at its worst in the childhood flashback).

Childhood flashback? are you talking about this one panel, or did I miss something?
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/a_fruitless_betrothal_ch10#2

Dai Yi has kept thinking like in ch10. This final ritual for complete closure is properly asking someone out ready to be rejected I guess? Or testing someone's sexuality in any case.

I'm pretty sure the "final ritual" was to go out on the town and get drunk as hell and curse the world for Zhang Guo.

Seriously, I think a lot of people don't get how different prevalent attitudes in China are.

You DO NOT confess if you aren't very very confident that the person you are confessing to would never out you. Especially if it's somebody you work with.

She could lose her job. She could lose her home. She's already lost her parents, although it seems like they're still checking up on her through her friend. Honestly, even her friend is playing into the angles of oppression. She keeps trying to get her to go back to her parents, which by default means going back in the closet. (Unless her parents have decided to accept her, which seems unlikely.)

Oh good, it looks like a hiatus gave the author the space to deepen the characters!

Gonna be frank, everything in this chapter, aside from the revelation that Zhang's fiancee is gay, was already there. I honestly don't know how you read 8.5 without coming away with the conclusion that Zhang was aware of Dai Yi's feelings, increasingly interested in her, and eager for her to express them. Most of her actions have been aimed clearly at helping Dai Yi or getting closer to her, the only missing piece of the puzzle was the fact that her betrothal is a complete show. They're both gay. They almost definitely know they're both gay, but they're getting married to throw their families off the scent, because China is horrible about LGBT issues.

Zhang Guo's attitude now is clearly a crush with little to no toying with Dai Yi. She's still oblivious,

She's not oblivious, she's guarded.

but it won't come off as one-note and callous if we know her meticulous but still unfocused side from laundry, which proves her quirks aren't restricted to dealing with others.

I mean we already knew that she has OCD. She literally has to count to the nearest 5 minutes any time she does something.

Quick touches like these can massively clarify and improve story and character! I think the author wanted to portray her as a strong mysterious person, but for me instead of relatable (like "been there, sis") she just came off as lacking empathy (at its worst in the childhood flashback).

Childhood flashback? are you talking about this one panel, or did I miss something?
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/a_fruitless_betrothal_ch10#2

Dai Yi has kept thinking like in ch10. This final ritual for complete closure is properly asking someone out ready to be rejected I guess? Or testing someone's sexuality in any case.

I'm pretty sure the "final ritual" was to go out on the town and get drunk as hell and curse the world for Zhang Guo.

Seriously, I think a lot of people don't get how different prevalent attitudes in China are.

You DO NOT confess if you aren't very very confident that the person you are confessing to would never out you. Especially if it's somebody you work with.

She could lose her job. She could lose her home. She's already lost her parents, although it seems like they're still checking up on her through her friend. Honestly, even her friend is playing into the angles of oppression. She keeps trying to get her to go back to her parents, which by default means going back in the closet. (Unless her parents have decided to accept her, which seems unlikely.)

wtf?? since when chaptwr 8.5 is an clear and on the face that Zhang is DEFENTLY GAY! stop projecting because ther was no one drop of clear indication she is gay or anything, it’s like beting the supposed straight character to be secretly in the closet were that trope has been doen to death in the yuri gener,

but the chapter itself has you so delusionade that you for sure 100% know she is gay??? what?

Oh sure, that friend character thinks she's straight, but just wait until she meets Sailor Uranus.

The door to her future opened exactly like this :

So what, we in some sort of... fruitless betrothal or something?

Eyyy saw this twist comin', but it's still cool that its here!

Also I'm glad this just had a hiatus and wasn't cancelled, I'm enjoying it.