Chapter 19 <— the chapter is here, click on this link to read it!

Firewood cat?

柴猫? What exactly is that? I asked the translators, but they don’t know either, so they just literally translated it. By googling, I found that 柴郡猫 means Cheshire Cat from Lewis Caroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Is that it?

Breaking it down, the characters mean:

柴 (chái) – a surname, firewood, lean (of meat); thin (of a person)

猫 (māo) – cat

The only other usage of 柴 I have seen is in the slang term 废柴 (fèi chái), which combines the characters for trashy and firewood, meaning a loser or useless person. Could the term actually mean “useless cat”?

We’re not sure at all!

Thanks for reading and have a nice weekend.

~Reika

Chapter 18 <—- click here to read the chapter

Hiya everyone!

Here’s today’s chapter for you! As you know, there’s quite a bit of slang in these stories, and some of it gets repeated a lot. I’m wondering if I should keep adding footnotes for the slang we’ve already covered in previous chapters. On one hand, it might make the reading flow a bit smoother, but then again, I don’t want anyone to forget what those words mean, especially if there’s a bit of a gap between chapters. What do you all think?

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day!

~Reika

Chapter 17<—this is the chapter link, click on this to read it

Hey readers!

Just a quick note on a little something you might notice in my translation.  In Chinese danmei novels there’s a character type called “总攻” zong gong? It refers to a character who’s always the dominant, active one in a relationship, no matter how many partners they have. This is a character who consistently “tops” or takes the lead in sexual encounters, often with a more assertive personality overall.

Since “zong gong” isn’t a term everyone’s familiar with, I’ve decided to use “top” instead. I figure it’s a more universally understood way to convey the same meaning and keep things smooth for everyone reading!

I hope that’s okay, Happy reading!

~Reika

Chapter 16 <—- click here to read it

Shou and gong

For those who are new to Chinese novels, let me explain a little bit.

These terms are similar to the Japanese “uke” and “seme.”

A “gong” literally translates to “attack” or “attacker.” This character is typically the more dominant, assertive, and protective partner in the relationship. They are often portrayed as the “top” in a physical sense, but the role encompasses more than just sexual position. Gongs usually (but not always) take the lead in the relationship, making decisions and initiating affection.

A “shou” literally translates to “receive” or “receiver.” This character is the “bottom” in a physical sense. However, like the gong, the shou’s role extends beyond physical intimacy to encompass their overall personality and dynamic within the relationship.

Those are the stereotypical roles, but many novels subvert or play with the usual tropes.

Thanks for reading this post and I hope you have a great day!

~Reika

Chapter 15 has been published, click here to read it

Thoughts on translated slang words

One of the MC’s favorite expressions is 坑爹 (kēngdiē).

Literally, “kengdie” translates to “to cheat your dad.” However, its modern meaning has nothing to do with fathers. It’s an expression of frustration when a character feels ripped off, let down, or that a situation is incredibly unfair.

Think of it as the character shouting, “This sucks!” “What a rip-off!” or “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

For example, a character might use it if a product they bought is terrible, or if a video game is unfairly difficult. They are not literally talking about their dad; they are just expressing that they feel cheated by the situation.

Thanks for reading

~Reika