Created: 27/09/2025 - Last updated: 13/10/2025
Danmei (耽美) refers to Chinese gay stories, similarly to Japanese BL. I started reading danmei novels in 2025, and here are my favorite ones.
2020 | 134 chapters + 11 extras | read 09.2025
Links: Fan translation (Tiny Salt) | Raws (JJWXC) | Novel updates | My own reading threat (Mastodon) Tags: video games, professional e-sport players, League of Legends, wholesome
Jian Rong, aka Soft, is a League of Legends steamer famous for flaming just about every pro-player there is. Lu Boyuan, aka Road, is one of the best League of Legends Chinese pro-players, and the only one Jian Rong never criticizes. When Lu Boyuan's team wants to recruit Jian Rong, the steamer who has never accepted pro contracts before jumps on the opportunity to meet his favorite player...
This was a very wholesome and soft danmei! No drama, just two people liking each other, slow burn and oblivious mutual pining. Even being in a gay relationship while famous was treated lightly, more as a fun secret to tease the fans with than as something that could ruin the characters' careers. I personally loved this, but if you prefer high drama, this might not be for you. Other than the softness of this novel, I loved the immersion in professional e-sport, and the way the author described the LoL games and competitions. Perhaps my favorite part was the way the fans chatted during the streams and on social media - each player's fanbase had their own sub-culture and "personality", so the interactions were hilarious!
2019 | 117 chapters + 4 extras | read 10.2025
Links: Books (Haitang Books) | Raws (JJWXC) | Novel updates | My own reading threat (Mastodon) Tags: video games, college, catfishing, MMORPG
Jing Huan's cousin was duped by Yearning For, a player in her favorite MMORPG Nine Chivalrous Heroes, and her humiliation was so bad that she decided to move to the US. Jing Huan swears revenge on the player who seduced and cheated on his cousin, but turns out Yearning For is the best player in the whole game... Instead of taking his revenge by killing him, Jing Huan decides to buy a voice changer and seduce Yearning For in order to break his heart! What could go wrong?
This novel taking on the dramas of online dating was full of excitement and suspense! From the characters' emotions slowly evolving against their will, to the oh-so-slow revelation of their offline identities to each other, the author managed to maintain a good amount of tension throughout the book, balanced with great humour. Not fully fitting the enemy-to-lovers trope, this "I must destroy this person to avenge my family, so why am I falling for them?" novel managed to stay pretty light on the angst despite its setting, and to deliver a well-deserved, fluffy happy ending.