In this episode, @artbyarlo and @wrtnbypaying discuss Spirit Pact.
The anime Spirit Pact centers around the soul pact between Keika, a destitute ghost, and Ki, a powerful exorcist. Their relationship starts with a contractual, master and weapon relationship, that transforms into a profound emotional codependency. Together, they discover that their survival and the strength of their spiritual power depend on mutual trust and a deep emotional connection.
As the heir to a renowned but burdened exorcist lineage, Ki shoulders heavy expectations, familial duty, and the harsh realities that come with his power. Keika becomes his emotional anchor, guiding him through the isolation of his responsibilities and helping him reconnect with his own humanity and desires.
The anime frequently blurs the boundary between life and death. True "humanity" is measured by compassion and emotional bonds. In each other, they find that humanity, a rare treasure they cherish above all else.
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Arlo (@artbyarlo): This is one of those mangakas that you read any she puts out just because itâs so pretty. Itâs a wonderful experience to just witness the art, story aside. Then the story is also very moving. In the same way, the art is very romantic; the story is so romantic â it hyper-realizes the romance.
Pa Ying (@wrtnbypaying): (On the topic) of illustration, in this story, they talk about the eyes a lot.
Arlo: Oh yeah, and itâs stunning! For both of our protagonists, their eyes are just so stunning, and they capture so much emotion, and so much of the story doesnât even need to be literally written. Itâs about being seen.
Arlo: Not only is this really cute and sweet, but itâs the way that both of these men are validated in their masculinity. They are allowed emotions and very deep emotions. Theyâre allowed to have that, and have that together, and be seen having that experience, and itâs beautiful.
Pride Bonus Episode: Finding community, yourself, and love.
About the Manga:
Until I Meet My Husband is the memoir of gay activist Ryousuke Nanasaki and the first religiously recognized same-sex marriage in Japan. This manga is a stunning adaptation of Japanese gay activist Ryousuke Nanasakiâs original novel of essays, which follows his historic life story.
From school crushes and awkward dating sites to finding a community, this collection of stories recounts the authorâs many âfirstsâ as a young gay man searching for love. Dating is rarely simpleâespecially for Ryousuke, whose journey is marked by heartbreak and setbacks. Yet with perseverance and time, even the deepest wounds of the heart can heal.
Ryousuke Nanasaki is a prominent Japanese LGBTQIA+ activist, author, and entrepreneur. Born in Hokkaido, Japan, in 1987, he received national attention by holding Japanâs first religiously recognized same-sex wedding ceremony at a Buddhist temple in 2016. As the founder of Juerias, an LGBTQIA+ community and advocacy group, Nanasaki regularly lectures throughout Japan to advance marriage equality.
"Thereâs something so powerful in celebrating queer joy; in sharing and celebrating the moments of joy that come with being a queer person, just living your life, when there is plenty of tragedy. This felt like a very triumphant sharing of that joy. Itâs so powerful to see that queer joy. Itâs not that bad things donât happen, but itâs so important to celebrate the good ones. I loved this. It was fantastic."
- Arlo
Celebrating this day of romance, we've dropped a special bonus episode. In this episode, we talk about Surge Towards You, a sports-themed omegaverse Manhwa.
We are planning to do more of these holiday bonus episodes throughout the year and already have some planned. You can see all of those planned books on our new Bonus Reading List. All of these bonus episodes are dedicated to reading Manga and Manhwa, and will be a really fun addition to our regularly planned, monthly Danmei novel reading.
In just about a month, we're doing another one! For the first day of spring, March 20, we are dropping a discussion of Sating the Wolf, an omegaverse story about an alpha rabbit and an omega wolf.
Our regularly scheduled novel episode is still dropping on the last Thursday of this month. Join us as we discuss the next installment of Peerless.
2025 is the first year that we released episodes across the entire calendar year! We celebrated one year of this series in October, finished two novel series, and started two others.
No Longer Subtext 2025 Book Series:
The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish
Thousand Autumns
Legend of Exorcism
Peerless
We read and discussed 11 novels. We loved all of them, but three stood out.
Our Top Rated Reads:
Meng Xe Shi was our author of the year, sweeping the top three spots with our three 5-star rated novels: Thousand Autumns Vol. 2, Thousand Autumns Vol. 5, and Peerless Vol. 2.
Listen to the episodes on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Amongst all the books we will read this year, we are finishing Peerless, and we couldn't be more excited! We will also continue reading Legend of Exorcism and start Copper Coins and Thrice Married to a Salted Fish.
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Continuing our trend of reading the first two volumes of a new series back to back, we've now read volumes 1 and 2 of Peerless.
Following the climactic end of Thousand Autumns, we were thrilled to jump right into Peerless, and it did not disappoint. This novel explores a lot of themes and ideas we've dreamed about. Things like a story from the top's perspective (at least half the time), a story centered around someone who isn't a cultivator in a world surrounded by them, etc. We were also pleasantly surprised by the things we didn't know to expect from this series.
Following the first volume, Peerless by Meng Xi Shi seemed to be a fun, playful story about politics, but it takes a turn in this second installment. Interwoven with the playful banter of our leads is a story deeply rooted in capturing the ways politics, religion, and patriarchy shape the lives of women and, more broadly, the marginalized. Through Feng Xiaoâs gender-fluid presentation and the experiences of the supporting characters, the novel places gender politics firmly at its center. Side questsâranging from navigating alliances through the Khatun to uncovering a disturbing plot about a city-running organization built on the trafficking of womenâunderscore how women often endure the fallout of menâs decisions, negligence, or ambition.
[book spoilers ahead]
Meng Xi Shi excels at constructing plotlines in which victories are achieved, only to veer unexpectedly into new and more complex conflicts. Just as we settle into the satisfaction of a hard-won victory, another challenge rises to meet our leads. This pattern of almost-triumph followed by setback resonates with real-world cycles of resistance and the exhausting, ongoing fight for justice and progress.
This volume opens with Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu going undercover as a married couple, a narrative setup that once again exposes the contrasts between their personalities. These differences reveal the depth of their unspoken reliance on one another. Their bond, delicate but unmistakably strong, surpasses any trust they have built with others throughout their lives, as we see them shift and intuitively plot schemes without ever conversing beforehand. They bicker, flirt, and provoke one another with a mutual understanding that each is fully capable of meeting the other blow for blow.
Through Cui Buquâs more traditionally masculine presentation and strategic mindset, we witness the intricate nature of the societal problems they face. He recognizes that an immediate or superficial solution cannot uproot systemic issues; quick fixes often give rise to new complications. His sharp intuition and ability to âschemeâ his way through tangled political and social landscapes become essential tools not only for survival but also for enacting change within a corrupt world.
Meng Xi Shiâs characters fall broadly under the queer umbrellaâfrom the main leads to the most minor, fleeting side characters. Each is written with such intentional clarity and respect that we never need to strain for subtext; the queerness of the world is embedded and artfully integrated. This seamlessness is a rare accomplishment and a testament to Meng Xi Shiâs mastery of character, world-building, and emotional nuance.
There was no way that we could include everything we have to say about why we love this book in the podcast episode. In this month's newsletter, we expand on the discussion and talk about the allure of the opposites attract trope in Danmei. Be sure to sign up to get our next newsletter!
Thanks for listening! - @wrtnbypaying & @artbyarlo
The final volume of Meng Xi Shiâs Thousand Autumns expertly concluded the journey of Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi. We get a conclusive enemies-to-lovers story that demonstrates how two opposites can genuinely love one another without sacrificing their principles. Neither Shen Qiao nor Yan Wushi abandons their morals for the sake of romance. Instead, their individual growth makes way for their relationship to bloom amidst their independence and distinct cultivation paths.Â
[book spoilers ahead]
We discover how deeply intertwined Yan Wushi has been in Shen Qiaoâs story from the beginning. As a young teen, he fought Sect Leader Qi Fengge shortly after his discovery of Shen Qiao. After losing the battle, he promised to help Sect Leader Qi one time, which shapes the course of his and Shen Qiaoâs bond. What once seemed like a chance discovery was actually a promise fulfilled, and that fulfillment is the catalyst for Yan Wushiâs own transformationâ something that could only be achieved through his interactions with Shen Qiao.
The two leads complement each other remarkably well. While they never compromise their core beliefs, they give and take on an equal level, meeting each other on equal footing. Thus stimulating each other intellectually and emotionally. Their relationship is the epitome of maturity: each respects the otherâs independence and neither stifles the otherâs growth. They bicker, flirt, and tease within healthy boundariesâplayful, never destructive. (Though yes, Yan Wushiâs betrayal will always sting.)
The ending is not our classic âhappily ever afterâ fairytale. Instead, Meng Xi Shi shows us the lives Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi continue to lead for many years beyond the climax of the main story. Their influence on the jianghu is undeniable, yet they remain true to themselves as cultivators and sect leaders. Major and minor characters alike are given endings that feel earnedâshaped not by blind fate, but by the choices they made in response to it.Â
The romance is sincere. Acts of devotion speak louder than words, and the depth of Shen Qiao and Yan Wushiâs love resonates far more than any direct confession ever could.
This has been a phenomenal story; poignant, layered, and unforgettable. For me, it will remain my Roman Empire.
In this month's newsletter, we touch on our conversation about Yan Wushi's displays of love and affection and the significance of the dragon and phoenix as they are referenced in this novel. Be sure to sign up to get our next newsletter!
We are changing our reading list for the rest of the year. Deviating from our previous plan for the September book, we are reading Thousand Autumns Vol. 5.
Thanks for listening! - @wrtnbypaying & @artbyarlo
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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In this month's newsletter, we announced that the next book we will be reading is Thousand Autumns Vol. 4. It feels like it's been a long time since we last read about Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi, so we included links to the content we made around our last discussion about them. You can sign up for our newsletter and read past updates here!
Thanks for listening! - @wrtnbypaying & @artbyarlo
This is the first novel by Fei Tian Ye Xiang we've read for this series. And, being Pride Month, this felt like the perfect time to highlight one of his works.
After watching the donghua in 2021, this has been a very highly anticipated book for us. And it didn't disappoint! You can read Pa Ying's full book review here.
In this month's newsletter, we touch on our conversation about our thoughts on Li Jinglong, an author spotlight, and everything else Legend of Exorcism. We also announced the next book we will be reading. Be sure to sign up to get our next newsletter!
Thanks for listening! - @wrtnbypaying & @artbyarlo
This month we finished our first book series with The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish Vol. 4.
Read Pa Ying's Book Review >>
This volume rounded out all of the plotlines we'd been following since the beginning pretty quickly and gave us so much domestic fluff. And (FINALLY) a pregnant man!
We got to see Prince Jing and Li Yu grow into themselves and bring their empire prosperity and progress.
Overall, this book was a great conclusion to this very fluffy series that we've loved reading.
In this month's newsletter, we included some observations about Li Yu's personality and priorities. We also announced the next book we will be reading. Be sure to sign up to get our next newsletter!
Thanks for listening! - @wrtnbypaying & @artbyarlo
Due to some unforeseen scheduling issues, we were not able to produce the episode planned for today. So we've moved our discussion of The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish Vol 4 to next month. In the meantime, we dropped another bonus episode with an outtake from last month's discussion.
Last month we dropped our six episodeâthatâs exactly half a year!Â
Weâve been working through two series. Weâll finish The Disabled Tyrantâs Beloved Pet Fish in the next episode and start another series immediately after. Weâve updated the reading list and calendar to reflect the shifted episodes, moving our planned April release to next month. We also added some more books. As of now, we have three new series slotted before the end of the year: Legend of Exorcism, Youâve Got Mail: The Perils of Pigeon Post, and My Husband and I Sleep in a Coffin.Â
So far, weâve been reading through The Disabled Tyrantâs Beloved Pet Fish and Thousand Autumns.Â
The Disabled Tyrantâs Beloved Pet Fish episodes:
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
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We've moved our drop dates! Starting with this one, new episodes drop on the last Thursday of each month! You can find our new release schedule and see what's on our reading list here.
This month, we read the third volume of Thousand Autumns.
Read Pa Ying's Book Review >>
In this installment, we saw Shen Qiao take great strides in his cultivation and personal growth. We also gained unique insight into the complexity of Yan Wushi's character through the way he separated his personality traits into three distinct personalities.
As always, we sent out an e-newsletter to accompany this episode release. Amongst the things contained in that newsletter, we shared a chart we made breaking down the personalities of Yan Wushi. If you missed it, don't worry! You can still read the update via our newsletter archive.
Thanks for listening! - @wrtnbypaying & @artbyarlo
We are now just over halfway through reading Thousand Autumns. And while we havenât gotten to any substantial physical intimacy between Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao just yet, we have thoughts on it. While Yan Wushi is canonically the top and Shen Qiao the bottom, everything weâve seen so far really indicates that this arrangement isnât the one weâd imagine.Â
What is:
Shen Qiao has a commanding personality.Â
Yan Wushi has a praise kink.
Yan Wushi has a preference to take pleasure in receiving affection from others and is not the giving kind.
What could have been:Â
Shen Qiao is a service top.
Yan Wushi is a pillow princess.
[book spoilers ahead]
Shen Qiao is a Dom. Heâs powerful, takes up space, and can command a room like no one else. While he is the physically smaller of the two men, he is by no means the image of a petite or small man. Beyond his stature, heâs aura exceeds his physical size. Not with how he is described as someone âFew people could resist this âbe goodâ from Shen Qiao.â (Vol. 3, page 112). If this depiction of him isnât your typical top energy then what is?Â
Within the third book, Yan Wushiâs softer side is revealed in a personality referred to as Xie Ling. This personality maintains the same core traits of Yan Wushi, being paranoid and unable to trust others. The only exception to this general mistrust in others is Shen Qiao. Xie Ling trusts Shen Qiao and shows great admiration for him. Trying to travel with Yan Wushi so injured, Shen Qiao devised a plan to disguise him that involved Yan Wushi having to present as a woman. When asking Yan Wushi to do so, he asked him politely. When Yan Wushi, currently Xie Ling, is hesitant to comply and asks Shen Qiao how heâd respond to him refusing to wear womenâs clothes. When Shen Qiao explains that he doesnât really have a choice and that heâd seal his acupoints, dress him, and transport him by carriage, Yan Wushi complies. âYan Wushi lowered his lashes. âYes, Iâll wear it.ââ To which Shen Qiao called Yan Wushi a âgood boyâ (Vol. 3, page 200) and Xie Ling folded immediately. He quickly submitted to Shen Qiaoâs request to cross-dress even though ânormalâ Yan Wushi wouldâve made a big deal about it. In this scene alone, Shen Qiao really gives off Daddy energy. Making someone as powerful as Yan Wushi cave to a small compliment is no small feat. And Xie Ling is very responsive to this kind of praise.Â
Continued interactions between Shen Qiao and the alternate versions of Yan Wushi further support the idea that Shen Qiao is the dominant, commanding kind of partner and Yan Wushi is more submissive. The A-Yan personality longs for Shen Qiao to call him âA-Yan.â Initially, Shen Qiao refuses because it feels strange to do so. Given the context of their past interactions, including Yan Wushiâs betrayal, that makes sense. However, Yan Wushiâs request to be called âA-Yanâ are persistent and Shen Qiaoâs refusal to comply seems to become an intentional effort to be withholding. Shen Qiao knows exactly what he is doing to Yan Wushi by withholding this from him, and he utilizes it to direct him and maintain control in their interactions.Â
While the personalities may be split, they are all still part of Yan Wushi. Therefore, any deviation from Yan Wushiâs ânormalâ personality is still him. Thus Xie Lingâs desire for praise and affection and A-Yanâs desperation for Shen Qiaoâs attention is a byproduct of Yan Wushiâs innermost desires.
Shen Qiao is compassionate and prioritizes others over himself. Paired with his commanding demeanor, heâd be a perfect service top. The way he tended to Yan Wushi throughout his recovery on their journey? How could we not imagine him as the one in control, finding pleasure in fulfilling Yan Wushiâs desires and providing him satisfaction?Â
Yan Wushi is a Pillow Princess â˘. Heâs confident, demanding, needy, clear about his desires, and annoying in a bratty sense. His priority is his satisfaction and heâs not concerned with contributing to everyoneâs mutual enjoyment. He constantly teases Shen Qiao hoping to get a raise out of him. Yan Wushi is obsessed with Shen Qiao, and desperate for his attention. Is that not bratty bottom behavior?
There is a lot of stigma around being a bottom thanks to internalized and systemic homophobia. So, in that regard, bottoming is often seen as the âweakerâ role to those who value their very masculine self-image. And Yan Wushi is one of those guys. For someone who says he doesnât care about how others perceive him, he puts a lot of work into being the most intimidating person he can be. In short, Yan Wushi being topped would fix him. It would satiate his craving for attention and âbeing spoiledâ as much as it would âhumbleâ him.Â
Thanks for reading our rant! - @wrtnbypaying and @artbyarlo
