#synopsis

8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT – 9-1-1: “D.I.Y.” (914)

Forbidden: The Art of Domination

The thoughts of a dominant man are a law of nature unapologetic, raw, and absolute. There is no room for hesitation or pretense, only the primal urge to possess, to command, to unravel a submissive's every defense until she is laid bare not just in body, but in soul. He thrives on the ache of control, the way her breath hitches when his voice drops low, the shiver that runs through her when his fingers tighten around her throat. It's not cruelty; it's clarity. The clarity of knowing exactly what she needs, even when she resists. Every spank is a punctuation mark in the story of her surrender. Every command is a promise: You are safe here, because you are mine. In his mind, there is no forbidden only the unspoken truth of desire, waiting to be claimed.

His greatest power lies not in taking, but in withholding his own release becoming the ultimate tool of her pleasure. He watches her with predatory patience as she trembles on the edge, every fiber of her being screaming for the climax he denies them both. The ache in his balls is a testament to his mastery, a physical reminder that her pleasure is his truest purpose. He measures her responses the arch of her back, the desperate sounds she makes, the way her eyes plead when she's gagged these are the metrics that guide him. His cock throbs with need, but he channels that energy into precision, into prolonging her ecstasy until she's nothing but sensation and surrender.

The neurochemical cascade of her submission is his reward endorphins, dopamine, and oxytocin flooding her system as she enters subspace, that euphoric state where pain blurs into pleasure and thought dissolves into pure feeling. He orchestrates this symphony of sensation with the skill of a conductor, knowing when to intensify the stimulation and when to grant her a moment's respite. His control over his own desire for release is his greatest skill a discipline honed through practice and devotion. While lesser men would succumb to their animal urges, he rises above them, transforming his restraint into her liberation.

In the moments when she's bound and helpless, when he's pushed her past every limit she thought she had, she finds a strange freedom the release from responsibility, from decision-making, from the weight of her own desires. This is the paradox of power: in surrendering control completely, she gains a new kind of agency. He understands this truth intimately. His dominance is not about breaking her will but about creating a space where she can safely explore the depths of her submission without reservation or shame.

After the scene, when she's trembling and spent, he holds her with the same reverence with which he commanded her. His aftercare is as meticulous as his control wrapping her in warmth, whispering praises, tending to her body as if it were sacred. This is where the true intimacy lies not in the acts themselves, but in the profound trust that makes them possible. He knows that the power she gives him freely is the most precious gift he'll ever receive, and he guards it fiercely even as he uses it to push her further than anyone else could.

This is for everyone wondering if you should step into this hehe. I'd say plenty of spoilers but honestly none that aren't already out there - the very first 10 minute trailer basically covered all the milestone scenes from start to end LOL.

1. General

Adapted from a danmei novel of the same name written by 弄简 Nong Jian. The novel is hosted free to read on JJWXC and features the two main leads Sheng Shaoyou and Hua Yong on the cover with their baby :D I've loosely scanned through the novel so this rec is based on the drama more than the novel.

And yes the full and official English title of this is ABO Desire, not Desire the Series — just bringing this up as a note when you do searches here and anywhere else, especially on Google or X/Twitter as each is being used as much as the other.

Total 16 episodes, with first 3 released on July 12, and 1 episode released every subsequent Saturday at 8PM (GMT+8) on iQiyi International, Youku International, GagaooLala and YouTube on Durian Culture (although on YouTube seems like they'll be releasing slower than the other platforms). There are subs accordingly, but reliability of subs depends. Youku's one is rather atrocious imo.

How did this air you ask? So the restrictions still exist, but Nong Jian the author is currently the director as well for the show and has apparently signed all cast members under her own company and I assume took production overseas as well among other arrangements. According to the first Weibo post, they're also forgoing profits from the initial release so that the Chinese platforms (albeit international versions) would be willing to air it.

There's some backstory with the author as well - I won't go into details but you can prolly find something on Twitter as a post there blew up. Yes I'm aware of the whole thing and I'm trying to— I don't know what to think of it LOL, and if you're avoiding this because of that, completely, 100% valid. BUT IN ANY CASE — Nong Jian is not only author, director, but also one of the OST singers; when they said DIY, she said yes and what's next :D Side tidbit is that she's also very close to Shui Qian Cheng, the danmei author of all the famed 188 gongs, who is also one of the only other authors out there who've had her own 'controversial' toxic romances filmed.

Official accounts on X/Twitter: ABO_Desire / Durian Culture

2. Synopsis/Summary

Hua Yong, a beautiful, delicate man who's the bastard son to a rich businessmen has returned to the country under an alias and has his eyes set on Sheng Shaoyou, the heir to Sheng Fang Corporations, an S-class alpha who's only ever dated pretty, delicate omegas who have those doe-like eyes. Hua Yong first kidnaps ALL of Sheng Shaoyou's exes to find out what the man's type is, then decides to masquerade as this exact type — a helpless, omega in distress who always needs someone strong to step in and save him.

He engineers various chance meetings with Sheng Shaoyou — some with the help of his friend Shen Wenlang, who's CEO to Sheng Shaoyou's rival company. Sheng Shaoyou is forced to witness Hua Yong fall into various trouble and has to help him out of it, and his interest is piqued. Typical of a domineering CEO who's also a strong alpha, he begins to court Hua Yong in a push-and-pull game in typical fashion — helping Hua Yong avoid his assailant, offering his house to Hua Yong when the man's 'chased' out of his small dingy apartment, taking him to high-profile meetings with rich people, some of which are Sheng Shaoyou's friends, watching Hua Yong get bullied then saving him after... And the likes. The list goes on. He truly falls for Hua Yong and is ready to move on to the next step but...

What he doesn't know is that Hua Yong is an Enigma, the alpha of alphas — and this little manipulative, weak-looking flower is the one on the hunt. With every move, he traps Sheng Shaoyou even further into the relationship while creating the impression that they'd be an AO couple. An incident exposes Hua Yong, and Sheng Shaoyou, betrayed, decides to have nothing to do with him, but Hua Yong is nothing but persistent. Trap him once, and he'll definitely be able to trap Sheng Shaoyou a second time, this time willingly, and if he can manage it, they'll have a child of their own, born by Sheng Shaoyou, of course.

On the other end, we have Shen Wenlang, who due to his past has an aversion to relationships and omegas, and has worked with Gao Tu, his secretary, for years. They used to go to the same school, and Gao Tu fell in love with him there, but Shen Wenlang has never noticed all this time. Omega Gao Tu has also been masquerading as a beta because he realises how much Shen Wenlang hates omegas, and he's prepared to just quietly stay at his side under this pretense, only for his dream to be shattered when they have a fevered roll in the sheets, but Shen Wenlang doesn't remember who he slept with. What's worse is Gao Tu realising after that he's pregnant, and Shen Wenlang, answering an out-of-place question, says that if he were in the same position and faced with an unknown kid he'd ask for it to be aborted. Cue Gao Tu giving up for the sake of his baby finally, and there begins Shen Wenlang's years-long journey in trying to (1) figure out that Gao Tu is an omega (2) that he likes Gao Tu (3) that he's going to love any kid as long as it's Gao Tu.

3. Characters Profiles

Hua Yong: An ethereally gorgeous Enigma who looks a lot like a standard Omega, and who uses his looks to his advantage. He's the secret big shareholder of X holdings, and the bastard son that Sheng Shaoyou wants to meet so he can get an upper hand over his rival company. He plays a good game - no matter if he's domineering or playing pitiful, his soft buttery voice truly is music to one's ears. He's master manipulator, incredibly cunning and is willing to risk everything just to get Sheng Shaoyou, including pretending he has an ailing sister who needs surgery and thus he needs to work odd jobs and be bullied to get money, that he's someone who is prone to tears, that he's very obedient and soft-spoken etc. After Sheng Shaoyou finds out that Hua Yong has been leading him on with a fake persona, Hua Yong persists — nothing will stand in the way of him and Sheng Shaoyou, and Sheng Shaoyou bearing his children for him.

Sheng Shaoyou: A standard, dashing and handsome alpha who's a domineering CEO, who's used to throwing money at problems to make them all go away. Cold, aloof and hard to approach, he falls for Hua Yong, who seems to have an 'affinity' with him (ahem Hua Yong's various engineered meetings), and who's also exactly the type he likes. He looks down on illegitimate children (before he realises Hua Yong is one too) because his half brother, who's an illegitimate child, creates a lot of trouble for him and is an enemy. His half brother is out to ruin him, even going as far as to get people to destroy Sheng Shaoyou's alpha gland (but Hua Yong arrives in time to save him). He might give off big dick energy but the moment Hua Yong draws near and touches him he becomes all putty and jelly LOL. Ends up willingly having Hua Yong's child, whose nickname is Little Peanut. AND YES HE IS THE BOTTOM EVEN THO HE DOESN'T LOOK IT.

Shen Wenlang: Has trauma from his alpha dad and omega dad, the latter of whom died a few years back, and is the source of him hating all omegas. Another standard domineering, toxic CEO alpha but with an even more toxic dad LOL, and he definitely has some feelings for Gao Tu but he doesn't realise it until way after Gao Tu has resigned and left him. It takes Hua Yong, who he kind of is a subordinate and friend to, reminding him that his one-night stand was with Gao Tu that he realises he doesn't want to lose Gao Tu, but by then it's too late, as the man manages to hide from him for more than 3 years after. It also takes him so damn long to realise after that Gao Tu is an omega too, and that they have a child together. In the end, Shen Wenlang's omega dad returns from the dead, and he realises that his omega dad and his alpha dad aren't actually on any bad, resentful terms at all. In fact, they're more than happy to be reunited after so many years (and the drama), and part of Shen Wenlang is healed from that. Afterwards, he has to grovel and etc. back into Gao Tu's good graces, and ends up moving in next to Gao Tu and their kid, trying to make the moves on Gao Tu bit by bit. Ends up also being Little Peanut's godfather.

Gao Tu: An omega who LITERALLY LOOKS DELICIOUS ENOUGH TO BE AN ALPHA, masquerades as a beta to stay by Shen Wenlang's side, but is hurt by Shen Wenlang at every turn. He suffers through his heats alone and often on suppressants. Has a shitty dad who only wants money from him and thought him to be useless as he's an omega, and later (in the novel) the dad tries to sell him and his unborn baby to his loan sharks to repay a debt (but he's saved). Leaves Shen Wenlang after asking him what he'd do hypothetically if someone he slept with got pregnant and Shen Wenlang says he'd ask the person to abort, and so to keep the kid, Gao Tu leaves and hides, afraid also that Sheng Wenlang would come after in vengeance after realising he's been lying to him for years about him being a beta, and for carrying his child. In the 3 years he's hiding away, he's courted by another alpha who helps him out alot and has feelings for him, but he rejects him firmly. Accepts Shen Wenlang much much later after Shen Wenlang finally uses his damn mouth to say that he has always liked him, and that he likes an omega if that omega is Gao Tu, and he likes the child he'll have if Gao Tu is the omega dad.

4. Reasons Why You Should Watch

(1) Everyone's face cards — like damn I haven't seen everyone in a bl drama look so perfectly fine in years. EVERYONE!!!!

(2) Secretary Gao's face card and him being just SO DAMN PITIFUL FOR REAL BUT ALSO SO STRONG IN HIS UNREQUITED LOVE BUT ALSO DID YOU HAVE TO RUN SO FAR

(3) Hua Yong being the green tea bitch and manipulation expert I LOVE IT

(4) Sheng Shaoyou and Shen Wenlang rivalry but argh boys you both end up as comrades anyway come on

(5) Hua Yong switching it up between his "oh look at me i'm about to faint i'm so pitiful" look and his "so you wanna play with fire, huh?" vibes

(6) Shen Wenlang having to help the madman that's Hua Yong he's like WHY DO I HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS TO HELP YOU DATE YOUR MAN AND THAT MAN IS MY RIVAL TOO FUCK YOU but he can't because Hua Yong has bigger balls than him so

(7) The representation of the ABO dynamics and world-building - I have to say they really did do a well-done job of fleshing out the world-building with backstories, and also things like toilets, hospitals etc., and everyone just talks about alpha beta omega like normal and you're like OH WOW ok we're really going for this huh. And we all read when alphas etc. use their pheromones to overpower someone else and I mean the special effects aren't over the top, which I appreciate. And the symbols on everyone's hands too.

(8) Oh and I forgot to mention that - it's completely uncensored. So while I doubt we're getting too explicit a scene, they're really already going there with like briefs out and all so HMM yup MPREG YEAH

The Town Beyond the Woods

A happily never after upcoming interactive fiction.

When your grandfather dies, you return to the town of Briarmere for the first time in over twenty years. Nestled beyond ancient woods and hidden beneath layers of folklore, the town seems unchanged by time. The people are strange. The traditions stranger. And the house Arthur Whitlock leaves behind is filled with secrets he never intended to explain. As you settle into your inheritance, you’re forced to confront a question that followed you home: why did your grandfather spend a lifetime trying to keep you away?

In Briarmere, fairy tales are more than stories. The mayor bears the shadow of an Evil Queen. A huntsman keeps watch over the town. Wolves roam the woods. Princes charm crowds. Fairies whisper blessings. For generations, these stories have shaped the people who live here, guiding their destinies toward endings they never chose. Some embrace their roles. Others fight them. All are bound by them.

But when Aurora Briar—the town’s beloved Sleeping Beauty—is found brutally attacked in the woods on the day of Arthur’s funeral, Briarmere’s fragile balance begins to unravel. As ancient magic awakens and old stories threaten to repeat themselves, you’ll discover the truth Arthur died protecting. As the last heir to a forgotten line of Storykeepers, your choices will decide whether stories are preserved, rewritten… or destroyed forever.

I’m crying this episode gonna be so bad like Astruc let Chloe go😭