I've been reading Wait For Me After School / ζΎε¦ηζ by Jiang Zi Bei / ι
±εθ΄ (translated by KK Translates) this week 
I haven't tooted about it even though I'm past half of it by now, but I've been enjoying it!
This will be my (probably quite small) thread about this book π
Translation -> https://kktranslates.home.blog/2022/11/28/wait-for-me-after-school-by-%e9%85%b1%e5%ad%90%e8%b4%9d/
#danmei #WaitForMeAfterSchool #ζΎε¦ηζ #JiangZiBei #ι ±εθ΄ #KKTranslates
Even though I've really liked both books that I've read from Jiang Zi Bei (I Can Do It & Guide on How to Fail at Online Dating), I for some reason didn't have very high expectations for this one.
First of all, it wasn't an esport-centered novel, and the (very brief) author summary didn't give me much to cling on.
So I started reading it very casually, but now I have to admit I'm pretty into it!
I like the characters (especially the MC!), the dynamics and the incoming drama I feel is about to drop.
I'll see as it continues (I'm around 65%) but so far I've been happily surprised!
π vague chapter spoiler warning because I'm going to talk a bit about what I've read so far
I had grown a bit bored of JZB's MCs & MLs always being super rich and spending fortunes on each other, so I was very happy to see that this time, the MC is actually poor!
And while the ML is very rich, it's much more used as him being in a gilded cage, with a tiger mother using her wealth to watch his every move (hired help in the house reporting on his actions & security cameras installed everywhere including his bedroom).
Both the MC and ML have very difficult family / living situations despite their extremely different backgrounds, which I find interesting to follow.
I'm not super into the "green tea top student" trope (the ML), but the tsundere delinquent (MC) is 100% my jam, and I did grow attached to the ML little by little π
Oh, and I really like that the MC doesn't care if people know he's gay or not.
He's worried about people finding out the ML is gay, because he's scared for his reputation and the consequences etc, but when he's alone with strangers he will casually say his partner is a guy and I love that for him π₯
I reaaaally love Zhang Xiangjing !!
I didn't pay much attention to her in the beginning but she very quickly grew on me!
A super badass girl in the delinquent group - and a fujoshi to boot ahah π
Plus, even though at least one guy has a crush on her, it's not a constant annoying stream of "she's the only girl in the group so everybody's hitting on her" - actually especially in the beginning she's the one doing most of the hitting on x)
Also I caught that early I Can Do It reference!! Loved to see Soft's blue hair in passing 
So, now I know the drama is about to drop (/ has lowkey already started).
Thankfully their teacher catching them didn't lead to anything bad.
I was happy with how she handled the situation - like how she decided to not tell the parents, etc.
I quite like this teacher I think, she seems to wish the best for her students and to worry about them in a caring way.
But of course it's heavily implied that Yu Fan's dad told Chen Jingshen's mum about the relationship between their sons, and the mum is losing her mind and amping up the controlling moves to the max.
And because of all the recent changes, the boys are seeing much less often and I think they're both starting to question the real strength of their relationship.
Ahhhh I'm sorry and scared for them, but I know things will end happily so I have to trust!
What I'm expecting & wondering for now (I'm in the middle of this chapter, just as Chen Jingshen cancelled the birthday date).
1) I'm not sure if CJS's mother will confront him about his relationship. I'm a bit scared she's going to try to push him in either an arranged relationship, or send him abroad or do something very dramatic to separate him from Yu Fan...
2) I'm scared the boys won't communicate properly and especially that Yu Fan will think CJS is abandoning him / realized he's trash and would be better off with someone else (especially if the mum does end up introducing a girl). Knowing Yu Fan, he would just clam up and completely refuse communication if something like this happens...
3) I'm actually wondering if Yu Fan will ever contact his own mother? Clearly the mum cared for him (eg. only stopping to visit Yu Fan in secret when the dad threatened to beat his kid up if that ever happened again), so I wish they could reunite, but who knows...
4) I'm also waiting for all their friends to find out, because I'm pretty sure their shock will be hilarious and it will just be heartwarming (given how this kind of situation was treated in previous JZB works)
The level of angst in previous JZB's novels has been perfect for me: there are stakes and tension, but we know the happy ending won't take too long to come, so I hope this will also be the case here!
Oof, the angst is really getting to me, I wasn't expecting it to be so violent...
Yu Fan why did you do this ahhhhhh πππ
I already had tears in my eyes earlier but I lost it when they casually revealed that it's been at least SIX YEARS?! Are you kidding me π
Ahhhhhh I hope the angst will calm down soon I can't take this π
ZHANG XIANJING MVP MY GIRL I KNEW YOU WERE AMAZING GO GET HIM!!!!!!
Oh man I really wonder how things will go from here ahhhhhh ππ
In the end, the angst was very rough but the resolution was satisfying!
I really liked their reunion (the whole "yes I have a boyfriend... but he left 6 years ago" scene was way too good!) and their friends coming over and finding out everything!
The end was maybe a bit long for me - not sure why exactly, but I just wasn't into seeing so much of Chen Jingshen's worklife and such. Not a huge problem but it kind of dragged on a novel which until then had a pretty good rhythm throughout.
I would say it was my least favorite out of Jiang Zi Bei's novels, but I still enjoyed it and would recommend it π
Ikol π₯