Don’t you just hate it when you’re reading fluffy slice-of-life romance and the author takes a decision that completely ruins everything? I have a couple of dealbreakers for a formerly fluffy series, mainly physical or sexual abuse from one of the romantic partners – i.e. no more rapey CEOs/princes allowed. Also if the side characters are too annoying, like those in-laws with the endless face-slappping scenes, that gets tiresome if it drags on too long with the same characters. But in general I try to be pretty forgiving because I realize most web novel authors are amateurs. If I like the characters and they behave well, that’s enough.
Well, now I guess I have to add new dealbreakers to the list: kids butting into the romance from nowhere. I already mentioned that I don’t like the “little bun” kind of character in Chinese romances, with the preternaturally smart and precocious son (almost always son) of one/more of the main characters being obnoxious and getting in the way all the time.
In Raising Babies in the 70s (七零海岛养娃日常) it’s even worse than that. The kids are basically foisted on the main couple before they can even start their new life together.
Long intro, but here’s the series summary at last:
Qin Rou was a kindergarten teacher with a soft personality. After dying while protecting a chlid, she transmigrated into an arrogant and coquettish female supporting character whose personality was opposite of hers.
Meanwhile, the ill-tempered Lu Yan, from a good family background, had made great contributions and was about to be sent to a certain island. His parents wanted to marry him off ASAP, but every girl who went on a blind date with him returned crying.
To give him a lesson, his father said bluntly, “Choose a girl with the fiercest character for him!”
And so Qin Rou and Lu Yan went on a blind date together. Qin Rou returned from blind date with red swollen eyes as well.
But just a few days later, news came that after just one meeting, they had agreed to marry each other? (summarized from Novelupdates)
If you like the “arranged marriage” and “cold guy being softened up” tropes, and we all do, don’t lie, this is right up your alley. And so indeed, through an amusing misunderstanding (read it yourself), Lu Yan and Qin Rou end up deciding to get married, and they set off on a train to Lu Yan’s new posting.
So far, so great and fluffy, right? Lu Yan was smitted at first sight and just keeps falling deeper and deeper in love (just as we like). Meanwhile Qin Rou has her reasons for wanting to leave her job, but she doesn’t think he’s so bad. We’re all set for a lovey-dovey romance with some face-slapping here and there, maybe a rival or two. Y’know, the usual delicious formula.
BUT NOPE. Enter the Children. For some bizarre, stupid, ill thought-out, needless, senseless reason, the author decides to have Qin Rou’s four year-old nephew (one of those “‘autistic” but magically cured by the female lead” kids. Yes, there’s more than one. Oh you have no idea) and Lu Yan’s nephew insist on accompanying them to their new home on the tropical island of Hainan. The kids aren’t even in abusive situations or orphans or anything. Some random excuses are made and then presto, two strangers are butting in on our budding romance.
And not just butting in to sit quietly by, Lu Yan’s nephew is loud, ill-mannered and obnoxious, completely unbearable. Both kids are bound to make complete nuisances of themselves. Or I assume they are, because after two chapters of the kids, when it became clear the author wasn’t going to send them back, I threw in the towel.
Especially since Qin Rou confesses in chapter 24 that part of the reason why she brought her nephew along was because she didn’t feel comfortable being alone with Lu Yan. A child is not a prop! If you’re that uncomfortable with him, adding a kid to a potentially dangerous situation is not the solution.
But anyway, as I said, I try to cut these authors a bit of slack because they’re amateurs. And furthermore, an author has a right to write the story they want to write, just as a reader has the right to read the story they want to read. If the author of the Raising Babies in the ’70s novel wants to write about two newlyweds becoming instant parents, well, there’s an audience for that, I’m sure.
… … … and so I wrote all that, and prepared to conclude and hit “Publish.” But then I thought I was remembered some details wrong, so I decided to re-read a bit of it to refresh my memory. And so I read, and read, and read, past where I originally quit (chapter 24) all the way up to chapter 60.
For the sake of full honesty, let me say that the kids don’t turn out to be as much of an issue as I had expected. Lu Yan quickly puts his annoying nephew in his place, and Qin Rou’s nephew might as well not exist for all the presence he has. However the kids are still good at fulfilling their purpose of preventing the romance from developing too quickly just by being there and stopping the newlyweds from getting too frisky. They also serve as an excuse for Qin Rou to show what a wonderful kindergarten teacher she was, and… that’s about it.
Secondly, Qin Rou is a bit of a Mary Sue (sooo beautiful and her voice is sooo nice) but not to excessive levels. In particular her cooking isn’t that great and she’s not very hardworking. Most “back to the 60s/70s/80s” series… in fact, most Chinese romances have the woman as this amazing, world-shatteringly good cook (e.g. My Fantastic Chef Wife) whose food can melt the hearts of gods. Qin Rou is good, but not that good, and her husband can cook quite well too. So that makes this a bit bearable compared to some of the others.
Despite all that, I didn’t feel like reading past chapter 60 because the main characters weren’t that compelling. I’ve read too many of these romance series, and honestly, too peaceful is just as bad as too dramatic. Lu Yan is from a wealthy family, has a ton of savings and has accommodation provided, so basically the family never has to worry about anything because they’re rich.
He’s also a rising officer in a military barrack setting, so few people are willing to mess with him and his family because it will harm their own careers. It’s not like most other series where the lead character has to scrimp and save to feed her family, manage finances, clean up her little hovel, etc. The bulk of the series is even set on a beautiful tropical island with coconuts, papayas, abundant seafood, etc everywhere.
Basically Raising Babies in the ’70s is a little sweet and is very low-drama, perfect if you’re into that kind of thing. But due to the kids, the overly generous setting, and Lu Yan’s personality and job, you don’t get that much fluffy interaction between the two romantic leads. It’s a very bland, but inoffensive series. Read if you have nothing better to do or really, really like this kind of series, but don’t expect too much.
