#chou-u

[neo--queen--serenity]

Cockblocked again

[meowmeowsabortionclinic]

It's kind of a shame LN5 gets so much focus on its later chapters, because Maomao's state of mind in the first part is chilling and intriguing.

All alone, no palace friends to balance her out, Luomen's compassionate influence gone, Maomao ends up back in her office at the Verdigris House and comfortably finds herself just-above-bottom class. For the first time since coming "home," she actually has a little power and security. But poverty hovers around her.

And she is soberingly pragmatic about it. Even to the point of cruelty against kids who really aren't doing anything more than being "annoying" to her, like Chou-u and Zulin's Sister.

I think a lot of people feel suffering should make you a better person, even if they say they don't believe that. What they DO say is; "If you've been in poverty, you should know how bad it is!" or "As a survivor of abuse, they ought to know how terrible it feels!"

But that's not really how trauma works. It's healing and finding support networks that teach you how to be better than what was done to you-- things that Maomao really does not have at this moment.

And to make it worse, I think it's clear she's struggling with bereavement. She believes Shisui/Tamamo is dead. She is not introspective enough to identify her feelings and grieve, though.

So... she takes out her turmoil on the people she CAN, justifying her cruelty to herself as "a hard dose of reality."

It's more than just how she responds to Chou-u when he's angry the Madame is putting a tax on his art business; it's how she's quietly triumphant when Chou-u is shocked to tears by the syphilitic sex worker outside the window.

It's more than the way she's angry at Sazen for petty thievery and selling a priceless book; it's how she doesn't care at all about the way a man who helped her twice is filthy and emaciated, launching into leveraging blackmail about his identity to find the book before Ukyou suggests giving him a meal.

It's more than the way she removes Zulin from her abusive home when her drunkard father can't pay; it's putting her sister into medical debt by letting her believe she would have forced that kid into the Verdigris House.

(And that's me being charitable. I don't think Maomao would have followed through on that-- but Zulin's Sister didn't know that. Assuming that this isn't one of Kevin's translation errors, ofc.)

LN5's early chapters feel like a glimpse of a world where Maomao could become like the Madame; bitter and miserly. It even seems like the Web Novels are pointing at the idea that this period in Maomao's life might have created consequences she'll be regretting soon.

[tri-repetae-knh]

Maomao's Character Development (LN16)

Chuelie Sheen isn't real she can't hurt you

[h0estar]

okay but can we just appreciate my baby?!?!!! chou-u's been through a lot (lost his family and memories and is paralyzed on one side) but look at him still living life happily as a normal kid should 🥹 that little squeal he did was so cute ughh 😭 i know he interrupted jinmao's moment now but he makes up for it soon!!! this boy is my child and i will protect him from anything!! >:(((

[shriekingselkie]

Reading the first half of LN 5 and HOWLING at how Maomao’s first instinct is giving Chou-u a noogie in practically any situation. Being bad? Catch this hand ya little brat! Meanwhile he’s just giggling and bugging her again 5 minutes later. She is such a sister and a mother at once.

[emerdoodls]

idk apothecary diaries doodles bc i'm turning suirei around in my brain

some of the colors r weird and the quality got nerfed but whateverrrr maybe i'll draw them again but better

[animanga-stuff]

Chou-u from The Apothecary Diaries

Requested by anon

[el0wyn]

They better not have just gotten me attached to this boy just to kill him off