THE EDDIE G STORIES

/ Rich Paschall / Leave a comment

The following is the conclusion of a 5-part series that originally appeared on the SERENDIPITY website.

Chinese Eddie, Epilogue, by Rich Paschall

One of the things Marilyn mentioned to me several times over these many years is that anything can be the subject of an article. Travel, movie, and television reviews, nature, home life, and especially the truth we see around us. I don’t run out of topics. Inspiration is all around if I have the motivation to give the keyboard a workout.

Ten years ago, a YouTube video caught my attention. A twenty-two-year-old man was telling his coming-out story. It happened when he was 16, and he was beaten severely by his father as a result.  I felt the story needed to be retold. I did not try to interpret or add commentary. The story spoke for itself. “Angel Comes Out” quickly became the most-read article I contributed to this site.

After a short while, and before the item was published, I found Angel and asked if he would comment on the article. He said, “I read it, and it’s perfect. You captured the day pretty on point. I’m actually very impressed!” Obviously, I saved the correspondence.

In these times when so many things are spun and “reimagined,” it is important to tell the true stories exactly as they happened and as best we can. Garry would probably tell us that a reporter’s job is to report. It is not for us to embellish.

Recently, another YouTube video was suggested to me. The Google algorithm knows what to feed you. It records your interests and prompts videos accordingly. A true story by Chinese Eddie G was there to be played. Why was this teacher put in jail? What was it like for a gay man to be sent to the Detention center in Wuhan, China? I watched all 29 minutes and 44 seconds. I was certain it was another story that needed to be told. I had no idea what was to follow.

Eddie Gu

As I had done with Angel years earlier, I sent Eddie a Direct Message (DM) on one of his social media accounts. Approximately eight hours later, I received a response.

“Hey, Rich, thanks for writing! Yeah, you can write about me in your article.”

Over the next two months, not only did we exchange messages, but we also had 6 conversations totaling about eight hours. The story of a gay Chinese teacher being sent to jail became much more. There were other episodes of interest. There were the stories of his education and travels. There were attempts to return home to Wuhan, China, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then came the online business that got Eddie arrested and sent to a detention center.

With each conversation, there were new adventures and new questions. The more we talked, the more there was to talk about. Eddie was very thoughtful. He carefully considered the details I asked about so that the reporting would be as accurate as his memory could give me.

Although I did not want to stray into areas that would make Eddie uncomfortable, he seemed willing to tell me the whole story. No question was considered too personal or distressful. Often, we would get off track, which I blame on my random approach. Frequently, he would say things of interest that would take me into areas I did not consider in advance. In total, the conversations were very interesting. The look into life in mainland China is something we do not often get. Who do you know who is willing to honestly discuss life there?

In one of our most recent conversations, I went through a series of questions I had prepared in advance. They were written after the draft of the first three parts was finished. When Eddie answered all my questions, I read him the first draft of Part One. He said the details were accurate. The answers he gave me to my list of questions allowed me to go back through the next three posts to check for accuracy. We hope you found the stories interesting and informative.

Since his release from the detention center, Eddie’s life has improved. His online following on Instagram and TikTok has rapidly increased. His videos are entertaining as well as educational. He has over 18 thousand followers on Instagram, up from just two thousand a few months ago. His TikTok following has grown to over twenty thousand. He also has 20 students who study Mandarin Chinese with him.

“And all of the things I mentioned above only happened within 2 months! Because I just got released from prison in Sep. this year. So I’m so pumped. ” – Eddie G, Dec. 25

See also: Chinese Eddie Travels The World, Part One, Sunday Night Blog, February 1, 2026.
Chinese Eddie Goes Home, Chinese Eddie Travels The World, Part Two, Sunday Night Blog, February 4, 2026.
Chinese Eddie Goes To Jail, Chinese Eddie, Part 3, Sunday Night Blog, February 8, 2026.
A Gay Man In A Chinese Jail, Chinese Eddie, Part 4, Sunday Night Blog, February 11, 2026.

A GAY MAN IN A CHINESE JAIL

/ Rich Paschall / 1 Comment

The following first appeared last year on the SERENDIPITY website.

The Detention Center, Chinese Eddie, part 4, by Rich Paschall

“My world collapsed, and I literally thought I was gonna die in jail because of the horrible things and cruel environment happened in jail, especially as a gay guy who’s locked up with 25 other straight guys in the same cell.” – Eddie G

After Eddie was arrested and handcuffed at the apartment he shared with his mother, he was taken to the local detention center. He had been living the good life due to his successful private business. It was that business that got Eddie in trouble. Nothing could prepare a human being for the detention that was to follow.

He was locked in a room with 25-26 prisoners. The inmates may have committed all sorts of crimes. They were all housed together waiting for their trials or serving out their time. You might be able to get bail for some crimes, but that would probably involve carefully placed bribes. Although Eddie’s parents paid a lawyer a lot of money, he was unable to arrange bail.

If you were “lucky,” you would sleep on wooden boards raised from the floor. Eddie and others had to sleep on the marble floor. The floor where Eddie slept was often wet. That’s because it was near the toilet and sink. There actually was no toilet; it was a hole in the floor, and the smell was bad. Water might splash from the sink and get tracked around the room. Eddie started developing leg pains from the harsh conditions.

Inmates had to go to bed at 9:30 PM. They were up by 6:30. During the night, two inmates would have to stand guard, one on each side of the room in two-hour shifts. The officials claimed it was a “Suicide Watch” to make sure everyone was safe at night. The conditions were so severe that some may have thought about suicide. The main reason may have been to torture inmates. This “guard duty” meant you could not sleep through the night. The prison ward had a cell door, and guards passing by could always look in.

Eddie was assigned guard duty for about half the days each month. Sleeping through the night the other days was not easy because he was lying on a marble floor. There was also the noise of two people being awakened every two hours to take their shifts.

Some did not have to serve on these shifts. There was a boss on the ward. The boss probably arranged for the guards to be bribed so he would get preferential treatment. A few others seemed to get treated well, too. Money talks and could buy favors and snacks.

The Boss and a few bullies were to be feared, like any prison. You had to do what they said. Staying out of their way was almost impossible because they were housed in one large room.

Eddie tells his story.

Eddie’s crimes and private life became known. The “Boss” interrogated him in front of others. He had to answer as if the personal questions did not bother him. He felt, however, that the whole point was to humiliate him in front of other inmates.  Some did not like to be housed with a gay man.

In the morning, the guard came to check on them, and everyone had to say “Hello, officer,” like in a military-style camp. Then they would count off. The last would report the number and that all were present and accounted for.

Food came three times a day in a giant bowl of hot rice and “vegetables.” Eddie claimed the vegetables looked more like old vegetable leaves that were already turning yellow. It certainly was not nutrition. Each had his own plastic bowl in his ward for when the rice was passed out. Eddie weighed 78 kilos (approx. 172 pounds) when he went to the detention house and 61 kilos (134 pounds) when he was released.

All the inmates, except for the Boss and a few others, had tasks to perform. They had to clean the dishes—each had his own bowl marked. They also had to clean the toilet area, mop the floor, and do the laundry. Small plastic stools were available for sitting outside and using in the room. Eddie cleaned and stacked those.

The outside area had bars along the top. Eddie found this convenient for hanging and organizing the laundry. It was important to do your assigned jobs well. You did not want to find out the consequences if you did not.

Eddie, December 2024

The only visitors the inmates could see were their lawyers. Others were not allowed. You could only call your lawyer. Other calls were not allowed. Your lawyer probably could not help you very much, unless he was spreading around bribe money. Some would be afraid to do this. Being caught offering bribes could land you in the detention house. Eddie’s lawyer failed to do much more than pass messages to his family.

The few who bribed guards could get snacks and personal items like shampoo and toothpaste. When top officials ordered a surprise inspection, the boss would usually be tipped off so they could get rid of the items. This was to protect the corrupt guards as well as the inmates of that ward.

Eddie pleaded guilty to get a sentence of 7 months. He would have been found guilty and given 10 months if he had not. He suffered through inhuman conditions, but at least he was not sent away to a Chinese prison, where he likely would have encountered much worse.

See also: Chinese Eddie Travels The World, Part One, Sunday Night Blog, February 1, 2026.
Chinese Eddie Goes Home, Chinese Eddie Travels The World, Part Two, Sunday Night Blog, February 4, 2026.
Chinese Eddie Goes To Jail, Chinese Eddie, Part 3, Sunday Night Blog, February 8, 2026.

CHINESE EDDIE GOES TO JAIL

/ Rich Paschall / 2 Comments

The following first appeared last year on the SERENDIPITY website.

“You must know why we are here.”
Chinese Eddie, Part 3 by Rich Paschall

When Eddie finally made it home to Wuhan in the early days of the Coronavirus outbreak, much of the city was under lockdown. He gave up the apartment where he taught English lessons. He was not doing business in Mandarin Chinese lessons online. How was he to make a living in a city under severe restrictions? Eddie and his mother were faced with a serious financial problem.

Eddie noticed on X (formerly Twitter) that some Chinese men posted revealing pictures and videos. Some were making money by selling photos and videos of themselves in the nude. It would certainly be an easy business to try. All you needed was your phone and a little patience to edit. Eddie decided to give it a try.

“It’s a really hard story for me to tell because it’s not something I’m proud of.” – Eddie  

 

Like every business, you have to have a gimmick. Eddie started a Twitter account as a “suited guy.” He posted pictures of himself in suits. Then, in various stages of undress. Before long, there were very revealing pictures. The photos were strategically staged not to show everything. He also blurred his face in all pictures and videos.

If you wanted to see more, you needed to pay a fee. He did not want to deal with pictures that could easily be shared. You could get a video of Eddie wearing the type of face mask people wore because of the virus. That was 14 to 15 dollars. You could also pick out 2 of 8 videos with no mask for about 75 dollars. The videos were 30 to 50 minutes.

Soon, Eddie was doing well. His X account had reached 260 thousand followers, of which 80 to 90 percent were Chinese. Suggestive poses on X and short video clips had brought big business.

Eddie did not collaborate with others in his videos. They were just Eddie entertaining himself, so to speak. There is a big business in photos and short videos on websites like OnlyFans and others. Why not do the same privately? “What was the harm?” Eddie thought.

Life was good. The money was coming in from his videos and other products. He was going to the gym and following a skincare routine. He could afford good clothes, good food, and good times. When the pandemic restrictions began to ease up, he could travel again.  From late 2020 until early 2024, Eddie was enjoying life.

There was a problem, of course. A big problem. Pornography is illegal in China. Eddie was doing business in naked videos of himself. It was a private online business, but that didn’t matter. Many were getting away with it, and that certainly did not matter either. The storm was about to hit.

 

One day in February at the building complex where he and his mother lived, Eddie’s mom received a call from the building manager. There were two men at the entrance to see Eddie.  He did not know who these guys could be, but he decided he should get dressed and go down to see them. When he opened the door, they were already there. It was February 22nd.

“I guess you know why we are here,” they said to Eddie. They were not in uniform. Their visit was meant to be a surprise. They were careful about what they said. They wanted Eddie to do the talking, hoping he would give them some vital information. They took his phone, and that was basically all they needed. They searched his room for evidence. They handcuffed him and took him away.

Eddie’s mother was shocked. She had no idea any of this was going on. As is the custom in China, a letter was sent to the family listing the charges. The information outed Eddie to his parents. He was not ready to come out to them. Justice in China is not like what they see on American TV shows. There is little hope for bail. You are presumed guilty. There is little chance a lawyer will get you off.

Eddie was sent to a detention center. If he was given a harsh sentence, he would probably be sent to a prison far away to do hard labor. His parents hired a lawyer at great expense, 200K RMB or more than 27,500 USD. The lawyer could not do much. It was possible he could spend some of the money he received to influence the judge and prosecution.

After 4 months at the detention center, the trial was to take place. Only Eddie’s parents were allowed in the courtroom to support him. There was a deal to be made. He was to get 10 months in jail. If he pleaded guilty, he would get 7 months plus a fine of 6000 RMB, about 828 USD. His parents had to pay the fine on the day of the trial to receive the reduced sentence.

Eddie after prison 2024

 He took the plea. His parents paid the fine. He was not sent away but served his time at the detention center. It was a harsh 7 months.

Eddie had not realized his private video transactions were against the law. He said he would not have done it if he had known. One mistake was sending the videos on a Chinese messaging app, WeChat (Weixin in Chinese). Apps and Chinese social media can be monitored by government officials. There is a lot of spying. Another problem for Eddie? A “client” got caught with porn and gave up Eddie as one of his sources. He knew because members of the Communist Party told him this.

When he was released, he was picked up by his father, who told him he must stop being gay. The court case brought a very personal penalty he had to take home. Acceptance is another issue he now faces as an “ex-con.”

“I’m ready to share because I want more people to know the story, to know the law of China, and to know … my personal story.”

See also: “CHINESE EDDIE TRAVELS THE WORLD,” Part One, Sunday Night Blog, February 1, 2026.
“CHINESE EDDIE GOES HOME,” Chinese Eddie Travels The World, Part 2, SERENDIPITY, Sunday Night Blog, February 4, 2026.
Next up: “A GAY MAN IN A CHINESE JAIL”

CHINESE EDDIE GOES HOME

/ Rich Paschall / 3 Comments

This is the second of a five-part series that first appeared on the SERENDIPITY website last year.

Chinese Eddie Travels The World, Part Two, by Rich Paschall

The first part of the trip to the United States went well. Eddie had seen many famous tourist spots around the country. He spent New Year’s Eve in New York City and welcomed 2020. By the Chinese New Year, later in the month, things were not going as planned. The bad news was coming from his home country. The situation was getting desperate.

Asia

Cases of a mysterious flu-like illness had already been found in China. On January 9th, the World Health Organization announced the discovery of a previously unknown coronavirus, aka Covid-19. Before long, it had spread to other countries. As the situation grew darker. Eddie needed to get back home. Flights were being canceled, and restrictions were being imposed. How was Eddie going to find his way home to Wuhan?

He was ultimately able to book a flight to Shanghai. That was a long way from home, but at least he will have made it back to China. The USA trip ended like a bad dream. Eddie was not yet aware of it, but the nightmare was just beginning.

When he arrived in Shanghai, he needed a place to stay. He soon found out, however, that hotels would not take him. Why? His Identification cards showed that he was a person from Wuhan. Even the Chinese did not want to accept a person who came from a city that was seen as the center of the coronavirus outbreak. The muted reports on Chinese television indicated the serious coronavirus spread rapidly in Wuhan. In addition, many people knew ways to get reports from outside China. No one wanted to take in this weary traveler. He tried to explain he did not come from Wuhan, but to no avail.

The weather in Shanghai can be brutal in January. Temperatures overnight could reach freezing or below. Eddie found himself without a place to stay and without a way to get to Wuhan — 525 miles distant.

He put out an urgent cry for help. Eddie posted on his WeChat Moments account, a Chinese smartphone instant messaging app, that he was stranded in Shanghai and had no place to stay. All he could do at that point was hope someone he knew would see his SOS and give him shelter.

Fortunately, there was a quick response. A British friend he knew from the University of Leeds (England) had gotten a job in Shanghai and was living there. He rescued Edde from the cold streets of Shanghai and gave him a place to stay.

Eddie continued to look for a way home. He obviously could not keep living out of his suitcase or imposing on a friend. Flights, buses, and trains to Wuhan were all canceled. It seemed like there would be no way to get to a city under this massive lockdown. Then a daring plan was hatched. After a long stay in Shanghai, he was eager to take a risk.

Eddie had an uncle who worked for the railroad. He told Eddie he could not buy a ticket to Wuhan, but the trains still passed through the city. They stopped very briefly. The doors would open for a scant minute or less — at which point, Eddie could jump out and move quickly away from the train. Eddie bought a ticket for the stop after Wuhan and was ready to jump out when the train stopped, however briefly, in his hometown.

A normal-speed train could take from 10 to 18 hours to travel from Shanghai to Wuhan, while a high-speed train could make it in 4 to 6 hours. It did not matter how long it would take. Eddie wanted to get home in any way it could be arranged.

When the train reached Wuhan and made its brief stop, Eddie jumped off and hurried away. Since he didn’t live near the station, there would have been a long way to travel from the depot to home. Buses were not running. Cabs were only accepting passengers for pre-arranged official business. But his uncle knew a cab driver in Wuhan and arranged for him to come for Eddie. Officially, this was not allowed. After almost two months of increasing anxiety, Eddie got home. His mother and perhaps even his cat were glad to see him. Determination and a very helpful uncle helped him get there.

Eddie, Wuhan 2020

With the spread of the Coronavirus and the city under a government-imposed lockdown, there was no work. Eddie had to give up the apartment he used for private language instruction. No one would be working to improve their English skills. Outsiders were not interested in Chinese lessons.

His situation seemed bad. The need to make money stopped being a nagging worry and became urgent. Eddie had a plan to get by, and all went well — for a while.

See also: “CHINESE EDDIE TRAVELS THE WORLD,” Part One, Sunday Night Blog, February 1, 2026.
Next Up: EDDIE GOES TO JAIL

CHINESE EDDIE TRAVELS THE WORLD

/ Rich Paschall / 5 Comments

A year ago, we wrote a series of articles about Eddie and his exploits for the SERENDIPITY website. We covered his travels, his trip home during the pandemic, and his jail sentence in Wuhan. The stories are true and were relayed to us in a series of interviews with Eddie, a teacher, a traveler, and a risk taker. In case you missed it, we will present them here in the next few weeks.

Chinese Eddie is a well-traveled, highly-educated man. Few people are able to enjoy such a rich cultural background. From his home in mainland China, he has traveled to Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Scotland. He received an advanced degree from the University of Leeds in England.

In China, students begin their English studies in third grade and continue them through university. Eddie’s parents secured additional English training starting in grade one. Students have six years of elementary school, three years of Junior High School, and three years of Senior High school. The majority of students in China go on to university. In 2023, over 60 percent of students in the relevant university age group were enrolled across the 3074 higher education institutions.

 Following university, Eddie applied to the University of Leeds in the U.K. His spoken English was good, but his written English — especially grammar — needed improvement. If he was going to attend as a foreign student where English was the primary language, he needed to know English better than many native English speakers know it. On the third try, he was successful and headed to England for his Master’s Degree in English Studies. He spent the 2013-2014 academic year in England. Leeds is a city of approximately half a million people, four hours north of London. The University was founded in 1904 and has around 31,000 students. It is a rich cultural experience for anyone, but perhaps even more so for a student from mainland China.

Eddie had several months left on his visa when he completed his studies. He moved to London, rented a room from someone, and went to work in the service industry. In other words, he waited tables.

London train station

When Eddie returned to China in 2015, he went to work for a company in Shanghai where he taught English to those who wanted to improve their English-language skills. Like students here, those who did not immediately use the skills taught to them in school found that they had forgotten much of what they learned. After about a year in Shanghai, Eddie decided working there was not satisfying. It was restrictive, and he was poorly paid. He decided to return home.

Eddie had not lost his interest in teaching. He started a YouTube channel where you can still find his earliest language-learning videos. He feels that he could have been more successful if he had started the channel a few years earlier. There was more competition on YouTube when he started, making it more difficult to monetize the channel. He discovered renting a storefront for language classes would be too expensive. Instead, he rented an apartment where, from 2018 to 2020, he set up a private language school. He taught English to adults with limited success. He also offered online classes for those who wanted to learn Chinese. He was a busy guy. He just needed time to make it work.

Eddie, September 2019

After returning home from England, Eddie still found time to travel to nearby countries. He lived at home with his mother, worked hard, and saved his money.

By the end of 2019, Eddie had the opportunity to travel to the United States. His itinerary was extensive. He saw Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington, D.C., Newark, and New York. He made it to New York City by December 29th and stayed with a friend. Imagine you have come all that way and will be able to experience New Year’s Eve in the Big Apple!

When the Chinese New Year arrived later in the month, Eddie was in California. Things had taken a bad turn at home. The reports from China played havoc with his vacation plans. He had booked a ticket back to New York to celebrate the Chinese New Year with friends, but had to stay in Los Angeles.

New York, January 2020

“Not gonna lie, I feel a little bit mad and lonely cuz it’s Chinese New Year tonight. I was supposed to enjoy it with my friends Nick and Lisa from Orange County but I didn’t expect the coronavirus in … China becoming this serious that I can’t even go home.”

The glorious trip had stopped being fun and was turning desperate. News of the new virus was spreading fast. Rampant speculation and ugly rumors about the cause and gravity of the virus were spreading even faster. Flights to China were becoming rare. Eddie felt stranded.

An urgent need to get home soon began to override all other issues. Considering the growing panic, how could he make it back to his home city of Wuhan? There were thousands of miles to travel in a world that was otherwise set to a full stop.

Next time: CHINESE EDDIE GOES HOME, Chinese Eddie Travels The World, Part 2

REVENGED LOVE

/ Rich Paschall / Leave a comment

Now that the year has ended, I can report that the mini-series Revenged Love was the best BL drama that I saw in 2025. There were many good ones that I have not seen yet, but I am confident this will remain at the top of the list. Many Top Ten and Top Twenty lists have this series at or near the top. Reviews have been strong. Our review (below) originally appeared on the SERENDIPITY website two months ago.

A Counter Attack review, by Rich Paschall

With a couple of months left, we might be willing to anoint this the best BL (yaoi) drama of the year. The story is fresh and unique. There are no overused BL tropes. The cinematography is top-notch. The acting is superb. And the most unusual part of this production? It is Chinese. Yes, it is banned in China.

Revenged Love is based on the novel Counter Attack. In the story, Wu Qi Qiong is a poor man with a girlfriend of rich tastes, Yue Yue. Feeling he is no longer handsome and too cheap, she dumps him in favor of someone with money. At this early point in the story, it can be said that Wu Qi Qiong is a loser.

In an attempt to win Yue Yue back, Wu Qi Qiong decides to transform himself. He loses weight, works on his appearance, and even changes his name to Wu Suo Wei (fearless). Despite his improved appearance and hard work, he remains poor and of no interest to Yue Yue.

Chi Cheng is the spoiled son of a powerful businessman. He is a rough character who has crossed paths with Wu Suo Wei a few times. When Wei makes a delivery to Chi Ching’s father’s business, he sees Yue Yue there with Chi Cheng. His brokenhearted anger gets the best of him, and he decides to get revenge on them both.

Wei turns to Jiang Xiao Shuai, a doctor at a nearby clinic, to help him. The plan is for Wei to win the bisexual Chi Cheng. When Chi drops Yue Yue as his girlfriend, Wei will drop Chi Cheng. The problem is that Wei does not know how to win a man, and he turns to the gay doctor for instruction.

Of course, Wei is playing a dangerous game. Chi Cheng and his friends are rough characters. Perhaps things will have to go all the way, so to speak, before Wei wins over the dangerous businessman. This allows for plenty of awkward and, at times, humorous moments. There is also the determination of a poor man with a broken heart.

Chi Cheng (Tian Xu Ning), Left, and Wu Suo Wei (Zi Yu)

Along the way, we are introduced to Chi Cheng’s close friend and rival in just about everything, including boyfriends, Guo Cheng Yu. After seeing the young doctor at the clinic, Guo Cheng Yu decides the doctor is his type. The doctor has no interest in Chi Cheng’s friend.

In addition to the four main characters, there are plenty of other characters and subplots to drive the storyline along. Chi Cheng and Guo Cheng Yu both raise snakes for fighting competitions they stage. The snakes’ story almost takes a deadly turn for one of the characters midway through the series.

As the enemies-to-lovers plot starts to develop, along comes a past love of Chi Cheng to complicate the story. Wang Shuo not only wants to win back Chi Cheng, but also wants to plant the ideas of mistrust in Wei’s mind.

As the awkward romance between “Wei Wei” and Chi Cheng goes from a slow burn to a hot flame, a variety of life’s experiences pull the main four characters in the directions of fear, anger, mistrust, friendship, and romance. Finding themselves in a tangled mess of business and family, Chi Cheng and Wei Wei grow apart, only to learn they need to be together.

All of the interactions with families and business can be distractions in some series. Here, they help the main characters to unknowingly build a foundation for their romances. To say more would be to give away too much.

Zi Yu (Wu Suo Wei) delivers a perfect performance as the emotional young man determined to better himself. His revenge plot occasionally gets him into trouble, and Zi Yu delivers the emotional depth of a man on a mission. He is equally adept at comedy as well as drama. Wei’s relationship with his mother, Zhang Li Ya, played by Qin Yue, will lead to some powerful, gut-wrenching moments later in the series.

Tian Xu Ning is excellent as the arrogant young businessman, Chi Cheng. He often does not seem to care about anything, but his depth of concern for “Wei Wei” is revealed as the story progresses. In a late plot twist, we learn just how far Wei is willing to go for Chi Cheng.

The Second or “Side Couple” of the story, young doctor Jiang Xiao Shuai and Chi Cheng’s friend Guo Cheng Yu, have a cute but slow-developing relationship. This is in part due to the traumatic past of the doctor. Liu Xuan Cheng and Zhan Xuan are adorable as the pair who interfere in the lives of Chi Cheng and Wu Suo Wei, only to end up entangled with each other.

There is no weak performance in the cast. Each character appears either in support of or in opposition to our main couple. Navigating the subplots and plot twists adds layers of nuance to this story, enriching the viewing experience. It is highly recommended as the best BL (Boys’ Love) drama I have seen so far this year.

You may be surprised to learn that only the actors for Wu Suo Wei and Dr. Jiang Xiao Shuai are using their own voices. The other main roles are dubbed by voice actors. This is because China has so many accents and dialects that the producers typically use voice actors who speak traditional Mandarin.

Zi Yu delivers the theme song, Blooming Freely. It is the right feel of sentimentality for the show. The young actor was trained as a singer and dancer. He hoped to be an idol in a boy group. He changed to acting and is now a rising star, despite Revenged Love being blocked in China. Resourceful viewers find ways of reaching streaming platforms in other countries.

Zhan Xuan (Guo Cheng Yu) also sings a song on the official soundtrack, the closing theme, Last Night On Earth. The music for the series is well done. There are no annoying sound effects that are typical in Thai BL series.

Counter Attack was previously made into a series in 2015. It was a “bromance,” and many aspects of the story were trimmed away. When Revenged Love was halted after 10 episodes, fans feared that this was the same fate that had befallen the Chinese BL series Addicted. This was an international production, however, and the show was in the hands of an international production company. They were re-editing some scenes in Episodes 11 and 12.

When it returned, the episodes were shown one after the other, with the finale date coming much sooner than originally planned. You can view a certain number of episodes for free on various platforms, including YouTube, Rakuten Viki, Viu, and others. You may need a subscription and, depending on the platform, a VPN to view the later episodes. Some platforms have captions in many languages. I watched all episodes on Viu. It definitely was worth it.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEW YEAR’S EVE?

/ Rich Paschall / 5 Comments

The following thoughts originally appeared on the SERENDIPITY website.

The Jackpot Question, Rich Paschall

By now, you are expected to have a good response. So what is it? What are you doing? Certainly, your friends have been asking, and you must have something interesting to say. Unless you are under 18 or over 80, you do not get a pass on this one. So, what’s it going to be? Party? Dinner and dancing? Will you be outside watching fireworks or inside where it is warm? If you are in Florida or Arizona, I guess you could be outside watching fireworks where it is warm.

Since there seem to be so many different things to do, the question might actually be somewhat logical. Restaurants, bars, and hotel ballrooms all seem to have some sort of package deal. There are shows and concerts of every type. Whether you are in a big city or a small town, plans for the celebration abound. For some strange reason, everyone is expected to have a plan.

One year, when downtown Chicago still had a glut of movie theaters, I was on a double date at a late showing of a movie that finished up just before midnight. I do remember which movie, but not the date. We had just enough time to empty out into the intersection of State Street (that great street) and Randolph, where Chicago used to conduct a poor man’s version of the final countdown. Since it was quite cold and we were not loaded with anti-freeze, we stayed for the countdown and ran off to warmer places. It was an experience I do not need again. If I watch the ball drop in Times Square, it will be on television from another locale.

Since then, I have ventured to house parties, bar parties, restaurants, and shows, but I am not sure any of these supposed grand events were particularly memorable. They certainly did not ring out like many of the grand events we see in the movies. If you missed all of them, then I suggest that you put “movies with New Year’s Eve scenes” in your internet search so you can find a lot of them. Maybe you will get some cool ideas.

Since the death of one year and the dawn of another seem to evoke feelings of nostalgia, you may know that “When Harry Met Sally” contains one of the most memorable and nostalgic New Year’s scenes of all. Indeed, it is the climax of the “will he or won’t he?” scenario. It has all led up to one fateful New Year’s Eve moment. The typical New Year’s Eve hoopla only adds to the drama of the moment. (SPOILER ALERT). I love making dramatic “spoiler” pronouncements, and here is that great scene from one of our favorite movies.

The director of the movie, the late Rob Reiner, needed no special music as “Auld Lang Syne” made the perfect background song. And what does this sentimental tune actually mean? We don’t know, something about good-bye and hello. It doesn’t matter; our sentimental feeling just associates with it, and that is all that counts. So, will you have a sentimental moment?

For some gentlemen, the coming of New Year’s is met with all the anxiety of asking someone to the high school prom. You know you are supposed to do something. You know it is supposed to be really good. You know it is going to cost you money, which you are not supposed to care about. You also know, just like the high school prom, you might get shot down when you ask the “jackpot question.” Unless you want to get teased by family and friends, you may just have to ask the question anyway.

Ooh, but in case I stand one little chance
Here comes the jackpot question in advance:
What are you doing New Year’s
New Year’s Eve?

Did you ask yet? What was the answer? If you haven’t asked, what are you waiting for?

Seth MacFarlane is the creator of Family Guy, American Dad!, and The Cleveland Show.

NEGOTIATION AND CONSIDERATION

/ Rich Paschall / Leave a comment

Last year at this time on the SERENDIPITY website, we gave some thought to consideration in the kitchen:

“Get out of my kitchen. I’m cooking,” by Rich Paschall

The kitchen is not very big, but that is not the real issue. If one of us is cooking, the other is in the way, no matter how out of the way he is. It is not just that there is limited counter space, but it is also the comments and looks one will give the other.

For years, I tried to tell Roomie how to cook rice with little success. He often burns the bottom of the pot because he is in a hurry. He turns up the heat, thinking that he will cook the rice quicker. I have tried to explain that it is not the way it works. This used to get a response like, “I have been cooking all my life. I know what I am doing.” In his South American country, they would have rice with two and sometimes three meals a day.  You can understand why trying to tell him how to make rice is difficult. I should just walk away.

“I don’t tell you how to cook,” he may say. Of course, that’s not true, but the only way I can use that line on him is to not say anything when he is cooking. I confess that almost everything he cooks comes out well anyway.

When I cook rice, the other curious cook may need to advise me that I am doing it wrong. He is the rice expert, and I should turn up the flame. His favorite line about not telling him how to cook comes in handy at this point.

This year, I have decided to try to pre-empt the rice cooking comments by ordering a rice cooker. I am not sure that he will actually use it, but I thought I would give it a try-out. If I could do a good job with it a time or two, it might pique his curiosity. I will use it anyway, and he won’t have the chance to see the flame size, since there is none.

Mostly, I can cook breakfast, and Roomie will cook almost every other meal. It just sort of worked out that way. We never talked much about it. Since he did not have a broiler or oven before, any tasks that involve these are mine to complete.

Each is responsible for cleaning his own plate, silverware, and glass after the meal. Perhaps that was the policy when he was growing up. The cook usually cleans the pots and pans. In truth, each of us does not mind doing the dishes since we are certain the other does a lousy job. I gave up discussing dishwashing and stacking the dishes. In the grand scheme of things, it is not that important.

South American chef and rice cooking expert

Recently, a shoulder injury has changed the routine. I used to do all the vacuuming, and the other guy would sweep the floors and sometimes wash them too. I did not see any carpets when visiting South America. I am not surprised Roomie never had a vacuum. He hates the noise and does not like pushing it around. When I took out the broom to sweep, he immediately announced he would vacuum. I was surprised, but I realized he was just being considerate. He did not actually want to do it.

Sometimes I comment on the other guy’s habit of leaving kitchen cabinet doors open. Other times, I just close them and say nothing. It used to drive me crazy because it was something I would never do. Any comment about it is not in anger, just a comment. The tone is important.

I rarely wash any of my clothes with his. He has a washer-load full anyway and does everything in hot or warm water. There is no such thing as a cold water wash. I sort clothes according to the label and use all of the temperatures. I guess I am not going to tell him how to do laundry either, and why should I at this point in our lives?

Sometimes we talk about chores, but usually, we do not. If he says he is cleaning the bathroom, I need to declare what I will be cleaning. It’s a thing. He must think the bathtub belongs to another room because that does not seem to be part of the routine.  I just do it. When I visited him in South America, I noticed just a shower and no bathtub.

He does any heavy lifting since rotator cuff surgery is in my near future. He would have done it anyway, but now he seems to jump up a little quicker.

The most important thing we learned is that any problem or issue is ours. One of us may have caused it, but both of us need to work it out by negotiation or consideration. That’s the best way to manage problems. Maybe the only way. Too bad we did not start out with that insight.

It is good to learn early.

Postscript: He likes the rice cooker.

CHRISTMAS PAST

/ Rich Paschall / Leave a comment

In case you missed it last year on the SERENDIPITY website, here are my top ten Christmas songs from the artists who are no longer celebrating the holidays with us.

My Top Ten Christmas Songs, Dead Artists Edition

Whenever I listen to holiday songs on the local Christmas music radio station, one fact becomes apparent to me. Almost all of the songs I hear are performed by artists who have gone on to that great holiday party in the sky. This is, of course, a nice way of saying they are dead. Nevertheless, we continue to listen to their songs year in and year out. In fact, some of these have been flying across the airwaves for many decades, and there is no sign they will ever stop being played.

Marshall Field’s at Christmas

It is safe to say that all of these songs have been covered many times over. Any singer who has staying power in the industry has a Christmas album. It is true that a few of these songs received great success from other artists, but there are certain versions of these holiday hits with the ability to live on long after the artist has gone. It is these well-remembered and honored songs that fill my playlist.

Your 8-track and cassette tape versions of these may have become tangled and broken, and your records and CDs may have become scratched and broken, but you can still download and stream these hits because they are not going away. First, I will offer up an honorable mention.

In 1977, David Bowie (1947-2016) was to appear on the Bing Crosby Christmas television special recorded in London. He was asked to sing Little Drummer Boy but did not like the song and asked for something else. As a result, a counterpoint to the song called Peace on Earth was written for Bowie, and Crosby sang Little Drummer Boy. We could simply say the rest is duet history, but that would not exactly be true. The now well-beloved version may have died away if not for the popularity of a bootleg recording. As a result, RCA released the song as a single in 1982. Sadly, Crosby died after the show was recorded and before it was ever played for the public.

Now, if you will put the yule log on the fire, get a glass of eggnog, and some Christmas cookies, we will present my top Christmas tunes from artists whose songs continue to echo down your decked halls.

10.  Blue Christmas, Elvis Presley (1935-1977) The song was first recorded in 1948, but the 1957 recording by Elvis remains the most popular.

9.  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Gene Autry (1907-1998). The 1949 song hit number 1 on the charts.

8.  A Holly Jolly Christmas, Burl Ives (1909-1995) The song was released in 1965 after being featured the previous year in the animated cartoon classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

7.  Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Judy Garland (1922-1969) The tune was written for the 1944 film “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

6.  Jingle Bell Rock, Bobby Helms (1933-1997). The 1957 “Rockabilly” sound was an immediate hit and eventually went gold for Helms.

5.  Christmas Time Is Here, Vince Guaraldi (1928-1976). The jazz musician is best known for composing the score to 17 Peanuts animated television specials and a feature-length film. The first of these was A Charlie Brown Christmas, 1965. Words to this jazz tune were provided by the Charlie Brown television producer, Lee Mendelson (1933-2008). The network, as well as the producers, thought the show was too depressing and predicted a failure with the public. It won an Emmy, a Peabody, and the love of generations of kids.

4.  The Christmas Song, Nat “King” Cole (1919-1965). The tune was written by Bob Wells (1922-1998) and another well-known singer, Mel Torme (1925-1999), in 1945. In June 1946, Cole recorded the song, then recorded it again in August with more instruments. The second version was released. There was a third recording, then a fourth in stereo in 1961. It is that last version you hear so much today. Torme also recorded The Christmas Song some years later, but it is the Nat King Cole version that is best remembered.

3.  (There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays, Perry Como (1912-2001). The popular crooner recorded the song in 1954 and sang it for the next 40 years.  “Mr. C” recorded it in stereo in 1959, and it is this version you probably hear today.  Like many popular television variety stars of his era, Como continued holiday shows after his weekly TV shows ended.  This video is from his 1969 Christmas special.

2.  It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Andy Williams (1927-2012).  Williams was another popular television crooner.  The song was written in 1963 and recorded by Williams for his first Christmas album.  It was used on his television show the same year and became a Christmas standard over time.  It is one of the top 10 Christmas songs of all time.  In this video, Williams appears to be singing along with the popular recording.

1. White Christmas, Bing Crosby (1903-1977). The Irving Berlin hit was apparently written for the movie Holiday Inn (no telling with the prolific Mr. Berlin). Crosby first sang it on his radio show in 1941, but recorded it in 1942 for the Holiday Inn movie. It was recorded again in 1947 as the original master wore out from frequent use. The song appeared in two other movies, and Crosby sang it for the rest of his life. This video is the final performance. He died soon after, doing what he liked best, playing golf.

Click on any song title above to hear the song, or click here for the entire Christmas past playlist.

FIVE FOR CHRISTMAS

/ Rich Paschall / Leave a comment

Last year on the SERENDIPITY website, we tried to help make the yuletide gay with these five songs.

Holiday Music by LGBT artists, by Rich Paschall

If you look at the Gay Christmas playlist on Spotify, you will notice 174 songs. A few may just be winter songs. A few others are icons of the gay community, but not gay themselves. The rest are by artists you know well and artists you may never have heard of. After perusing a few lists, I thought I would give you five that I think you will enjoy. You will find some duets where only one of the performers is gay.

Burning Fireplace

As an honorable mention, I give you a winter song by Billy Porter and Idina Menzel.  Porter is an actor and singer noted for his 2013 Tony Award-winning performance in Kinky Boots. He picked up a Grammy in 2014 for Best Musical Theater Album. In 2019, Porter was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. The talented performer has a collection of other entertainment-related awards.

Put a log on the fire. Pour your eggnog, get your Christmas cookies, and enjoy our holiday tunes.

5. Last Christmas, Wham, 1984.  This playlist would be incomplete if it did not include one of the biggest Christmas hits ever. The Official music video has topped a billion views since it was posted. Not only was the song written and performed by George Michael, but he also played every instrument on the record.

4. Merry Christmas, Ed Sheeran and Elton John, 2021. This collaboration appears on John’s Christmas album, “The Lockdown Sessions.” All proceeds in the UK went to the Ed Sheeran Suffolk Music Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The official music video re-creates scenes from famous British Christmas hits. Could you spot any? You are familiar with one of John’s biggest hits, Step Into Christmas.

Oh Christmas Tree

3. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Melissa Etheridge, 2008.  You might know the original by Darlene Love, recorded in 1963. Perhaps you know the duet by Love and Cher from 2023. A long list of artists have covered this song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector. I know you have heard it. Etheridge included it on her Christmas album, A New Thought For Christmas.

2. Please Come Home For Christmas, Adam Lambert, 2019. If the previous song did not bring your baby back home, maybe this one will. The song was written by Charles Brown and Gene Redd, and Brown recorded and released the song in 1960. It hit the charts in 1961. Many singers have covered it since. The Eagles had a huge hit with it (1978), and it is still on radio playlists. Lambert’s version was for the Spotify Singles: Holiday Collection.

1. Christmas Every Day, David Archuleta, 2018.  The song was written by Archuleta, Carson Cooley, and Dave Barnes. It appears on the album Winter In The Air. There is an Official music video from 2018, but I prefer this live performance from 2021 instead. They are only a few years apart, but he looked like a little kid in the first video. He was 27 then.

See also: “Winter In The Air,” A Review, Sunday Night Blog, December 20, 2020.