I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character

He Xulan is a heartthrob, adored by everyone. The new emperor likes him, the prime minister and generals in the court admire him, and the late emperor even had the Astronomical Bureau fabricate the absurd lie that marrying He Xulan would cure his illness, just to make him the lord empress. As for Xueya, he is merely a substitute used by those who can’t have He Xulan to amuse themselves. At first, Xueya only wanted to survive, even if it meant wearing clothes meant for women. But then he discovered that his dreams could predict the future. In that future, he meets a tragic end, dying in the palace with his body wrapped in a straw mat. Wanting both life and wealth, Xueya decisively decides to replace He Xulan. Thus, he embarks on various paths of sabotaging He Xulan in various ways, even going so far as to sow discord between He Xulan and others. ** But one day, when he sneaks out of the new emperor’s palace late at night wearing a skirt, he encounters a drunk He Xulan. The next day, Xueya sees the skirt shredded into strips… From that day on, his skirts always end up shredded in He Xulan’s palace, and he no longer needs to fake the marks on his body… He Xulan is the top, a heteros*xual man in the face of men other than the shou; facing the shou, he automatically bends like mosquito coils. The top only likes the bottom, with an exceptionally thick arrow, which is not evident in the early stage and has no intimate behavior with others. The bottom is a pretty fool.

Original Publisher

jjwxc

Original Language

chinese

Type

Web Novel

## My Thoughts on I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character "I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character" is a wild ride, and I'm still processing it. It's definitely not your typical transmigration or rebirth story, and that's precisely what makes it so intriguing. This isn't a power fantasy; it's a character study of someone who is, frankly, a mess. ### First Impressions My initial reaction was a mix of amusement and slight annoyance. The protagonist, Xueya, is presented as a "green tea" character, and that's putting it mildly. He's greedy, not particularly bright, and driven by a desire for wealth and status, stemming from a difficult upbringing. I found myself constantly questioning his decisions, but also strangely compelled to keep reading. ### What Works Well The main draw is the protagonist himself. He's not your typical noble hero, and he makes no apologies for it. He's flawed, selfish, and sometimes downright exasperating, yet the author manages to make him surprisingly relatable. His background is explored, and I began to understand the roots of his behavior. There's a certain tragic quality to him, a vulnerability beneath the surface that made me root for him despite his flaws. The political intrigue is well-paced, and the romantic tension is definitely there. ### Areas of Concern Xueya's naivete can be frustrating at times. There were moments where I wanted to shake him and tell him to think things through. There are also some missed opportunities with the side characters. Some felt underdeveloped, and I would have liked to see more depth in their relationships with the MC. The ML's feelings also feel somewhat sudden and unexplained, and I wish the author had explored them more. ### ⚠️ Spoiler Warning Some readers may find the MC's backstory disturbing, as it involves themes of prostitution and grooming. Additionally, there are some age gap issues that might make some people uncomfortable. ### Final Verdict Despite its flaws, "I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character" is a surprisingly engaging and thought-provoking read. If you're looking for a protagonist who is morally gray and a story that challenges your expectations, this might be for you. I give it a solid 4/5. It's a unique take on the genre, and I appreciate the author's willingness to create a character who is so flawed and yet so human.