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Hidden Love: Can’t be concealed
That year, someone secretly wormed their way into Sang Zhi’s heart. Falling in love with her brother’s friend Duan Jiaxu. This elder brother has beautiful peach eyes and casually calling her a “kid”. The surprise when they first met made Sang Zhi want to slowly get closer. But the 7-year-old age difference seemed to be an insurmountable gap for them. Not knowing when it started, the secret love buried in her heart gradually sprouted, and slowly, it spread into his heart too…
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First published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 14, 2023
Hidden Love: Can't Be Concealed - Age-gap romance that's sweeter and fluffier than cotton candy? Look no further.
Full review can also be read here.
Synopsis: When 13-year old Sang Zhi meets her older brother’s friend Duan Jiaxu, a crush begins to blossom on her end. She tries her best to juggle these embarrassing moments that arise while navigating these new feelings that come with the growing pains of wanting to grow up.
Status: 58+ Chapters, S1 Complete. S2 in Progress.
Where to Read: Mangadex, Bato.
Review: If you had told me that a chinese manhua with a seven year age gap between romance a thirteen year old and a twenty year old would be in my top favorites, I would have laughed at your face. This was one of the reads I went in with zero expectations, only for it to be surprised at how good it was -- especially how appropriately and sensitively it handled the age gap, in the exploration of a blossoming crush in one’s preteen years.
The reading experience was like a throwback in reminding me what I loved about shoujo -- this specific feeling when you come across that someone, when you develop a special type of aspirational crush, that makes you tip your toes around them, stealing every glance you can, counting the days between when you look forward for that next interaction with them again -- that special feeling, that best kept for yourself, encapsulated into a little wishing star locked away in a jar; a secret that no one will ever know about. And then at some point, the burgeoning feelings that used to make you happy and lift your spirits -- these very feelings, start to turn on you. I really appreciated that the narrative doesn’t belittle or make foolish of her feelings, but allowed Sang Zhi to gradually develop self-awareness and eventual maturity for herself. Most notably, the artist has taken a lot of time and care to illustrate Duan Jiaxu in angles like one would expect of the shoujo male leads, enshrouded in flowers and in embodying the definition of “for the female gaze.” -- everything I loved about the innocence associated with shoujo, but now in full blown-up HD color.
One of my favorite aspects of the dynamic between Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu is that he genuinely becomes an older brother for her (without any sort of creepiness at all. Nada. None to be found here). Duan Jiaxu imparts on her lessons, especially how to be kinder to people, and he looks out for her like in a way an older brother would. Even though Sang Zhi has some bratty moments and a sharpness to her words, she has the self awareness -- or rather, eventually develops to reconsider. Also, not to be discounted is the hilarious older brother-bratty younger sister dynamic between Sang Zhi and Sang Yan that are so believably written, but still manages to tug your heart for a heartfelt genuine moment between them. Oh, and also on a completely unrelated fangirl note, Sang Yan is ridiculously good looking on a level he has no right to be pls artist.
Sang Yan. older brother to Sang Zhi. He has no business looking as foine as he does in the story but I'm not complaining *u*
Some spoiler-y analysis (goes into novel spoiler territory):
One angle of which captures the coming-of-age experience of growing out of your first crush, stepping outside of the realm of your own world of feelings for the first time. When one is a kid harboring your first crush, one’s feelings are so intense and often-times, can be self-centered (albeit not in a bad way). When Sang Zhi is younger, she doesn’t perceive the extent of the troubles that Duan Jiaxu has -- but only when she is older, she begins to see things from a wider perspective. From Duan Jiaxu’s perspective, he has only perceived Sang Zhi to be a little kid and he always regarded himself as an older brother to her. But Duan Jiaxu begins to interact with Sang Zhi when she’s older, as his perception of her begins to shift, the “older brother” almost becomes a narrative, a self-defense mechanism in which his character needs to navigate to reconcile with his own feelings that ever so gradually, start to emerge after the time skip. For the first time in his life, he has always lived his life saddled by the debt and obligations of his family, as he begins to wrangle with his new feelings, he has to undergo the character journey of admitting the selfishness in actualizing something that is borne his own desire and will.
Conclusion: I won’t lie and say that the phenomenal art is a big carry for the reason why the story is so enjoyable -- but if there wasn’t a good story behind it in the first place, this wouldn’t be as uplifting as I am now, wholeheartedly and empathically recommending to you.
Thanks for reading this long-winded review! <3
Rating: 9.5/10
Full review can also be read here.
Synopsis: When 13-year old Sang Zhi meets her older brother’s friend Duan Jiaxu, a crush begins to blossom on her end. She tries her best to juggle these embarrassing moments that arise while navigating these new feelings that come with the growing pains of wanting to grow up.
Status: 58+ Chapters, S1 Complete. S2 in Progress.
Where to Read: Mangadex, Bato.
Review: If you had told me that a chinese manhua with a seven year age gap between romance a thirteen year old and a twenty year old would be in my top favorites, I would have laughed at your face. This was one of the reads I went in with zero expectations, only for it to be surprised at how good it was -- especially how appropriately and sensitively it handled the age gap, in the exploration of a blossoming crush in one’s preteen years.
The reading experience was like a throwback in reminding me what I loved about shoujo -- this specific feeling when you come across that someone, when you develop a special type of aspirational crush, that makes you tip your toes around them, stealing every glance you can, counting the days between when you look forward for that next interaction with them again -- that special feeling, that best kept for yourself, encapsulated into a little wishing star locked away in a jar; a secret that no one will ever know about. And then at some point, the burgeoning feelings that used to make you happy and lift your spirits -- these very feelings, start to turn on you. I really appreciated that the narrative doesn’t belittle or make foolish of her feelings, but allowed Sang Zhi to gradually develop self-awareness and eventual maturity for herself. Most notably, the artist has taken a lot of time and care to illustrate Duan Jiaxu in angles like one would expect of the shoujo male leads, enshrouded in flowers and in embodying the definition of “for the female gaze.” -- everything I loved about the innocence associated with shoujo, but now in full blown-up HD color.
One of my favorite aspects of the dynamic between Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu is that he genuinely becomes an older brother for her (without any sort of creepiness at all. Nada. None to be found here). Duan Jiaxu imparts on her lessons, especially how to be kinder to people, and he looks out for her like in a way an older brother would. Even though Sang Zhi has some bratty moments and a sharpness to her words, she has the self awareness -- or rather, eventually develops to reconsider. Also, not to be discounted is the hilarious older brother-bratty younger sister dynamic between Sang Zhi and Sang Yan that are so believably written, but still manages to tug your heart for a heartfelt genuine moment between them. Oh, and also on a completely unrelated fangirl note, Sang Yan is ridiculously good looking on a level he has no right to be pls artist.
Sang Yan. older brother to Sang Zhi. He has no business looking as foine as he does in the story but I'm not complaining *u*
Some spoiler-y analysis (goes into novel spoiler territory):
One angle of which captures the coming-of-age experience of growing out of your first crush, stepping outside of the realm of your own world of feelings for the first time. When one is a kid harboring your first crush, one’s feelings are so intense and often-times, can be self-centered (albeit not in a bad way). When Sang Zhi is younger, she doesn’t perceive the extent of the troubles that Duan Jiaxu has -- but only when she is older, she begins to see things from a wider perspective. From Duan Jiaxu’s perspective, he has only perceived Sang Zhi to be a little kid and he always regarded himself as an older brother to her. But Duan Jiaxu begins to interact with Sang Zhi when she’s older, as his perception of her begins to shift, the “older brother” almost becomes a narrative, a self-defense mechanism in which his character needs to navigate to reconcile with his own feelings that ever so gradually, start to emerge after the time skip. For the first time in his life, he has always lived his life saddled by the debt and obligations of his family, as he begins to wrangle with his new feelings, he has to undergo the character journey of admitting the selfishness in actualizing something that is borne his own desire and will.
Conclusion: I won’t lie and say that the phenomenal art is a big carry for the reason why the story is so enjoyable -- but if there wasn’t a good story behind it in the first place, this wouldn’t be as uplifting as I am now, wholeheartedly and empathically recommending to you.
Thanks for reading this long-winded review! <3
Rating: 9.5/10
January 3, 2024
OH wOw, the first manhua that i read in 2024 and i really loved it.
the story is truly a delightful slowburn. it's about a girl named sang zhi who has a crush on her brother's friend, duan jiaxu. the plot is amazing. it intricately portrays a love story challenged by an age gap, leading sang zhi to keep her feelings for duan jiaxu a secret.
sang zhi herself is very cute and funny; i really adore her attitude. duan jiaxu is truly a cool, perfect and attentive guy. honestly, if i were sang zhi, i'd probably like him too ><.. sang yan, in this manhua really portrays real-life older brothers; annoying, silly, yet caring.
overall, this age gap story isn't too weird and cringy... it's still very enjoyable to read. the art is also really good!
the story is truly a delightful slowburn. it's about a girl named sang zhi who has a crush on her brother's friend, duan jiaxu. the plot is amazing. it intricately portrays a love story challenged by an age gap, leading sang zhi to keep her feelings for duan jiaxu a secret.
sang zhi herself is very cute and funny; i really adore her attitude. duan jiaxu is truly a cool, perfect and attentive guy. honestly, if i were sang zhi, i'd probably like him too ><.. sang yan, in this manhua really portrays real-life older brothers; annoying, silly, yet caring.
overall, this age gap story isn't too weird and cringy... it's still very enjoyable to read. the art is also really good!
November 10, 2024
such a cute story ,no wonder the series was good,but the manga art is so pretty
June 22, 2024
Tuve algunos conflictos al empezar a leer este manhwa, debido a la diferencia de 6 años que se llevan los protagonistas, sobre todo porque Zhi se enamora de Jianxu siendo una niña.
No obstante, me alegra que ese enamoramiento fuera unilateral en un principio y que la verdadera historia de amor empezara siendo ellos ya adultos, aunque tengo que admitir que sigo siendo cautelosa sobre qué rumbo tomara esta historia.
Sin embargo el arte, el carácter pacífico de Jianxu y lo orgánico de la historia se ganaron mi corazón. Llegué hasta el capítulo 106, pero estoy deseosa de más.
No obstante, me alegra que ese enamoramiento fuera unilateral en un principio y que la verdadera historia de amor empezara siendo ellos ya adultos, aunque tengo que admitir que sigo siendo cautelosa sobre qué rumbo tomara esta historia.
Sin embargo el arte, el carácter pacífico de Jianxu y lo orgánico de la historia se ganaron mi corazón. Llegué hasta el capítulo 106, pero estoy deseosa de más.
November 1, 2025
serotonina directa a las venas
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews