qi lan (lex qi in the localization) is one of my favorite characters in fiction actually it's kind of insane how well written she is.
First of all while preferences can't really be helped the environment usually determines a lot of them and I love how Lex Qi was like...constantly made to feel like her achievements didn't matter and how that led her to less societally acceptable pursuits like gaming and fights where the validation comes far easier. I love how Sadie's interest in her changed her life because she was a lil lesbian abt it (so many guys who liked her and she did NOT care...) I love her masculinity and how the author gives her an environment where the most important people in her life accept her masculine side open armed. I love how she's the saddest character despite being so smiley.
cang cang (sadie cang) is also incredibly written. Her mother being not quite in the right, pressuring her for selfish reasons, but ultimately giving a flying fuck about her is real in a way a lot of moms just aren't, and cang's acceptance of that is just so...it's so good. I love how because of qi lan she's able to be more open, just as cang helps qi lan put more worth in herself. The running gag is that qi lan fulfills a ""devoted husband" trope while cang is the "cool wife", but cang doesn't take qi lan's devotion and uses it against her, she enjoys it but also returns it in her own way even without the overt affection qi lan gives her.
They're such a perfect match it's insane. I kind of want to write a fic to drive them apart and then bring them back together again. Preferably if it's mostly because of outside forces neither can control. then I want to watch them make up in their mid 30s and then fuck.