I absolutely adore this. It's hard not to empathize with the main character; he truly went through a lot. The mother, however, seems like the antagonist here. Initially, I could understand her intentions for her son's well-being, but her character development becomes despicable. From the moment she became pregnant, she was fixated on maintaining an "alpha" status, leading to her decision to alter her gender and inadvertently causing her child, ML, a pheromone disorder. There were alternative, less selfish methods to save him, like removing his glands, but she chose the path of self-interest. She treated others as pawns, as Dr. Mu, their family physician, pointed out, all for her own gain. And, fittingly, her actions have severe consequences.
I'm glad the author gave them a chance at redemption, a second lease on life, whether in terms of existence or love. If you're looking for a tragic or angsty ending, I recommend stopping at Chapter 22.