eroticized power imbalances get people hot, evidently, and it streamlines creating conflicts and tension within a story with how well-worn of a story beat it is. I don't care much for it either, but I see why an author pushing content with more concern with commercial viability than originality or artistic merit would use that story base.
there's a few bls where the bottom takes the lead and is of a higher socioeconomic status, but they're comparatively fewer, especially if it's featuring the Cinderella plot
a couple I could think of
https://www.mangago.me/read-manga/the_pizza_delivery_man_and_the_gold_palace/
https://www.mangago.me/read-manga/boss_bitch_baby/
perfect iq
I genuinely fucking hate the "broke and has to live w the main lead trope" especially in BL's, these sadistic authors get off making their main characters mortally handicap. Are there literally ANY stories where the Main Character is on socially/economically equal or higher footing than their love interest?
Stop making these fucking boys crippled with debt and working menial jobs. Give them the power, intelligence, and strength to power through their own shit without turning into a fucking cinderella with no skills or life.
The hero in these stories should not be the ML, it's not their story. 'm here for the MC, I want to see THEM succeed, I want to see THEM hero.
note: its lowkey a substitution for pedophilia to have such a large power dynamic where one character (usually the more feminine one) is being taken advantage of or controlled in almost every instance. Like just stay you're a proshipper.