There are so many stories where the ML is a fluffy, innocent upstanding guy - go read one of those if that's what you're after!

Black-Bellied Seme/Gong characters (MLs that we as readers know are manipulative/obsessive/evil/etc.) are FUN to read about! The novel is tagged R*pe so the idea that you're going into this novel unaware that Bad Things Happen™ is just silly. Not every book is for everyone. No fictional book owes you comfort. If you don't like bad MLs, read a book that has a good ML (in your... more>> opinion) and don't downvote an obviously well-written novel for such a self-caused distaste.

Imagine if I gave every novel that, while well-written, had a BL main pairing and I wanted hetero, so I give it 1 star and say 'story was good but it needed more male/female romance'? That's not the author's intention! And in this novel, the author's intention isn't for YY to be Captain America! <<less

Lots of titles have r*pe tags, but this one is special specifically because the entire story is about r*pe, r*pe, and r*pe. Apart from r*pe, there is also glorified r*pe, r*pe justification, post-r*pe blackmail, abduction-for-rape, verbal humiliation during, before, and after r*pe, and Stockholm Syndrome. Apart from being a r*pe feast explaining the many benefits of r*pe, Beloved Enemy can also be grudgingly considered a parable about how rapists must be rewarded with happy endings as long as they are sincere when they r*pe and how the wealthy can do... more>> whatever they want without repercussions, including r*pe.

Apart from the protagonist's struggles about loving his rapist and unconsciously doing everything he can to be r*ped again, the vast majority of the writing is centred on loving descriptions of r*pe and the rapist's self-serving emotional escapades while he r*pes or plans the next r*pe. There is also the occasional business drama or stock character interaction, the rapist's friends making r*pey jokes, and some parents who could probably win Olympic medals for gaslighting -- sure takes talent to raise a rapist of this calibre, I have to say.

If this stuff is your thing, go right ahead! Lots of people have given it 5 stars, you could be the next one. What a pity that I am not one. I like nonsensical stories with gaping plot holes as much as the next person, and I've desisted from leaving reviews on empty yarns purposefully and openly written with protagonist's sole existence being defined by their allure as r*pebait to an endless string of nasty 2D men. If only the synopsis could have been clearer in stating that this book is only for people who enjoy homosexual r*peyness with a thin clothing of angst, I may not have been tempted to write this review in revenge for wasted time. <<less

I dont understand why people give bad review.. Because in my opinion, this novel is great. I reread this novel times and times again. The ML is childish, but strong willed and sincere. The MC is mature and tried his best to cope with his life turn upside down. But both are straight forward in their feeling for each other, save us the drama. I love it. And would like to reccomend it ?

Too much power inbalance and it didn't feel like MC/ML relationships was genuine. I love smart MC/overbearing and possessive ML, but this one was not my cup of tea. Felt like the MC was too white lotus and manipulative in his own ways (even though lots of other reviews found him likeable) and the ML was brainlessly chasing after MC. MC and ML just were not compatible in my eyes and it didn't get better.

Honestly as the story kept going it felt like MC had a protagonist halo that made... more>> the ML fall in love with him and insist on being with him no matter what lol. ML got more and more brainless and it was not adorable.

The relationship dynamic wasn't for me and it felt like it was borderline abus*ve on both ends. <<less

While the novel has an interesting premise and the dynamics of the characters seem interesting, there's just something OOC about the ML being so childish while having gone to the army. I don't know how he'd last when the army is an institution that prides in discipline and answering to authorities. Also if the ML really doesn't want to work for the company, why shouldn't he leave and find is own path. Why does his father and MC have to force him to work in a job they think he... more>> should be doing? So what if ML can't run the company? Why should a child be saddled with following after their parent's choices without regard for what they want? I'm not comfortable with the MC and ML's dynamics and I'm not comfortable with someone being forced to do something they don't want to do even if ML is a childish prick, he should still as an adult get to pick his own path. I'm sure the story might be better later on, but this entire premise makes it too triggering for me to read, considering how many people I know who are caught in the same position of taking after the family business and being unhappy about it. Even if he gets happy later on... that's highly unlikely IRL. <<less

I. Loved. It.

This story was written magnificently, the plot the author has written was delivered beautifully. Yes there's r*pe in the tags and yes its part of the story. But honestly be openminded. Not all stories are meant to be written for the perfect love or fluff.

The ML was an idiotic military guy who acted like a gangster at the beginning but you see how much he grows as a character, you see him compromising and emotionally, mentally growing. The character development is really nicely done. His initial immaturity isn't... more>> gone when the MC leaves and forces the ML to be more mature, it's just changed to be more or a lover's jealousy.

The MC, what I liked the most about the story is that he doesn't forgive the ML about the r*pe, he doesn't just blindly fall in love and give up all of his other aspects of life. He's a talented business man and it shows how even when he thinks with his heart about the ML, he still cares equally about his reputation, his family, and all the friendships he's made in his life.

The most important reason I think this novel was amazing, the ending. The way the author concluded the novel was beautiful. The MC and ML's main issue, was that both of them had a wedge between them with the r*pe incident that happened at the beginning of their relationship, in fact it started the toxic initial relationship. They both, overcome that incident learning to put it behind them. I know people will say r*pe is not forgiveable and all that, but the MC and ML were going to end up together. If the author hadn't resolved this issue, them being together wouldn't make any sense and it would have been considered a toxic relationship even the second time. Which would defeat the purpose of all the character growth. The author promised angst and delivered it to the point of making my throat close up with tears in my eyes. Then the author appeased us by making the two charscters grow and when they got together it was a proper mature relationship which honestly made me feel, it was worth it. Another thing, the MC didn't like forget or forgive the incident, but he still tried his best to move forward and look at what the future has to offer which made this realistic and just satisfying to read. <<less

UPDATE 4/4/2019: I reread this for fun but woah I rate this a 1.5 now. I just don't like the ML, the MC thinks the ML changed but no lol, he's still oppressive and manipulative until the end.

I would rate this a 2.5.

I like the sweet moments butttt there is little character development on the gong. I LOVE possessive and aggressive gongs but this one is not my cup of tea. He's unreasonable and he doesn't listen to the shou from start to finish. Thank god the shou is likable.

Tldr it's HE but a not so good read. I finished it for the shou and smut.

....I binge read this for 3 days straight. I have not seen the drama.. but I'm not sure if I want to because I feel like I'm going to be disappointed it doesn't follow through that it's an actual romance due to censorship.

As the tags mentioned, majority is non consensual and hate s*x. There's even dubious s*x that comes with the influence of aphrodisiacs. So readers who don't want to come across these themes should turn back and not read at all. Despite that there's a few fluff and sweet... more>> moments but they are very few but impactful.

The smut aside, the ML is very stubborn and one track minded, and of course I wouldn't want to leave out, also an arrogant asshat. Considering he came from that kind of background and was still a brat in the beginning, you do see how all of his experiences accumulated and changed him to the person he is in the later chapters. He bears deep, DEEP grudges. That bit hasn't changed in the least... how many grievances he experienced in the past he'll return it 100 times. So yes, if there's anything this novel can teach us it's that, spite can be a motivating factor to success.

There's also a lot of miscommunication, misunderstanding and these people not being honest with their feelings so they decide to hold a contest who can piss the other off more by saying things they know will really stab the other where it hurts; mutually harming each other because they love and hate each other...

MC is probably the only rational person in this novel. This unfortunate guy who only wanted to focus on his career in the beginning had control spiraled out of his hands the moment he met MC. I do admire that he's unyielding yet knows when to bend but still has strong willpower. He is definitely not a weak stick who can't think for himself despite the constant pressure and tribulations everywhere. Any lesser man might break down and succumb to insanity.

It is because of him, I finished to read to the end because there is no tragedy tag and I am the spectator who is cheering him on from the sidelines who wholeheartedly wishes for the development of their good end. And I can say it's worth it.

Edit: also why do some readers come to the story knowing there is a r*pe tag if you feel it is uncomfortable to read about it. the tag is there. if you can't stomach it, it makes you uncomfortable, you are valid but don't bloody read it. Nobody is forcing you to.

Do you go to every r*pe tag novel and say r*pe is bad, you've never experienced it etc etc. of course every person who is reading knows it is the worst situation. Assuming every reader is rightfully over 18 and are able emotionally sound and old enough to distinguish good from bad, as well as fiction from reality. <<less

5/5* LOVE THIS AUTHOR AND NOVEL!

This author isn't that popular on NU but I deduct she must be in China as many of her novels are adapted into audio dramas and this one has even been adapted in live action drama.

This is my 3rd novel by this author and I have become a serous fan!! So far I like 'My little poplar' the most, then this one and 'Professional substitute'.

What I love (about this author) :

• • Mature writing and setting (excellent smut too) : All her couples are characters that have seen the world in the sense of previous relationships. They are not the weak virginal types. Though I also enjoy these white moonlight/lotus, innocent type of stories tremendously, I am also overjoyed to find stories like Beloved enemy. They feel so more real and the plot development is always so excellent that you even ship the couples more. Despite their wordly attitude and vast experience they just fall soooo hard for eachother, to the extent that it gets obsessive and destructive, and the way it happens is so well written and natural!

• • Complex, fleshed out characters, flawed but oh so hot: I just LOVE how this author is able to make her characters come alive. MC sounds dull just from the description (corporate manager type), but WOW! He is so eloquent, elegant, smart, hard working, diligent, capable, succesful etc. He feels very indebted towards anyone that was good to him. He had zero back ground but managed to get to the top of the corporate ladder all by himself. His biggest flaw is that he cares (too much) about how others view him. It only became a problem when he felt betrayed and utterly humiliated by ML and his family to let go of these iron principles of him how to maintain himself in society in which he fought so hard for. In short he is a fully fleshed out 3D character. I fell in love with MC too and as a reader I totally get why ML would fall so hard for MC, to the extent it became destructive.

• • ML: all ML's written by this author are aggressive, extremely hot headed, physically the top of the pyramid when it comes to looks and sexuality and stamina. The feeling is so raw and HOT. They also always have super powerful background, but ML is used to simple food and housing (due to military background). The powerful background is not used to throw around weight, rather it complicates ML tremendously in being together with MC. MLs are always scum in the beginning, there is often r*pe and dubcon, but it is not so simple. ML is a complex characters too. There is a lot of guilt, suffering too. And caring and doting. So far in the stories I read, ML always disliked MC, but man... They fall soooooo hard in the end. And this process is always so well written and convincing! Not the type of falling in love at first sight and getting obsessed for no particular reason (aka Kdrama settings). The HE is always due to ML being so damn persistent in never-letting-go!!He would rather die together than ever let go. He suffers tremendous pain during this process (especially in Professional Substitute').

• • Plot and character development: I always wonder at the beginning.... How can this couple become lovers and the kind that are so obsessed?? They so hate eachother now... And everytime author manages in to make the process so beautiful and powerful.

• • Side characters: best side characters I have read are in the stories of this author. Especially in My little poplar. They are believable and relatable. Equally fleshed out like the main characters. There is lot of character development.

• • Overall feeling - raw, emotional, destructive and super addicting: Writing skills and writing style are just so good! Pacing is excellent, scenes are captivating and don't drag. Page turners. It is balanced between descriptions and dialogues. The flow is always good. As soon as I start reading I can't stop.

So why the bad ratings?

The character settings.... Not everyone can like these explosive, agressive MLs who can and will NEVER let go. Totally obsessive and destructive. The type that would rather die then let go. It can be defined as very toxic and unhealthy. And I totally get why some readers are truly repulsed by this. But it is also the setting that I ship them so much and feel so much pain for ML in the end. His never ending persistence makes me numb and I only wish them to be together again.

I really hope this author will write a story that has a more 'normal/popular' character setting too. With her excellent writing style such story could be explosively popular. On the other hand, it does make her stories very distinctive from the mass...

BTW I don't like the pictures of the TV drama of this story. Real actors can never come close to the images in my head. Description of MC is quite different than the actor in TV drama.

This was an emotional roller coaster. There was so much angst at some point I had to come back and check the tags to confirm that it's not a tragedy.

ML was a soft, quick to anger but open as a book puppy. However, as it progressed he became a dark, overbearing "if you leave me I'll break your legs and lock you up in a basement." Still love him to bits though because everything he did he did for MC including changing who he was.

MC was a selfish self centered... more>> prude and he gave me a headache every time he spoke to ML.

Spoiler

He kept comparing ML to other people (mind you ML is 11 years younger than everyone else. He kept bashing him, telling him he's nothing, he's not good enough, he needs to change, and when ML finally became what he wanted he decided nah, this is too much. I hated his pompous ass and the only redeeming quality he had was finally accepting ML

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8/10 would recommend. <<less

I don't understand why this novel is so underrated. This is one of my favorite (188) novels!!! I just like the tension, also the intimate moments were so intense!!!!

The ML and MC. Both strong. The ML is physically strong and strong-willed and the MC mature and intelligent.

I hate that I like this novel. I really do. It does agaisnt everything that I like in a novel. It has the exact amount of misunderstanding, indecisiveness that I hate and lets not forget the r*pe parts too. The ML is an as*hole and very childish most of the time too. I completely understand why people hate this novel, I really do. Which is why drives it drives me insane how I really liked the MC, plot and writing style, plz dont ask why I dont think I have... more>> the answer for you. <<less

Its is literally the best romantic novel I've every read. I enjoyed it so much that I even forgot to sleep😂and specially the intimate moments (*cough) were so intense and hot😂 And this novel even made me laugh most of the time. One time I laughed so hard which made my mom think that I was possessed in the middle of the night😂😂anyway I highly recommend this novel❤

This is the only novel that forced me to leave a review because of how frustrating it is. I mean, the relationship between the 2 is too toxic. I dunno man, I've read a lot of novels with the same concept but this one, jezus, it's too exhausting to read that I just gave up.

First and foremost read the tag carefully, if you're not comfortable with any of them then stop reading at once. As for the story, the ML although childish and very possessive, he's very much true to his word until the end. He's ready to sacrifice everything for our MC. MC was much older than ML but still the balance is there. He's not the s*upid type and can be bullied easily. The relationship of the ML and MC has their own ups and downs but in the end they were... more>> able to overcome all the obstacles. A good read if you were able to pass the tags. <<less

I think this is the book that I have reread the most. It is very intense. I love the protagonists unwavering feelings for each other. Even though the ML is immature with a one-track mind, I like his character growth. And unlike most of yanderes who go off the rail once their SO left them or spend their times chasing them and trying to force them until they comeback, sometimes using questionable means, I admire how YY, with all his immaturity and impatience, instead of blindly chasing after GQP and... more>> wasting away, manages to spend the time of their separation to make himself stronger for the sake of GQP and their future. <<less

Honestly, I love this story

I also can't understand why people are hating on it

The tag clearly stated 'rape', when you know you're gonna get uncomfortable, why go ahead?

... more>> If you're also looking for a soft, non possessive, non arrogant male lead, there are many stories out there like that.

Yuan also progressed very impressively.

He might be aggressive, childish whatever but that's what makes him, that's him and that's what made me like him.

Both characters have their triats that makes them unique. It shows love could make anything happen, they blended well despite their indifference.

The arguments were also needed and realistic. They were enemies for f*ck sake! Were you expecting them to just sail smoothly after a f*ck with their opposite trials?!

The arguments also brought on plot development, it wasn't in vain.

No need to give a bad review about it, just go read a story of your preference.

I also love the writing style, matured and the translation too, it was a good job.

It's a great story, on my fav bl read now.

Once again, complaining about the r*pe is lame, Yuan paid for it and also accept his actions. Lame again, cause the tag clearly stated 'rape'. <<less

Like MANY people here in the review section, I absolutely hate myself for liking this book as much as I did.

Before you plan on reading this book, please go in knowing that it deals with ... more>>

Spoiler

rape, obsession, a LOT of possessiveness, and even an unhealthy relationship

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... I've long come to terms with the fact that Chinese BL authors can make me accept anything in their books. Even with such messed up content, I couldn't help but ship both the characters throughout the plot.

Keeping all the above-mentioned content aside, I loved the main leads soo much. Their characters were wholesome and it felt very nice to read them.

I never felt it to be boring and I would definitely recommend it to everyone who is fine to look past all the messed up themes this book brings with it. <<less

From the comments, it seems everyone disliked YY (the ML). But for me, he is the most interesting character because I love reading about obsessional love. YY is indeed an extreme character with extreme tendencies who is ready to sacrifice everything for his love. His type of love is rare in real life but common enough in literature, not only chinese BL. Yes, he is immature, spoiled, violent, overbearing and possessive but it is his flawed character that makes him an interesting (even sometimes endearing) ML and his sincerity in... more>> his love for GQP was touching.

Unfortunately the one he loves, GQP, is his exact opposite and there lies the source of all the drama in this book. GQP is much older, mature, rational, realistic, cold and is only concerned about his work, reputation and future. I actually found his character more annoying than YY, especially his constant denial of his feelings.

What actually kept me reading was the expectation that when the couple fall in love, they would influence each other and their characters would change and grow in contact with each other. Both are polar extremes and I hoped YY would grow in maturity and act less spoiled and GQP would learn to let go, be less controlling, and be more carefree and easy-going. Well, none of this happened. They both stubbornly kept to their own mindset and kept fighting and arguing and this till the end. It is a happy ending but I was not satisfied because it did not seem like GQP loved YY as much as YY loved him. <<less

Waiting for other 188 boys series to be translated 🤞

I find it very satisfying to read this kinds of novels where the ML's are a**holes then will change (a bit lol) for the MC. I just don't like the parts where the ML r*ped the MC.