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Black-bellied vs. Black-bellied: Ultimate Showdown
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Rating(4.4 / 5.0, 177 votes)
5    71% (125 votes)
4    12% (22 votes)
3    6% (11 votes)
2    4% (7 votes)
1    7% (12 votes)
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2020
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187 Chapters (Completed)
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Weekly Rank: #9676
Monthly Rank: #14539
All Time Rank: #3668
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On 2817 Reading Lists
Monthly Rank: #14039
All Time Rank: #3441

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In order to help his father investigate the true situation at the group’s clothing company, Qi Yu was almost involved in an economic case. Fortunately, he was able to get away because of “an old hand” who had selflessly been providing him with help.

But as his interactions with this old hand grew, Qi Yu gradually began to discover that all this was far less simple than it seemed. He began to have his doubts about the other’s true identity and his purpose for appearing at his side…

“There is only one true heroism in the world: to see the world as it is, and to love it.”

——Romain Rowland

Associated Names
One entry per line
The Hunter Behind the Scenes
The Ultimate Showdown of Black-bellied and Black-bellied
การปะทะกันของคนตีสองหน้า
幕后獵手
腹黑和腹黑的终极对决
Related Series
The Daily Life of Being the Campus Idol’s Fake Boyfriend (Shared Universe)
Assistant Architect (Shared Universe)
Recommendations
The Daily Life of Being the Campus Idol’s Fake Boyfriend (3)
Assistant Architect (2)
The Perfect Relationship (1)
Assigned CEO (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Pretty / Feminine / Shou-like Gong Seme
  2. The ones I've already read
  3. TBR (GL/BL) 9
  4. Gems that hooked me up!! (Bl)
  5. BL: planning to read

Latest Release

Date Group Release
08/09/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c187
08/08/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c186
08/01/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c185
07/26/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c184
07/25/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c183
07/11/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c182
07/08/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c181
07/06/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c180
07/04/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c179
06/28/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c178
06/27/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c177
06/24/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c176
06/21/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c175
06/20/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c174
06/16/22 Chrysanthemum Garden c173
123…13
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idlehands
idlehands rated it
January 7, 2022
Status: --
I'm not that far in and probably continue it at some point, but my rating won't change no matter how much "character development" might happen later on.

This novel has the same problems as the author's other story.

The main characters are around 20, studying/working adults, yet they all have the maturity level and mental competence of 13 years old children.

Someone who grew up in the business circle, was dragged along to meetings etc. From a young age, can't possibly be this trusting and naïve, most lower-middle class children are more realistic... more>> than MC.

If we look at side characters, they are the opposite, scoundrels with zero intelligence so MC can look more outstanding, at least he has manners and good grades.

In short, all characters are stereotypes, nothing else.

I'm only around chapter 44 and am dead tired of how often the author repeats how good looking MC is, it's such a major focus that I have to wonder if I'm reading an entertainment story, a very shallow one.

Here too, women are evil plot devises, I think 5 were given a name, of which only MC's mother is a decent person, most of the others are basically money-hungry prostit**es sleeping with whoever their rich boyfriend/employer tells them to bed.

All the others are only there to blush due to MC's good looks and occasionally try to hit on him.

Why was this necessary?

The relationship between ML and MC is uncomfortable at best, an absolute no-go at worst.

ML is manipulative, while MC is so immature and dense that he doesn't even realise ML is chasing him, he genuinely thinks of him as a teacher - which ML is aware of.

This kind of dynamic is, at least for me, extremely uncomfortable.

It doesn't get any better when he finally understands ML's real intention, instead of voicing his own interest, he starts to play games as not to "lose" to the ML, no matter that the guy never really did anything, MC is just too s*upid to see through the simplest of things.

She likely wanted to make it look like ML gives MC his total support, teaches him how the business world really works, and helps him to grow.

He repeatedly states that he wants MC to come to him willingly, fall in love with him earnestly, but that's not how it is if you look at it closely.

ML has already done so much for MC that he developed a dependency, meanwhile ML does his best to make MC paranoid about everyone around him, even long-term friends.

It's supposed to seem like MC was only made aware of possibilities, that he's now prepared should anyone he likes turn out to be a bad person, and he himself says that he will continue to trust "worthy" people until something happens that proves their bad motives.

"Trust" means you are sure they would never hurt you, "trust" doesn't have a timestamp, if you are already prepared that things go south with someone, then you don't trust them at all.

I'm sure the author didn't think that far, there are quite a lot of similar things that make it clear she never went below the surface, readers are expected to take it at face value and not to think about it too deeply.

It's basically "Campus idol's fake boyfriend" but in a business setting, equally shallow if you try to look at it instead of just glancing at it, characterisation isn't any better either, it's just more ridiculous considering that the characters in this one are supposed to be working adults at the top of the food chain.

I've gone into this with the expectation of reading a mature business focused novel, because that's what it's tagged as – but sadly not what it turned out to be.

What annoyed me the most and would warrant to drop my rating to zero, is that the author seems to think being gay means to like every single man you come across.

It's seriously insulting how MC doubts his "gayness" because he isn't interested in a guy who's basically sexually harassing him, so he can't possibly like ML either, he's obviously straight.

This is such a dangerous stereotype on which a good portion of h*mophobia is based on, I can't fathom why an author would use this in their story, I can only hope she doesn't actually believe it herself.

Two stars for the accurate business aspects, that's the only positive point I could find. <<less
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Xu Wen Hui
Xu Wen Hui rated it
August 25, 2021
Status: --
I read this novel a few months ago, and the only impression I still have of it was the title really doesn't match the novel.
Spoiler

when I finished reading it, I remembered checking the reviews on jjwxc, because to me, the MC wasn't really black bellied and more holy motherish? To me it was more like a innocent, young rich second gen MC who opened his eyes to the dark side of society x the secret identity black bellied ML who taught and mentored him

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This is just my opinion though, but I still liked the couple's interactions
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Indigokhalil
Indigokhalil rated it
March 28, 2022
Status: c187
I've never written a review before but after having actually finished reading this novel and seeing how few reviews there are of it, I feel the need to do one. In my opinion, this story doesn't receive enough praise. It's very different from the usual danmei webnovel but different doesn't mean bad.

For one, the background of this story is the business world. And it's not just because the characters are CEOs or office workers. It talks about stock manipulations, acquisitions, mergers, investments, etc., all the various aspects of a corporate... more>> business. And the author weaves a very convincingly realistic setting.

Which brings me to the next point – the ‘realistic’ setting. In this story, (apart from, arguably, the ML and MC) everyone is portrayed in various shades of gray. For most of the characters in this story, you can't say they're completely good or completely bad. For a lot of the 'bad' characters, I find myself feeling sorry for them or liking some aspect of them while hating others.

The author also writes realistic situations. She portrays the business world in all its ugliness and moral ambiguity. It's this morally ambiguous setting that forces the MC to grow, to learn, to form his principles and his courage.

The MC's growth is slow. I actually prefer it this way. He starts the story as a sort of naive, unbending 19 year old which to me, sounds reasonable. I don't know about you but I wasn't anything impressive at 19. I was pretty much just a college student trying to find my way around. Granted, I'm no business scion, but I did have classmates who were and they were no better than I was. I'd be more turned off if he started off as some bigshot business genius. The author writes his growth in a way that we can clearly see it. He becomes more cunning, more wily, more able to play the game. He learns to see people -- including long time friends and the ML -- as they are and he makes his own decisions as to whether to trust them or not. In short, he grows as a shrewd businessman but with principles. However, he doesn't really fully mature until maybe the 130 chapter mark. Just keep that in mind.

The ML starts of as a sort of life teacher for the MC, while at the same time, he is an undercover government agent tasked with investigating the MC's family company. Because he's so much more experienced than the MC, the relationship in the beginning is pretty lopsided. But as the MC grows, their relationship also changes to be much more even. The MC, while he was taught and guided by the ML, does form his own opinions and his own principles. As he begins to fully mature, he starts taking steps independent of the ML and that's when their relationship, for me, begins to become quite even.

The story is told almost exclusively from the view of the MC so we hardly see the view of the ML. Despite that, we can see his struggles between his mission and his love for the MC. It really pulls at my heartstrings. Towards the end, you can also see his utmost devotion. Awww... my heart.

The plot is amazing. The whole 180+ chapter novel is one big corporate intrigue story. Everything ties in. Things that happen in the beginning are connected to the end. It shows that the author really thought this story out.

Another big thing that I love about this story is the author's motivation behind writing it. In a note on chapter 130, she explicitly explains that she wanted to write about idealists in a society like the one that we currently live in where people give up their scruples to get ahead. In the final analysis, that is exactly what she does. She has the MC and ML represent what she thinks to be the 'proper' path. She shows the struggles and the price the MC had to pay -- losing friends, potential partners, an easy way to succeed, making hard decisions that affect 'innocent' people -- in order to stick to his principles. In the end, the MC and ML are rewarded for this but it came at a cost.

The author was criticized for being idealistic by some Chinese readers. Among western readers though, I feel this story is being criticized for being not idealistic enough. We're so used to stories where black and white are so clearly delineated, where the MC is completely upstanding, right, pure and OP. Well, this story isn't one of those and I think it's all the better for it. I think readers who've experienced working in corporate can relate to a lot of the characters and themes in this story.

One last thing I would like to address is the lack of good female characters. Yes, there aren't a lot of 'good' female characters. The only one that could be considered is Jiang Ying, the MC's mom. However, I would like to point out that there aren't really that many 'good' male characters either. As the author has explicitly said, the ML and MC are the ones she wrote to be 'right/good'. Everyone else is just kind of gray. The female characters could certainly fawn over the MC less though. A possible reason why there's also very few female characters is because she made the setting to be realistic and while I find it sad and believe that it shouldn't be the case, women are under-represented in the upper levels of corporate business.

Overall, I really liked this story and I hope you would give it a try. I hope you'll read it through til the end because I think this story needs to be read in its entirely to really be enjoyed and to understand what the author was trying to do and say. Rating 4.7 out of 5.0. <<less
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periperi
periperi rated it
August 19, 2021
Status: Completed
Current rating: 4 stars

I think this book (so far) has one of my favourite ML. The super smart, teasing, and helps MC kind of ML (but also kind of black bellied as per the tags). It was 5 stars all the way till around chapter 60, I'll see if I continue.

I love MC and ML interactions and their student-teacher vibe (not actual school setting, more of ML teaching MC business stuff). Also, with so many entertainment setting stories out there, it's very refreshing for such a business oriented book (not... more>> that I understood much about that aspect). And I kind of liked the little hidden identity part as well that unravels fairly quickly, although ML remains rather mysterious.

Now what I didn't really like (but is a personal preference, I think most people won't mind it, mind the spoiler!) :
Spoiler

around chapter 60, MC and ML enters a second contract as the first student-teacher one ends. Where MC takes advantage of ML's feelings for him to get ML to stay with him (and continue teaching him) in exchange for MC's "body" but not his heart as he is not gay. And ML accepts it. I kind of think ML probably has other motives too but if not, then love has made him accept a the short end of the stick in that deal. Also, I thought MC clearly showed so many signs of affection and even said he liked ML but when it came down to it, he said no he doesn't?! But also, understandably, he doesn't want to make a rash decision. But I don't like that kind of deals (makes me feel like it's cheating someone's feelings). Even if the affection is actually secretly mutual, with a deal smack in between them, it feels dirty. SIGH I preferred their previous interactions. And to think this book is about 180 chapters long and this is only chapter 60.

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But otherwise, so far it's a pretty interesting book with strong characters in the business setting with cameos from author's other book. (And yes, they smoke, WHY).

Edit: At chapter 73 and I actually still really like the story (will rate this 4.5). I think the CP really compliment each other (love how competent the characters are) and the business part is surprisingly still quite interesting. Still minus 0.5 for my spoiler above because
Spoiler

I would rather the cute parts without a black and white deal between them. But their relationship is still very cute.

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Edit: completed, overall still around 4-4.5 stars. Still really like ML (maybe moreso than MC). The story is actually entertaining enough and can see the growth of MC but certain parts, MC kept throwing tantrums (reminds me of assistant architect). I just want to say I felt really
Spoiler

bad for the zhang kid at the end of the book who got kidnapped with MC. Like he had bad intentions but he was a victim of his circumstance and I wanted him to have a happier end too. Like I just felt sorry for him in the whole book.

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And FYI, this book has no side CP other than Qi Feng from the other book. <<less
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abhi_2296
abhi_2296 rated it
April 28, 2023
Status: Completed
A hidden gem, not known by many, but what a lovely coincidence for me to have come across it. It has become one of my favourites.

I remember narrating the plot to a friend before I finished, and even my friend became so invested to hear the story. BvB can be considered a coming-of-age novel of a young heir of a conglomerate who, in a moment of impulse, ends up messing with the wrong man (or messing with the absolute Right Man... where would Qi Yu be if he had not... more>> entangled with Fu Yansheng that day). And the novel has a compelling scene (car racing scene!) to show Fu Yansheng's impact on Qi Yu.

For all the reviews that tell you it's boring.

Here's my opinion.

It has a detailed finance plot (which was interesting for me as an econ. student) ; it is slice of life but not dull. The author spends time building up their relationship, and to me, that is always worth it.

I hate quick illogical romances where people start liking each for no reason. Qi Yu and Fu Yansheng are at crossroads in life (because of the nature of their work). Their feelings and the strength of their relationship were bound to get tested at one point. So, it makes sense to me that the author spent a lot of time slowly carving and sculpting the dynamics of their relationship. Because of this, the decisions Qi Yu chooses to make when he finds out Fu Yansheng's identity are completely logical and in line with the story (and that smart darling, he figured it out all by himself. I love smart protagonists so much)

And boy, are these two smart. But MC (Qi Yu) slowly comes into his smartness. It just makes it more realistic and fun to read when he turns the tables on our genius mathematician ML (Fu Yansheng). I adored their teacher-student relationship because Fu Yansheng takes his role as a teacher very seriously; I love how the author puts in parts where FYS teaches QY (often these aspects are forgotten to push ahead the romance elements in other novels).

Another part I enjoyed was the discussion on ethics and morality—the principles in life that are uncompromisable to us and how we grow into them.

Overall, I loved who Qi Yu and Fu Yansheng were as individuals and loved their dynamic together even more. I enjoyed that these two had their passions and goals in life independent of each other and how they came together in a relationship to support and love each other. <<less
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twobada
twobada rated it
October 21, 2022
Status: c1
I think that the reviews criticizing the MC are expecting the wrong things. Even if he grew up following his dad, he is still in his early 20s and hadn't even had any social interactions beyond the gatherings his dad took him to that he didn't even get to actively participate in as an adult. On top of that, he doesn't have the inherent disposition of businessmen. All the business-like traits he has were learned, rather than innate. He wasn't even 25 yet by the time the story ended.

Also, the... more>> whole point of his character is to serve as an antithesis to the likes of Xu Jing and Fu Yansheng. He was never meant to be as cunning and crafty as they are. He's supposed to be the idealistic leader that believed in balancing humanity and profit. The author actually did a great job in showcasing his growth.

The rest of the side characters, the important ones like Zhang Chengxuan or Si Ze were all given their distinct personalities. It isn't necessary to delve deeper into their stories to move the main plot along. They served their purpose in the story and that's that. The whole thing would've been bogged down if we had to read about their own dilemmas too. This applies even more so with lesser side characters like Fu Yansheng's colleagues. They played their parts and that's it.

Fu Yansheng and Qi Yu's teacher-student dynamics transforming into a romantic relationship also isn't as sketchy as what the others are saying. In fact, the whole point of Xu Jing's presence in Qi Yu's life is to show that Qi Yu is perfectly capable to distinguishing between feelings of dependency towards a romantic partner and feelings of dependency towards someone you look up to. Qi Yu didn't fall in love just because Yansheng was always there to teach him, just like how Yansheng didn't fall in love just because of a kiss.

As for Yansheng being so OP and resourceful, well, someone has to play that part since this is that kind of romance novel after all. The author did a great job showing the changes in his mentality too, from the lofty, principled genius to the man deeply in love.

For a story like this, I'm glad the author focused more on the main protagonists' development instead of dogblood plot twists or brain dead face-slapping. It was a very satisfying read overall. <<less
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secondthots
secondthots rated it
August 14, 2022
Status: Completed
Honestly, there is nothing more satisfying than losing sleep on a phenomenal read.

It’s 1:25am—to be fair—this is actually not the latest I’ve stayed up finishing a novel. I think my thoughts are always clearer in the later parts of the night anyways. ANYWHO- my point: you should read this.

I’m not even going to be roundabout with it; READ THIS NOVEL.

... more>> “But why, ” you ask? BECAUSE I AM TELLING YOU TO!

Jokes aside, this novel just rubs me the right way. I read the author’s previous work starring Qing Feng & it was good, but not as GODLY as this one was. Call it bias, but I certainly am more inclined to the drama circulating around business, politics, etc. as opposed to... university matters. I love Qing Feng, but the Lord knows I f*cking love Qing Yu 1000x more. Moreover, the author just had to create such an impeccable male lead to pair with Qing Yu, so yeah—I’m not at all surprised that I am a s*ave to this novel.

Aren’t you just blowing rainbow farts for this novel?? It can’t be that good!

I don’t think it’s a perfect novel, but it definitely grabbed my full attention for the past two days. For one, the characters are extremely appealing to me. I love both main characters; they complement each other well & push the other to grow in different ways. It’s a lot of tug of war in their relationship as the two are equally proud, but hey—that’s hot. Their interactions had me floored. Whether it’s the sly teasing remarks or the shameless candid statements, the main CP is quite a fun pair to read about. As far as other characters, they have their respective roles in the story, some more important than others. The plot itself wasn’t bad though I wish it didn’t skimp out on details last minute. There were some things that I wish the author expanded on, but it didn’t ruin my reading experience. I wanted a happy ending & I got one. <<less
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Accellia
Accellia rated it
July 5, 2022
Status: c170
from the author of campus romance to business setting? good development :)

MC initial character is not quite like the title; MC is more like well behaved and naive teenager with good morality. he is only black belly nature to his young bro and when teasing ML lol. MC character development is chef's kiss :* from that naive kid to young adult but still retain his own basic principle. that sound still naive but honestly it's also good. and his emotional turbulence and development is very satisfyingly told. as the... more>> title said, its ultimate showdown, the MC ML interaction is also as heated as the title said (ﾉ≧∇≦) ﾉ ﾐ ┻━┻ you might think ML is in the upper hand... but no! smirk

I love everything about this story. except one character I found it difficult to understand, that is, Xue Jing. he is an adult, older than MC, but why is he like that in the end?? and that one poor character whose name always cued but his physical appearance is just 1, Lin Huan, poor you xD with his character, I feel like if he can befriend with MC, that will be very interesting

and the last few chapters, I can't hold on my curiosity to go MTL. and surprisingly that was the SMOOTHEST MTL reading I've ever experienced. though it's useless telling this while the translation is almost near the end lol

and the little theater is just like diamond on the gold, cherry on top of fluffy pancakes (人*´∀｀) ｡*ﾟ+♡

my only dissatisfaction is the lack of extras and future story ಥ╭╮ಥ <<less
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Psychoutre
Psychoutre rated it
April 29, 2022
Status: c65
MTL is pretty good!

Quite sad to drop this tbh, I was having the time of my life reading that the MC is 186cm tall, we love non-feminine shous, however it didn't last when his character is pretty childish, naive and quick to anger. I was fooled by the cover thinking I'd read about a cunning, smart, well-behaved MC and a similarly scheming ML. I was hoping a battle of wits, but that definitely wasn't the case. Essentially MC doesn't have class... such a shame.

Just wanting to throw hands with the... more>> MC insisting he's not gay or purposely plays with the ML's feelings. I guess I'll have to go back and hunt for something else to rave about... <<less
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ricoerrr
ricoerrr rated it
March 22, 2023
Status: Completed
characters;

mc: qi yu

ml: fu yangsheng

... more>> summary:

MC is a wealthy fuerdai who meets ML at a bar, although MC thought nothing of their encounter, ML falls in love at first sight. ML is an incredibly astute business consultant coming from a secretive background, and so he uses his connections to approach MC under the guise of being his secretary and teacher. He helps MC hone his skills and guides him as MC navigates the business world. When MC finds out ml's feelings for him, he proposes a 'boyfriend contract' to keep ML by his side. Soon after, MC reciprocates his feelings.

Spoiler

mc's family business situation turn for the worse due to foul play. MC investigates and finds evidence of their own employees colluding with their competitors. MC also learns that ML actually works at a top secret government organization meant to probe economic crimes. Because of the nature of his work, ML was went to another city, and so they separate but keep a long distance relationship. At the climax of the story, mc's meddling becomes so disadvantageous for his competitors that he gets kidnapped. ML flies to his rescue, the perpetrators are arrested, and ML gives up his post to stay by mc's side.

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thoughts

A GEM. I've read a lot of novels featuring ceos and businessmen but this one was the first to have such a detailed and nuanced storytelling of the business world. The author herself isnt in the indutry but I can tell that she did her due diligence and researched a lot for this story. I appreciate how everything was still understandable for readers who are unfamiliar with business (me).

we get to see qi yu starting off as a little young master without any practical experience, still wet behind the ears, taking on the responsibility of investigating his own family business due to some falsified reports. He starts off quite naive and tries to assume the best in people, to the point where he couldnt even understand how a competitor could steal their products by bribing their own executives. But he learns pretty fast, and with fu yangsheng's guidance we see his independence develop more later on as he takes on a more proactive role by seeking investors, seeking talents, managing his own team, doing crisis mitigation, etc. The author does point out that qi yu is very idealistic and people like him dont typically exist (or survive) in the real world, but I do appreciate how she decided to write him as a humane leader. He has a bottom line, has good morals, and sticks with his ideals. It makes empathizing with a rich billionaire a lot easier lmao

and despite the focus of the story being principally on qi yu's growth as a venture capitalist, it doesnt skimp on the romance at all. Fu yansheng chases qi yu in his own special way and and its kinda silly but also kinda cute :') and qi yu, thank god, isnt a total airhead and picks up on the clues fairly quickly. I absolutely love how he tries to get the upper hand by coming up with the 'boyfriend contract' except he totally shot himself in the foot with that

once theyre together they hug and kiss and get intimate so often its just <3333 to read. And despite qi yu wanting to take his feelings slow, its clear that he really really likes fu yansheng, from the moments he spends with him, to the moments theyre separated. I love reading reciprocated love and this novel just does it so well.

Spoiler

i also gotta give it for fu yansheng's morally grey approach. At the start he gave me gasliting vibes because he's always trying to remind qi yu how not everyone should be trusted, how relationships are made based on the vested interest the other party has, and how qi yu needs to start valuating his relationships this way as well. And that makes sense given the context: businessmen are here to make money and cut losses, and jumping ship is perfectly normal. And in hindsight it was a good thing to teach qi yu because theres plenty of examples instory where friends become foes. But whats funny to me is how he makes an exception for himself because of nonsense reasons. Qi yu made a point to ask - multiple times!! - Why he should trust fu yansheng, and all he got was 'you have potential' or 'its for the good of the country' like lmaoooo

and that side cp HAD ME IN A CHOKEHOLD. I really really really wanted to read more about them :')

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dee_ism
dee_ism rated it
September 26, 2022
Status: --
It's better than my expectation.

Since it share the same universe with The Daily Life of Being the Campus Idol’s Fake Boyfriend, I thought it would have the same feeling, a light campus romance with sweet nothings.

But turns out it much better.

... more>> I love how the story dwelling with the business world. And how our MC character growth. And how the romance relationship growth.

At first I have a bit bad feeling towards ML (he's a bit annoying with his teases) but as the story progress, I found him really reliable. He's such a good character, very helping, very understanding, very supporting, very doting, and a whipped lover overall, hahaa.

I also like our MC. He's a bit aloof but he's so hardworking, soft hearted, smart, and act like his age, imo. I can relate with his inner turmoil. With all the burden, he still maintain his rationality and integrity. <<less
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qwynedd
qwynedd rated it
April 27, 2022
Status: c40
I honestly feel annoyed and really don't like ml, i'll probably drop this.

... more>>
Spoiler

Emotionally manipulating mc? I already commented this on the site but he is a major red flag 🚩 that's not how healthy rel works. It's no different to some ch novel where third parties get theirselves preg just to marry a rich family to gain money or public proposal to pressure them to enter a relationship, it's called ✨ manipulation✨. Besides such person is capable of gaslighting someone. And the MC is young and naive, and he is 7 years older???? I hope people stop romantizing this kind of mls. "Fox", "blackbellied" towards MC. If it was a attitude towards a business rival or competitor I would've agree to it but to use this personality towards the person u like, if I were him. I'll find somebody else to date. The very moment I realized that they manipulated me into the relationship no matter what I felt. I would definetly doubt what I felt then yeet myself out.

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Besides the title is insiting rivals to lovers but it's not. It's very misleading. <<less
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Wuwuwu5
Wuwuwu5 rated it
January 15, 2024
Status: --
Qi Yu is said to be the cool mature type of character at first but he doesn’t really feel like it. The vibe that he gave off from his brother’s novel was totally different from the way he acts in this novel but maybe that was the intention of the author. I also don’t like Fu Yansheng I think he’s weird and a bit stalkerish. Normally it wouldnt be a deal breaker for me though (it sounds horrible saying that lmao). Ever since he said that line “I want you... more>> to grow up quickly” my opinion of him has dropped 10 fold accompanied by what the author says in the little theater because it sounds an awful lot like a grmer saying that even though Qi Yu is not a minor. Either way it’s weird and it’s a shame because I liked the author’s other works but I won’t be finishing this one. I’ve read novels that are way more morally deranged than this but for some reason I just can’t handle this. Maybe there’s character development later on but I won’t stick around to see it. <<less
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spod
spod rated it
November 30, 2023
Status: Completed
4.4/5

This novel is really cute! The relationship between MC and ML is my favorite part of this novel.

Initially, when I read the reviews, I was kinda uncomfortable about the fact that ML was supposed to be MCs teacher (I was expecting g*ooming or smth lol) but ML was more like a tutor rather than a teacher. Their relationship progress felt a bitt unrealistic but it was still within the acceptable range of progress.

Also, MC doesn't really act black-bellied. He's kind, but not a pushover. He had character development as the... more>> plot developed. I feel like the author kept trying to emphasize MCs character development, which made it seem unnatural.

This novel also gets really technical and there's lots of discussion on stocks, business.. Etc etc. At first, I read all the fine details of every business deal MC got involved in. But eventually, around the ch100~120 mark, I started skimming over the details, directly skipping to more entertaining parts of the story. I still kept up with the general flow of the story so that I wouldn't be confused when MC and ML conversed about business related things.

Tbh, the novel feels stretched out. I feel like it was just dragging on and on towards the end. But it wasn't much of an inconvenience.

I have a slight dissatisfaction though. There was lots of build up on

Spoiler

MLs dad who saved MC when he was eight from kidnappers

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So I was expecting a scene where MC and MLs dad meet, but it never happened :/

Once again, I feel like the novel kept dragging on towards the end and I found myself losing interest a little but then

Spoiler

Qi Yu got kidnapped AGAIN lololol

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The story started picking up at a better pace after that incident, which I liked. But I never really felt excited (?) While reading this story, so that kinda downgraded my experience. It also occasionally got boring at certain chapters but it is what it is

I wanted to see more of Qi Yu and Qi Fengs bond. They're really an interesting duo xD

Originally, I thought that Liu Huan was MLs secret identity but I was proven wrong lol
Spoiler

poor guy didn't even get to say a single word lmaooo

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Also Xue Niu (QYs dog)
Spoiler

she has Alzheimer's or dementia, I can't remember, but I want to know what happened to her 😭😭 (i don't mean to be offensive in any way)

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Overall, this novel is pretty solid.

Recommended! <<less
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Queen_of_Chaos000
Queen_of_Chaos000 rated it
September 26, 2022
Status: Completed
AMAZING!!!

Two good morally good husbands brought us a kind of unique story. I loved how everything was executed. While this vibe is very different from Assistant Architect, which I came here after, I loved the characters and the story just the same. ML is as mentioned in the title very black-belly yet very much loyal to his principles. While the MC, in the beginning, was portrayed to be innocent/naive, his growth was all the more beautiful to read. And slowly he was able to match the ML in many areas.

Teacher... more>> Fu and Little Fish are very awesome and admiring characters! <<less
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5thepast
5thepast rated it
May 26, 2023
Status: Completed
I read this directly after The Daily Life of Being the Campus Idol’s Fake Boyfriend and I thought it was a fun companion novel. It was enjoyable to see a little more of the characters from the first novel and to see what happens with the other twin. That being said, I think I liked this one a little bit less than the first.

I enjoyed the characters, but found the book wasn't fully holding my attention for the first half. I did end up getting more into it as things... more>> went on.

There is quite a bit of business/finance content, but I think it keeps a good balance with that and interactions between the main couple, so it doesn't just feel like reading a book about business stuff.

The ending felt a little abrupt and made me wish it was longer since we didn't really get to see how some of the MC's business ventures ended up (especially the e-sports team? But maybe that's a setup for another novel). I also wish there had been more about a potential side couple that never fully materializes. <<less
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Inkscreamedmo
Inkscreamedmo rated it
May 19, 2023
Status: Completed
Updated ratings: 3.2–Stars.

It'd be great if I could change my ratings but this site doesn't allow that. It may not be a five-star read, but it's definitely worth more than one-star.

I rated it too low based on my evaluation of the MC till ch 61. He was exceedingly annoying, obnoxious, and ignorant of other people's feelings, and his penchant for creating unnecessary misunderstandings truly ticked me off. But going forward....I'm glad to see his character growth. The MC truly matures both as a person and a businessman under the... more>> ML's guidance. And personally, the flaws in his temperament and his journey of growing out of them made him seem more human to me compared to the "godly main character personas" we come across in most novels.

As for the ML, well.. he was perfect. I see some reviewers calling him manipulative, but I'd like to ask... did they read the same novel I did? Yes the ML does does keeps secrets and often has to lie but that's not because he is manipulative or toxic but rather because of the nature of his job.
Spoiler

He is a secret agent working for the government. He has been posted near the MC to investigate a fraudulent businessman who happens to be the MC's business partner.

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And he does everything in his capability to keep the MC safe, nurturing and cultivating him along the way in the most loving and respectful manner possible.

I'd agree it can get a bit boring at times given the financial jargon and the business intrigues, but I still enjoyed it.... and you can always skip some parts when it gets too much.

Another problem many reviewers pointed out was the inapt title for the novel? Well I'd say while they were both black bellied to some degree... the ML definitely outshone the MC. As I mentioned before, the MC takes time to grow as a character. In the beginning he is an inexperienced, somewhat naive child with a minor black-bellied streak (mostly annoying at this point) that mostly flares up in front of the ML or the MC's twin brother (whom I personally felt bad for. I felt the MC's treatment of him was rather rude). But he starts to grow out of it half-way through the novel, and becomes much more understanding, compassionate, and shrewd. <<less
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Winterrz
Winterrz rated it
April 17, 2023
Status: --
Ok my opinion might be a little biased because I'd read some many negative reviews before starting on the novel itself.

Ok so, I find the first meeting of the main couple really really cute; but honestly that's as far as I've gone in enjoying the book. Nothing else after that is exciting to me. I don't want to call this a boring novel, but I'd say it's sort of like a documentary. Day to day life of a college student who also has a twin. I'm a college student myself,... more>> if you know of any college students, then you know our lives are really really boring. Yet the author drags that on chapter after chapter; only deviating to rub it in our faces that MC has a twin...

Gone nearly halfway through and my face has remained blank so I'ma just end here. I've ever read the other work of the author about the twin fake dating some guy or stuff like that and that too was boring. Didn't know there was a sequel! <<less
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bbyshark
bbyshark rated it
November 26, 2022
Status: Completed
I had already finished 'The Daily Life of Being the Campus Idol’s Fake Boyfriend' before this novel and I was curious about the other twin - Qi Yu's story so, I started it. And I have to say that I really enjoyed reading and loved this one.

I love both MC and ML's characters. It takes some time to appreciate them in my opinion. Criticizing the novel and rating it low when you just finished reading upto ch40 of a novel with total 187 chapters is just irresponsible. Both of them... more>> have their ideals they follow. MC has a confident persona but he's soft inside. ML is a secret government agent and he had to approach MC for a mission. It started off really good and it was getting quite mysterious and they already got together at like ch61 so, I was afraid if the story would drag on as there was 126 chapters after that but it was really enjoyable. There is character development with both MC and ML. We really get to see both of their care, admiration and love for each other. There were conflicts which were solved satisfyingly too.

Would definitely recommend this to others. <<less
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Yonachii
Yonachii rated it
September 24, 2022
Status: c187
im done reading.

the black bellied vs black bellied title doesn't match the story especially the " ultimate showdown." there's nothing showdown happen here. Its only interesting until chapter 5,

the only black bellied I can see here is that ML counter attack when he's talking to MC but all in all nothing much. Nothing happen like how that titled as black bellied. MC is s*upid and naive. The only focus here is about business and how ML become his teacher and taught everything to him. Its full of ML teaching... more>> and how he become a lowkey cheat to have ML teach everything to him. The interaction is ok but some are not, the business topic is good but overall is not.

Spoiler

there's so many things that left me unsatisfied in this novel.

1. The MC is already in his 20s but act like 13. He was exposed in his early and mature at a young age and yet I dont see any maturity in here. In all of his past yr they treat him like a child so he grown up to his age acting like a child.

2. Xu jing is already in his 30's and yet he is acting like a child here. Its confusing how MC called him a mature person when he is not

3. Emotional manipulation. MC knowing that ML loves him and know that ML depends on what he say in everything and yet he acts like a child and say some s*upid words that he act like he don't know it.

4. Im unsatisfied with how author pull so many characters but they didnt have proper ending like what happen to si hang x secretary xu, xiao ye team, that tang who likes him, zhang chengxuan (his classmate), what lei hong do after in the laters when su jing becomes successful and become a proper person who do his job diligent and to what happen to secretary song after getting depression. They don't have proper ending on what happen to them after.

5. Lin huan (forgot his name) I dont get why his name is always dragged everywhere. I feel pity for him because author make him such a cannon fodder while he doesn't do anything bad to MC. He's like an enemy in business world and yet its zhang family fault to everything. So I dont get that part how he's always in the bad side

6. Author makes all person beside MC getting them to betray or being dissappointment of his trust except the ML and the one he poach.

7. It always end up with ML being a godlike brain and everything is scope with his knowledge

8. The jealousy part. Im always dissappoint when that happen. He already knows ML loves him the way he treats him but his s*upid brain conquer to act being a child

9. Im unsatisfied how everyone Called the MC and ML an matured relationship when there's so many red flag

10. The ending is not satisfying enough. Its lacking. No extra

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