Fanservice Paradox

Description

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Kaleido, a talented but unpopular boy band, shot to fame by chance because of a video shot at the airport. In the video, Pei Tingsong, the youngest and most gong member of the whole group, pinned Fang Juexia Gege against a wall as he gently patted his face with a ticket. Yet Fang Juexia just took the ticket away, biting it as he tidied up his clothes. A “bullying” incident within the group thus transformed into an intense flirting exchange, and the TingJue CP was born.

Netizen: holy sh*t that’s so gong! Kabedon AND a bayonet fight! (internet slang for lovey dovey actions between men)

And thus, the abandoned trump card burdened by rumours of having had sold his body and the legendary rich member with a strong backing were bound together. They had clearly never gotten along since their debut, yet they were now forced to embark on an endless path of selling their fake ship together.

Pei Tingsong was famous for being ‘real’ in the circle, and he had offended many people from his lyrics alone because they were overly ‘real’. But he stressed again and again that he and Fang Juexia were only providing fan service.

CP fan: [Someone who has never been fake is selling a fake ship.] May the philosophy students please explain the paradox to this young student Pei here.

Xiao Pei: Fine, you guys win.

Juexia: (seriously considers the logic) If B is true, then A is also true; but if A is true, then B should also be true…it really is a paradox.

Xiao Pei: Fang Juexia, you’re heartless.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Doanh Nghiệp Bội Luận
FP
Nghịch Lý “Câu Fan”
The Business Paradox [Entertainment Industry]
ying ye bei lun
YYBL
營業悖論
营业悖论[娱乐圈]
Related Series
Lovely Allergen (Shared Universe)
I Only Like Your Made-up Persona (Shared Universe)
BE Crazy Demon Survival System (Shared Universe)
Manhattanhenge (Shared Universe)
Sternstunde (Shared Universe)
Recommendations
Deep in the Act (2)
Agreement of Being Gay for 30 Days (1)
Fake Dating the Amnesiac School Prince (1)
I Ship My Adversary X Me (1)
Have You Ever Met Such a Cold Author (1)
The Idol Group and the Crown (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. modern danmei that changed my life
  2. top books part two
  3. To be read list
  4. BLs with a manhua/manhwa
  5. I'm Gay For You

Latest Release

Date Group Release
07/23/25 Suteki Steak Translations c1
05/11/20 DMlations c1
Write a Review
85 Reviews sorted by


asami78
asami78 rated it
January 16, 2022
Status: Completed
.................................
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nitan
nitan rated it
December 31, 2021
Status: Completed
It's a great story! Highly recommend everyone try it out -- I'm the type to enjoy learning new things, so getting to hear about different philosophies and the type of literary romanticism the character builds their relationship around is quite satisfying. 5* because of this, I really like the element of learning and growing based on theories and concepts, elements of real world stuff is really good!

At first I was amused and unsure if I'll keep reading because the author is very protective of the characters. I thought it was... more>> kind of adorable and hilarious? But it also made me nervous that there's alot of forewords regarding the character, as if making up for some insecurities or inadequate story-telling/writing. I'm glad I didn't drop it -- I actually think the characters are quite strong.

They are flawed but not in a way that comes from bad characterization or weak writing. They're well thought-out, intentional and the deliberate decision of the narrator being FJX is really really interesting. I can see how the narrative would be different if it was set to a third person, or even if we just become a little more omnipresent to see the netizen comments abit more. The choice to really cling onto FJX's back and follow his thoughts/feelings really made the whole romanticism part of the story more vivid. I'm really glad with the direction the author went with, and all the creative construction that went behind it is really good. I'm really satisfied!

The novel itself is fluffy all the way through. I think taking a break once in a while when you read is good, because taking the time to digest you can imagine what it's like outside the perspective of FJX. To me, besides the narrative being followed -- I can also see that if I were to pick any member of the boyband to follow their perspective of this CP -- it would be tooth-decaying fluff all the way. Even if I pick the ML to follow, I'm sure it wouldn't be as slow as what we've followed. It's only because FJX's character is written like that that he keeps his cool and is insanely sober all the time. And then when he's Not Sober, the state of narration becomes a little drunk, a little slowed down and slow-motion, excruciatingly detailed and over-thought for no particular reason. Again, I attribute it to the character.

That said, I really really like how the characters in the stories aren't just excitable, dramatic or simply in-your-face about who they are. The characters tells their own stories, they run the story. A good story is simply well-constructed characters who can weave the stories themselves. And they do it well -- Slowly, thoroughly. Each element of who they are gets explored and tasted carefully, the progression is quite slow - but this story is a really good example of characters that aren't just one-dimensional or forgettable.

They're characters who've probably had pages of character sheets behind them. And I do think they can be quite cringe -- especially 20 something years old talking about philosophy and mathematic as if they know what they're doing. Some parts are thoughtful, but some parts are idealistic and very chuuni of them, and I'm not gonna deny that it has it's appeal of being adorable in an immature way. My fault tolerance for how drawn-out the writing style is, how the characters are a little cringe, a little chuuni, how the lyrics are a little embarrassing -- I love it all. I think these are small stuff, I'd look at my little siblings who act very chuuni the same way.

What's more important is that I love when I can answer who each of these characters are without feeling distressed or disappointed that they lack personality. I love that I don't have to feel like I can only describe them with surface level stuff, but can actually talk about them because they have dimensions to them that is actually expressed in the story, not just told and move on. It's demonstrated carefully and with concrete evidence, proof of action along with the words/thoughts they carry with them. It's manifestation of their idealism, and I love that it's not cheap or weakly touched on before everybody in the story is just hyping them up. I like that they're confined by their characters, and have to navigate through their own lens.

Oh, and unrelated to the story itself, but I think the translator's (who did such a good job with this!) choice to put the sexy scenes behind a receipt-collecting wall is really a good idea. It's realistic and commendable, a practical solution to handling second-hand resources. I know there's been debates about redistribution of danmei and how it should be handled because these are essentially paid goods. While most people would buy the novel if they really enjoy the translation, I think the appeal of the s*x scenes itself is high enough and attractive enough that people will see why supporting the author is important. It's a great strategy, I really like how effective this solution is because it appeals to the target audience which is different from first-hand readers who can read mandarin themselves. Second-hand readers would usually be more disconnected from the source material, but drawing them in through s*x appeal is really effective. I think this is good marketing, and I hope more people find solutions that can help expand the market. This is the best and most practical solution I've seen so far, and I think it's really great.

My favourite chapters are 108 and 109... these two really sealed the deal for me to add this novel to my absolute favourite. If you've read through the entire story, I think the climax and resolution here is really satisfying. It has a warm feeling to it, and what's most important to me is how meaningful it is to the narrative, and being true and rewarding to the characters. I'm very very satisfied. <<less
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secondthots
secondthots rated it
December 12, 2021
Status: c110
I don’t want an ending, I want right now.”—c64

AH Zhichu, you notorious thing you! This novel is probably my danmei pick for December & I’m happy to close off the year with this story. This is my late night rambling because I have a bad habit of finishing novels well into the night. It’s almost 2am but before I rest, I need to release out my two-cents before I retire.

In simple words, this novel is a clear standout from its respective subgenre. The entertainment industry as a backdrop can either... more>> mean two things: drama or drama. It’s a pretty abysmal setting, but one of my guilty pleasures. So while I was expecting fluffy dog food & entertainment drama, I was rendered speechless when I fell for the idol group. For one, they were fictional. But the characters were fleshed out & developed to the point where I was able to empathize & love them. It’s not just about the main CP, but about Kaleido as a whole journeying up the ladder of success whilst battling injustice, stalker fans, & prejudice. It’s a really good story even without the romance, but we all know we came for that (y’all know there’s smut already so don’t deny). Same author as Lovely Allergen, so I was well aware of her capabilities >:)

Pei Tingsong- never in my life would I imagine myself mentally noting down a philosophy-major, poetry addict, rapping genius onto my list of ideal male leads. Darn you Zhichu for solidifying the fact that my standards for men have again reached heaven’s peak. This quibbling master has wormed his way into my heart with his unsurpassable quips, romantic ad-libs, swoon-worthy black knight approaches. Props to the author for being such a genius with words because WOW I was blown away.

As always, I love the polarity between the two main leads. Opposites attract is probably one of my favorite dynamics in couples. One is a Pythagorean Theorem enthusiast, the other quotes Aristotle and recites poems. It’s very refreshing to see pretty quirky main characters for once; they definitely do stand out from your typical cold shou & fiery gong. They have weaknesses & strengths, dreams & aspirations- they’re incredibly human. The romance also started off as an ENEMIES TO LOVERS route, I think that’s clickbait enough. We all know that’s one of the best ways to kickstart a romance.

TL;DR Passionate romance, inspiring idol group, idealistic but moving plot. TL’d by the same queen who translated PUBG (one of my all-time faves). The smut is locked, therefore y’all gotta purchase before feasting. Some beg to differ, but I really like this incentive of promoting the original novel & supporting the author. It’s not a ludicrous price anyways, so I consider it money well spent. <<less
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ImaginativeN
ImaginativeN rated it
July 9, 2021
Status: Completed
I've read this a year ago but I come back to their intimacy whenever I wanted because not a lot of novels give you healthy reationships. Some so abusive, I wanna cleanse my eye and imaginative brain..... this novel does the job.

Fang JueXia and Pei TingSong's interactions felt like two souls merging and blooming together. Their thoughts, emotions, and actions are grasp in such a good way that makes their scenes colored and made me feel flustered at how good their actions flow into.

The plot was well written, the characters... more>> (main and side) are 3d to me (they have stories and backgrouds to tell which made up the whole story detailed in a way), and their scenes are written in the way that makes me imagine it vividly (some words are filled with knowledge because one character likes reading philosopy and the other likes math even though both of them are idols).

The performance looks like something I can watch in a boygroup video, the photoshoot I can somehow see the picture depicted, and the gameshow (mystery type so it is a game of hiding and capturing the killer) felt so exciting but their actions and words made me feel like yeah.... if you do not feel the love your not human.

Spoiler

The hidden kisses are heart pounding and will leave them yearning for more. The touches and hugs contrast greatly the darkness they performed it in.

And the sex- no it should be called love making scenes.... I looks so hot and fitting for their growing intimacy. I love the fact that the both of them enjoyed their time and worked hard to pleasure one another.

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This is one of the couples in stories that I will remember by name. The idols---- Math geek Fang JueXia of winter and eloquent rapper Pei TingSong of spring~ <<less
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sensingkey
sensingkey rated it
June 22, 2021
Status: Completed
tbh I dont expect too much but I got surprised with this 0ne! Surely exceed my expectations! Deserves 5/5 from me
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LitTLeBeLLE
LitTLeBeLLE rated it
April 25, 2021
Status: Completed
I regret skipping this novel many times ago.

I really enjoyed reading it... touching, tenacious, and full of fluff.

Character building and development were terrific.

I liked the philosophical metaphors so much. I have already memorized many of them like

... more>>
Spoiler

"It's not surprising. We are two ships of Theseus sailing on the sea. They met unexpectedly and were afraid of separation. So you exchanged your parts for me, and I exchanged mine for you. We are no longer in the past. Of us."

"We become each other."

“不奇怪。我们是两艘在大海上航行的忒休斯之船,意外相遇,害怕分离。于是你把你的零件换给我,我把我的零件换给了你。我们不再是过去 的我们。”

“我们变成彼此。”

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I loved it sooooooooo much

my little heart can not handle all this

I listened to the advice of one of the auditors and did not skip it this time. I hope the rest will not miss it. It is really very good. <<less
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nhipnhip
nhipnhip
January 14, 2025
Status: c77
Rather a 3.5/5

I dropped this after they got together. There were a lot of good points abt this novel. However it somehow got boring.

I m not a big fan of the writing style. The moral that the author wants to convey sometimes wasn’t that deep and felt rlly forced. Just like the whole persona of the MC being an introverted nerd was kinda overdone towards the end. I rather like maths but you don’t have to mention it every three chapters.

The part that threw me off the most was the... more>> rather cringy verses and descriptions of their idol songs and performances. Maybe the language barrier was at fault but I couldnt rlly immerse myself in this scenario without laughing out loud.

The couple was rlly cute and I quite like the combination of two smart successful partners. I just kinda hoped for a bit more tension and one or two more intense scenarios that aren’t so forgettable. I was expecting more of an enemies to lovers story or more of a pursuit.

I can imagine others liking this but I just felt it a bit lacking in emptions. It was fluffy tho, just not heartracing. <<less
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Moonarchhh
Moonarchhh rated it
May 23, 2024
Status: --

First of all. Amazing!!! It became one of my favourite 😭

I love the name "juexia" so much ugh 😩💖

... more>> I had such a bad post series depression after reading this, it left a grave effect on me. I cried so much when it ended.

The music videos are available on YouTube, they are so dope and catchy!! Juexia (MC) and Tingsong's (ML) combined song "xing dong bei lun" (heart paradox) became my fav song also!!

Not a big spoiler:

The story is filled with philosophy!! I looked up plato's philosophy after finishing this and guess what. His philosophy about love is literally the same as how MC and ML's relationship evolves!, they becomes each other, filling up the things they lack.

I'm a big kaleido (band name) stan!!! And I really love miao ge (group leader) for some reasons 😭 (guess he's just my type lol) All group members are enjoyable. I loved their reactions!!! (Iyk what I mean) Their success made me so emotional 😩💗

Domino for life.

The realistic side of this industry is portrait so smartly. I love you zhichu.

Anyways, I also loved that there was no unnecessary drama and stretching in the story, everything was perfectly sync. From the growth of characters, to group of the group.

The writing style is simple and easy to understand too. It deserves more recognition tbh.

I also got a habit of solving sudoku thanks to juexia hehe. I also learnt a lot about philosophy <<less
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Seeing Stars
Seeing Stars rated it
October 25, 2023
Status: Completed
As expected of Zhichu, the plot is so well-done. Although I do not understand mathematics all that well, philosophy is definitely a part of my alley and thus seeing all the philosophical narration is inspiring.

What I really are the main character and male lead, they are so cute! At first, they had a rocky start but when the slow burn gets burning, it burns so sweet! I think this is the first time my eyes water because of the fluffness I receive from these two. There are gestures where although... more>> the character doesn't give thousands of lanterns for his beloved, or go back in time to revive them, all of the things the male lead does are grounded in reality and thus could be achieved if someone wants to. And that's where their romance shine, all of the small things that come together make a bigger picture.

Also the lyrics? I could tell both the author and translator worked hard with this, as it could contain lots of original songs that aren't usually written in these idol-themed novels. Translating them is also hard work, as they need to translate it while also keeping the rhyme, meaning, and lyrical integrity.

Spoiler

A little weird though that Pei's sister was hinted to be of importance, but was never really explored.

[collapse]
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Mello reading danmei
Mello reading danmei rated it
August 19, 2023
Status: Completed
I devoured the novel and loved every second of it. This is, without a doubt, one of the best-written danmei I've read. I stopped and reread entire conversations, just to make sure I caught all the meanings behind each word. I probably can quote from memory some parts. That's how far my obsession reaches.

This beautifully written love story captivated me. I fell in love with the main characters and their relationship. The way they matured and became better versions of themselves and the manner they started to complement each other... more>> was expertly done. I love their sweet affections. It made me feel single but now, I don't think I can conform to anything less than what those two had. <<less
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s.a.d.
s.a.d. rated it
August 18, 2023
Status: Completed
It was truly lovely, the romance didn't feel forced (the build up to the romance was great). The character development was amazing, and I just loved the supporting characters. I put this novel in my top 10 novels I'd come back and re-read (or just my top 10 novels in general). I feel like I grew with the characters.

I have to say Xiao Pei is probably one of my favorite ML, his character was written out so well. I guess what I most enjoyed the most was how human he... more>> seemed (and not just a oppressive gong). Maybe it was the 3-d characterization or just my appreciation of a ML who seemed different from other male leads.
I don't know what say about Juexia other than our Juexia grew up so well lol

Love Tingjue<3

Fire ge is cute lol <<less
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lenniax
lenniax rated it
March 25, 2023
Status: Completed
This author writes such precious love stories every single time. I will never forget any of her books just because of the way it's flooded with poetry and complex plotlines. Fanservice Paradox is just another masterpiece with the best ML, and MC plus ML dynamics I have ever read about. My favorite trope 'enemies to friends to lovers' has been done great justice!

If you are still hesitating to read: don't!
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HanYuri
HanYuri rated it
May 30, 2022
Status: Completed
Zhichu always write amazing and beautiful works.

YYBL focuses on entertainment industry and zhichu rly writes the usual procedures of the industry very well (like magazine shootings l/interviews/variety shows).

PTS is a boyfriend material. I repeat. PTS is a boyfriend material. He goes from rebellious teenager to doting band mate and later boyfriend.

... more>> FJX is absolutely the cutest. He's born for stage and he belongs to the stage. No wonder he's the ACE and centre of K.

and the side characters are very adorable and lovable. Especially my fav Ling Yi and Jiang Miao. And I can't help shipping YiYi with YuanYuan.

Spoiler

Thank you zhichu for making waterfire canon. MiaoMiao and Fire Ge deserves to love and to be loved.*hug*

[collapse]

And Kaleido's boss, manager and driver are so kind. I wish the the real entertainment industry have these kind of ppl.

And as usual my rating for zhichu's work being 10/10. <<less
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xiazahra
xiazahra rated it
March 11, 2022
Status: Completed
Fang Juxia and Pei Tingsong are one of the most alive characters I read in modern danmei novel. I was expecting slightly better enemy to lovers entertainment world romance but I was surprised of how grounded the characters feel to me despite their idol's background. like sure because the story is us watching this boyband's growth, it matter very much but more so, the love story between Fang Juxia and Pei Tingsong are just so much down to earth.

there are a big emphasize of their interest in math and philosophy,... more>> for Fang Juxia and Pei Tingsong respectively, but it make senses when their principles, way of life and logic steam from it. it was especially interesting for me to read the discussion about what true love was for both of them and the way they both learn from each other. (also, the fact that Fang Juxia managed to make me believe what other polymath has tried to tell me about how math is actually such romantic subjects says a lot about me and my interest lol, but hey, it works, I am more interested in math and physic because it feel more alive to me now)

Spoiler

no, but seriously,

[No matter what the component or condition is, the truth value of the statement will always be true. No Matter what kind of type you are classified into, it will not change the fact that I like you]

[You're my One Constant Truth]

is just... so AAAAAAAAAAAH

Fang Juexia is actually such a romantic shou despite his cold demeanor

[collapse]

i love fluffy smooth sailing slice of life novel but it's hard to balance the slow writing with interesting characters yet this author does a good job on making characters with enough depth and interesting traits that make it easy for me, at least, to care about them and want to read despite no big climatic plot line.

and as someone who LOVE flowery language, metaphors and narrations, this book was a treat for me. some works benefits from show, don't tell and some works benefits from tell and show and this book was the latter for me. because there's no big climatic plot line, it focus more on the characters' personality and psyche, their ideas and school of thinking. there's so many beautiful lines we get from it and I love reading it, like the translation did such a good job, honestly.

Spoiler

["But you can see from her example that the overwhelming majority of people suffer from failed love, and you haven't even seen a successful example with your own eyes. Aren't you afraid of stepping straight into failure?"

Facing Fang Juexia's question, Pei Tingsong looked very relaxed. "I'm not afraid of failure, and moreover, I'm even not afraid of low probability and scarcity. On the contrary, I like it a lot." Word by word, he stated boldly and frankly, "What I want is the rarest thing."]

["I, Pei Tingsong, chose a point on the number axis today, It wasn't chosen arbitrarily, it was a very serious decision. I don't know if he's rational or irrational, and to be honest, I don't care. But it's my duty to tell you." He raised the hand that Fang Juexia was holding. "This is that chosen point."]

["I despise trying to integrate to society. Yes, the rules of life in society force us to converge, and only by keeping the same values and behavior as most people can we live a better life. But I hate this kind of life -But now, I find that it turns out that I also have something that I want to draw close to and converge with." He looked at Fang Juexia. "It's you. I want to be close to you, to understand your value, your outlook on life and to be a gentle and powerful person like you -You're so good that you made a rebel give up on his resistance."] (I was just huhuhuhu to my self reading this part, like my god PTS)

[The smallest uninteresting number', this already counts as being a special characteristic -be an interesting minimum uninteresting number."]

["We're two Ships of Thesus sailing on the sea. We met by accident and became afraid of separating, so you give me your parts, and I gave you my parts. We are no longer what we used to be -We became each other."

["When it comes to the word 'freedom', " Fichte said. "my heart immediately open wide and blooms, and when it comes to the words necessity, my heart begins to spasm painfully." The main point wasn't him underlining this, but rather his annotation in English: Fichte, you are another me.

"Necessity" was also circled by him -the letters FJX were written there. That probably meant, this is Fang Juexia, always saying 'obviously' and 'may as well', always taking necessity as the truth.

-He (Fang Juxia) found a pencil and wrote a sentence on the side.

"When FJX refer to freedom, his heart will also blossom. Because the acquisition of freedom is a necessity."]

["First love is all the memories you gave me -Summer is the rain you didn't let me get drenched in."] (my heart keeps on fluttering reading this one)

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they have a lot of face slapping scene too though, and it was fun, if you love entertainment world novel, you'll enjoy this for sure.

but their love story is definitely the main selling point of this book. the transition from misunderstanding one another, to trying to learn more about each other so that they could understand each other better, to admiring each other's quality and outlook of life, to learning from one another and changing to become a better version of them self, it's done so smoothly that it feel natural. the way they influences each other also feel very grounded.

i was actually very reluctant to finished this, because I fall in love with not only PTS And FJX but also the rest of Kaleido so I know that after I finished the book I will miss them immediately and it's true! which also remind me, the author does a good job of portraying the world of boyband and their fandom, I have never saw the appeal of virtual idols until I read Kaleido and I'm very much a Domino now, like everyone in K have depth and complexity, it feel like they really have a life outside our main characters' story, they're not canon fodder side character, tbh nobody in this novel is.

this is definitely one of my favorite modern danmei of all time now, so I definitely recommend a read! <<less
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aceijun
aceijun rated it
March 3, 2022
Status: Completed
after reading this I just started crying I really enjoyed it and I will miss the characters now that im done reading. I really wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did because the reviews seemed pretty mixed. I couldn’t put this book down when reading it, it has probably become one of my favourites.

although I usually tend to prefer a bit more plot heavy novels, watching kaleidos growth was really fun. The characters emotions and the topics brought up throughout the novel were really relatable, which made... more>> it easier to connect and enjoy myself while reading. I also love the little fans comments in the livestream barrage and on weibo they are so funny

the way the author writes is very beautiful, the way they describe pei tingsong and fang juexias love for each other. I really enjoyed watching them grow together and how they complete each other (ik it sounds cheesy as hell but they really do). After their tough pasts having someone love them so dearly and to be open and their complete self around each other.

the translator also did an absolutely amazing job, I appreciate all the hard work they put into translating this novel. <<less
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CrossMyHeart
CrossMyHeart rated it
January 8, 2022
Status: Completed
This is a really cute and entertaining story! If you enjoy entertainment industry stories (especially about idols) this is definitely a story you should check out!

I might be a little biased but this is the story that got me out of my reading rut so I regard it highly!

Summary: Fang Juexia (MC, shou) a member of a boyband, Kaleido, that is not well known but very talented. He is very quiet and aloof, and despite being the ace of the group, he was accused of using the backdoor before he... more>> debuted. As a result of a misunderstanding revolving around this rumor, Pei Tingsong (ML, gong) dislikes him. Even though they have been in the same group for several years, they have hardly interacted. However, after a scene of them at the airport gets misconstrued by fans as romance, they are asked to form a fake CP for fanservice. During this time, they spend more time together and find out that they are more similar than they thought.

Despite this being about boybands, the novel actually is quite deep. The MC was mathematics major and the ML is a philosophy major. Much of their romantic lines involve philosophy. If you're not into philosophy, the translator did a great job providing links and explanations and the author also leaves notes.

Interestingly, because the MC is very aloof and distant, he's very otherworldly but it's the ML that brings him down to earth and uncovers other sides of him. The ML is sassy and the rapper of the group! He writes fantastic lyrics that shred down their haters (shout out to the translator for even making the song lyrics rhyme!). As a result, I think most people will probably relate to the ML more. He's just a fun and confident guy, but he has his own insecurities. (ML's confession scene and the MC's acceptance scenes were so freaking adorable) The MC is endearing but he's a bit Sue until the ML ruffles his feathers.

What makes this story worth reading is definitely the interaction between the CP. They move from being enemies (basically strangers) to friends to lovers and its a very natural development. Also the other members of the boyband are hilarious! I've read the coming out scene multiple times over just for side characters. So while the story might seem a bit cliche, the character dynamics make it so fun! In addition, every member of the group has a backstory that makes them realistic. Honestly I cried many times while reading this because of their struggles. Even though they are idols and the novel itself is a bit surrealistic, there are things that I could relate to.

tldr; if you like entertainment industry novels, fake dating, confident ML, then you should read this! There's more than meets the eye and I found it captivating the whole way through

Also there's an audio drama and the songs are amazing! You should check them out! <<less
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periperi
periperi rated it
December 26, 2021
Status: Completed
4.5 stars

I generally don't like the forced enemies to lovers trope but this book was just that good. And the conflict was barely there between the characters (the turn was very fast). I loved the characters especially PTS! He had the best character development and how he always stayed true to himself and stood out for FJX and his bandmates was swoon-worthy.

I also loved their interaction and the events that slowly led to the gradual change in their relationship and all the metaphors (even if I don't particularly understand them.... more>> The side characters, especially Kaleido as a group, was really tight as well. Especially how funny and supportive they were.
Spoiler

The ending part with them coming out was the funniest.

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As for antagonists, I felt bad for
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LR but big spoiler, he gets a good resolution at the end.

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The only minus 0.5, was that
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at times, FJX seems to be elevated to a very high status of a done no wrong, too perfect character in the book. I could see flaws with PTS and how he changed his mindset but FJS felt more flawless. Like yes, there were the bad rumours about him in the past but that wasn't his fault, he didn't stand up for himself but he had reasons and PTS understands and accepts and even apologises. I really do like him but I guess I wanted him to express something, maybe even jealousy but even that is something expressed by PTS.

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Overall, this is a standout book in the entertainment genre that I really enjoyed and big thanks to the translator for having translated the whole book! <<less
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Reyleisha
Reyleisha rated it
December 24, 2021
Status: Completed
Rating: 4.5/5- I really love this author’s work. She writes really poetically and beautifully and you truly fall in love with her characters.

I loved the surrealism and entertainment backdrop of this story. As a story on its own it’s wonderful, exciting, sad and beautiful! As part of the Shared Universe it’s not as excellent as Lovely Allergen but like I said- on its own I felt it was very beautiful in its own right.

I think it’s a complete work of fiction and many of the points in the story really... more>> wouldn’t ever happen.

I loved the romance and chemistry between the two leads.

Overall, I recommend everyone to read this. It was very enjoyable for me. <<less
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mucheng
mucheng rated it
December 23, 2021
Status: Completed
As someone who used to chase idols a lot (and still likes listening to their music at least), I think this novel really hit hard with how it engaged with darker topics that come with the price of popularity. The floweriness/deep philosophical quotes were tbh a little overdone at times, but I think I like it this way, because it shows the depth of the characters, their character development, and how two seemingly contradictory existences actually thrive together. You can tell the author is smart. Maybe she likes showing off... more>> a bit in her writing, but as someone who took several philosophy classes in college as a part of my minor, philosophy is a tough subject and she really did her research (as someone who isn't qualified to talk about math, I'll let the math majors speak). I read part of the novel in Chinese, and both the translation and the Chinese have really good prose~ I am a huge fan of rivals/enemies to lovers, and I guess you can't really categorize them as enemies at first or rivals, but it's definitely somewhere along that trope and I think this was really, really well done. The audio drama is also really good so highly recommend it (and the songs really help set the mood). I love that the novel didn't just focus on two characters; since it's a band novel, it really let us know that every single member of the band was just as important to the character development and setting of the story (something was mentioned at the beginning about how every single member could be the main character - it's true!!). My hands are now itching to translate her unlimited flow novel oops. <<less
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Queen Cassiopeia
Queen Cassiopeia rated it
November 26, 2021
Status: --
I haven’t finished reading this book because I caught up with the translation, and I hate that feeling, so I took a break from it, but I have so much to say about this.

It’s a masterpiece; divine, utterly rendering me speechless and longing for something impossible.

I can’t even describe how good it is.

The romance, the plot, the thrill, the character development, the pain — I love everything about it. If I could fall in love, then I’d have fallen in love with this book. I’d marry the author if I... more>> could.

What really has me speechless and amazed are Pei Tingsong and Fang Juexia’s declarations of love — beautiful; I can’t think of any other word. Their relationship, in general, is enviable and to die for. It’s the same as how I feel with Yu Sui and Shi Luo from FOG; their dynamics and complexities are breathtaking, and I wouldn’t want for more nor ask for less.

It’s simply one of my favorite books, no questions asked.

Both of them raised my standards — or more like, they became the standard themselves. Shi Luo-Yu Sui, Hua Cheng-Xie Lian, and Fang Juexia-Pei Tingsong are just my standard; you could never go wrong with such profound love the same as theirs.

The author’s writing style is really poetic yet straightforward, complex yet beautiful, and I’ve never loved a writing style more than I loved theirs.

For whoever reads this, be ready to raise your standards higher (for everything else) because this book will blow your mind like it did with mine.

I haven’t even finished it, but I know my love for this won’t diminish for even a bit. <<less
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