- #1
Genuinely competent writing ruined by the author's own impatience and desire to rewrite their own story. Two 9 ft adonis-like domineering CEOs entangled by their relationship as brothers rediscover their connection after it's revealed that they're not biologically related. Sure, I'm down to see some taboo enemies-to-lovers angst. Unfortunately, despite the set-up there's no angst to be seen. Zhiyuan, even after losing his position as an heir to the Cen family, his identity as a rival to his brother, and discovering the childhood that he could have had with his bio-parents was one that would have been full of love and affection, recovers almost immediately and hold no resentment towards Zhisen. In fact, after the revelation the author basically rewrites the history of their 27 year long conflict by revealing many of the hidden sweet sentiments that laid beneath their supposedly hostile relationship. So, besides Zhisen being emotionally indifferent towards Zhiyuan, it really seems like there is no bad blood between them. The fake young master plot also ends up as a complete misfire because the patriarch of the Cen family has a good relationship with Zhiyuan. Except as an excuse for Zhisen to legitimize his s*xual attraction to his brother the paternity test reveal serves no purpose. With no angst, no blackening, no material consequences, the result is really just a boring game of cat and mouse between men who are physically perfect and capable at whatever they try their hands at. These rich, beautiful, intelligent, 'perfect' males are suitable for boring stallion schlock stories, but the author unfortunately overestimates their ability by combining this tr*shy cliché with incredibly pretentious dialogue. I really couldn't stop myself from laughing when the author really had Zhisen describe s*x as a "shallow desire on a physiological level, easily controllable and not addictive" - this is coming from the guy who took less than month to start looking at his former brother's body with covetous eyes. Also, I don't understand anyone complaining about Zhiyuan. He has every right to make this relationship as painful as possible for Zhisen. Imagine finding out that the one time in your whole life you're able to get one over your rival is by letting them get on top of you. He was Zhiyuan's goal, now Zhiyuan is his hole. Could you stomach that loss?