Beloved Enemy 决对争锋 (Episodes 7 – 9) [Review]

Beloved Enemy is fast becoming a psychological challenge for me. The way the story is progressing, it’s giving me chills as well as making me nervous. Yuan Yang is still his unpredictable self, and Gu Qing Pei seems to have given up on the pretense of trying to tame him. I’m astounded at how these two opposing forces can co-exist in the same space. Yuan Yang, in the drama series, isn’t much different from the novel version in terms of his temperament. The drama adaptation is a highly diluted version of the original text and leaves a lot to be desired. Let’s review the next episodes and figure out their unusual dynamics.

—Edited by TheFNGee

Episodic Reviews

Episode 7

Li Hai Long has a long conversation with Gu Qing Pei and tries to convince him to join Xiang Long instead. He proposes an attractive package and warns him about Yuan Yang’s imperious nature. Gu Qing Pei, however, correctly guesses that Hai Long has a lifelong hatred for Yuan Yang and rebukes him for falling prey to bribery. Qing Pei refuses the offer and advises him to stop using cheap tricks to gain the upper hand over them.

Zhao Yuan hears her colleagues gossip about her and Gu Qing Pei’s relationship. Just then, their supervisor interrupts them and advises them to get back to work. Zhao Yuan is checking Qing Pei’s room when she hears some noise in the President’s room. She goes inside and finds Yuan Yang there. She scolds him for fooling around during office time, and he questions her about getting attached to Qing Pei.

Unfortunately, Qing Pei eavesdrops on their conversation and gets to know about the kidnapping attempt. He thinks that Yuan Yang is the one responsible for the attempt, but Zhao Yuan clears his doubts. He is still angry that Yuan Yang put his life in danger. Yang gets enraged, and they have yet another argument, which the entire office witnesses.

Yuan Yang goes for his assigned blind date and meets Wang Ran. He assumes that she is his blind date and acts arrogantly. However, later he figures out that she isn’t his blind date. When the actual blind date turns up, Wang Ran helps Yuan Yang and acts like his ex-girlfriend. They get into a scuffle outside the restaurant, and Yuan Yang is impressed at her mad fighting skills. So he asks for her help.

Yuan Yang goes to meet Li Hai Long and provokes him. Li Hai Long loses his temper and starts hitting Yuan Yang. Gu Qing Pei rushes to the hospital where Yuan Lijiang confronts him. He orders Qing Pei to figure out who did this to his son.

Gu Qing Pei figures out that this was Yuan Yang’s plan. The entire altercation was shot by Wang Ran and uploaded online. Witnessing Hai Long’s violent nature, the 5 Star Village Project is handed over to Yuan Industries instead.

Episode 8

Yuan Lijong hires a private investigator to learn the truth about the incident. The investigator tells them the entire truth about the incident. Although Lijong is concerned about Yuan Yang’s activities, he goes ahead with arranging a Press Conference instead.
Gu Qing Pei, on the other hand, announces about a celebratory cocktail party later and that he is going to treat the office staff to a short vacation. They leave for the trip while a disgruntled Yuan Yang is stuck at the hospital. Since he never listens to anyone, Yuan Yang follows them to their vacation house.

They have a celebratory dinner and the office staff toast to Gu Qing Pei. Yuan Yang challenges him to drink four glasses to honor them, and Qing Pei agrees. Zhao Yuan worries because Qing Pei can’t hold in his liquor, and consequently, Qing Pei passes out to the ground.
Yuan Yang helps Gu Qing Pei get back to his room and, on the way, questions him how he was conscious the last time they drank with Yang’s friends. Qing Pei accepts that he fooled them, and Yuan Yang dumps him onto the ground in anger. He rebukes Qing Pei for being a conniving old fox and is about to leave. Qing Pei stops him and admits that he is calculating. But that’s because they have different lifestyles, and Yuan Yang has to never worry about making a living.

Yuan Yang drags an unconscious Qing Pei to his hotel suite, but they chance upon Wang Jin. The first meeting is indeed tumultuous, with Wang Jin listing out Qing Pei’s good qualities and Yuan Yang seeing him as a challenger. Wang Jin urges him not to create any more problems for Qing Pei, but Yuan Yang is stewing in jealousy instead.

President Yuan Lijiang, on the other hand, is moving the pieces on the chessboard to his favor instead. He goes to meet Teacher Yang and tries to make a good impression. He also proposes to take over the supervision of the 5 Star Village Project. Teacher Yang is apprehensive at first but later agrees to the proposition.

Qing Pei walks up in the morning and decides to go for a morning walk. He is, however, surprised to find Wang Jin at the pier. They have a conversation when Yuan Yang interrupts them. Qing Pei tries to introduce them, but Yuan Yang rudely stops him and replies that they should leave. As Qing Pei walks away, Yuan Yang turns around and warns Wang Jin not to fall off the deep end.

While driving back to the city, Yuan Yang urges Qing Pei to stay away from Wang Jin. He has done his research on Wang Jin’s “Qing Li Investments” and tries to convince Qing Pei that the company isn’t the right choice for him. Qing Pei realized that Yuan Yang is jealous and smiles indulgently.

Episode 9

Yuan Yang’s friends are discussing the video that Yuan Yang recorded at their previous Nanlin trip. Unknown to them, there is a certain someone who is eavesdropping on their conversation. That person turns back and finds Yuan Jiliang walking towards Yuan Yang’s room. He rushes out before Jiliang sees him. Yuan Jiliang rushes to in to find Yuan Yang missing. Gu Qing Pei took him for a drive and brings him back to the hospital. Yuan Jiliang sees them together and doesn’t seem pleased.

Li Jiang gets Yuan Yang discharged and drags him back home. He scolds Yang for being imperious and orders him to leave for further studies to America. Yang’s stepmother tries to intervene, but Li Jiang doesn’t budge his decision.

It’s the day of the celebratory cocktail party. Everyone is dressed to the nines. Yuan Yang turns up wearing a suit, and as always, Gu Qing Pei can’t help but admire him. Ji Liang gives a congratulatory speech and expresses his gratitude for Gu Qing Pei’s hard work. He then goes around, introducing Yuan Yang to his business associates. Yang gets bored and drifts off to be alone.

Wang Ran attends the party with her brother Wang Jin. She finds Yang and asks him to repay his debt for her help framing Li Hai Long. Wang Jin, on the other hand, meets up with Gu Qing Pei and expresses his worries about Ji Liang’s nature. Gu Qing Pei brushes off his concerns. Just then, Wang Jin sees Zhao Yuan and warns him about Yuan Industries’ strict rules against interpersonal relationships.

Just as predicted, Ji Liang calls Gu Qing Pei and explains that he is taking over the supervision of the 5 Star Village Project. He also informs Qing Pei of his decision to sent Yuan Yang to America. Qing Pei understands the situation, and resolutely agrees. As he walks back home, he recollects his past memories. He often argued with an older colleague about involving ethics in business. He now realizes that his older colleague was right all along and walks back home all alone. Yuan Yang gets alarmed when he can’t find Qing Pei at the party. He calls Qing Pei, who half-heartedly relieves him all of his duties. As Qing Pei returns home, he finds Yuan Yang waiting for him.

Yuan Yang gets angry and refuses to leave for America. They have a back and forth argument when Zhao Yuan enters. Qing Pei hurts Yuan Yang knowingly so that he would leave. Zhao Yuan takes stock of the situation and offers to cook dinner. She then listens to Yuan Yang complain about his father’s decision. As he dejectedly leaves, Qing Pei watches him from a distance.

The Chemistry Between The Main Leads

The conversation between Li Hai Long and Gu Qing Pei was very interesting. It shed new light on how Qing Pei perceived Yuan Yang. Most of the time, he treats Yuan Yang like an undisciplined child, but he gets his hackles up when Hai Long badmouths Yuan Yang. Like Hai Long suggested, Qing Pei’s life would be easier without the added complication of handling Yuan Yang. But Qing Pei can’t let go, either because Yang is a challenge for him or because unknowingly he has started liking the brat.

This realization doesn’t change the fact that despite their various arguments, Yuan Yang goes beyond his limits to get them the 5 Star Village Project. Also, he can’t stay away from Qing Pei for long, and that’s the reason he rushes to the vacation house even though he is recuperating. His need to stay close to Qing Pei precedes everything else in his life. Wang Jin’s entry makes matters quite interesting. Yuan Yang is already at odds with Zhao Yuan, and the new competition irritates him even more.He doesn’t like Wang Jin’s affinity to Qing Pei. He makes this quite clear in his statement to Qing Pei. According to Yuan Yang, Qing Pei belongs to him, and he won’t let anyone steal him away.

Gu Qing Pei, on the other hand, has an added adversary in the form of Yuan Ji Liang. Everyone has been warning him about Ji Liang, but he never listened. Now that Ji Liang has revealed his true colors, Qing Pei doesn’t know how to adjust to the new situation. Also, Yuan Yang leaving for America, comes as a second blow. Unknowingly he has gotten where he likes Yuan Yang’s presence, but he has no other option. Both of them have grown closer and don’t want to separate. The upcoming episodes will reveal if they will stay together to overcome the various obstacles or their relationship will fall prey to the scheming villains.