Chapter 1

My brother and I were twins. Barely a few days after our college entrance exams, our parents threw us out.

Mom kicked me in the butt. Dad kicked my brother in the butt.

That was how heartlessly they evicted their own children.

“All I did was break the oven and the rice cooker. Is this really necessary?” my brother muttered, rubbing his backside.

After the exams, he’d decided to become a food blogger and plunged headfirst into our kitchen.

Besides feeding us an endless variety of culinary horrors, he’d single-handedly ensured that every kitchen appliance got replaced.

Dad’s wallet had suffered grievously.

I dusted off my own backside and grumbled, “All I did was argue with the neighbors’ dogs…”

Our neighbors had several dogs, and we didn’t get along. A few years back, before I’d developed much sense, I’d liked barking at them. We’d have proper back-and-forth arguments.

With the exams over, I was lounging around at home, and the dogs barked whenever they saw me. How could I let them win?

But my parents said I was disturbing the neighborhood.

Without further discussion, they packed my brother and me off to Mom’s younger brother.

Uncle was only eight years older than us. He’d helped his sister look after us since he was a kid himself, so the three of us were very close.

Actually, when he was born, his sister—our mom—was already at university.

They were so far apart in age that there was never any question of comparing them.

Naturally, Mom inherited the family company. But Uncle had done well for himself: while still at university, he’d used the money and resources she gave him to build a successful business.

My brother and I each wheeled a suitcase along and set off for Uncle’s place, a journey we knew by heart.

Unexpectedly, the person who collected us from the airport this time was his butler.

“Mr. Wang, where’s Uncle?”

The butler cleared his throat. “Something held him up. He asked me to collect you both, Yanchi and Shuyao.”

I thought nothing of it and climbed into the car with my brother.

Uncle was twenty-six and still single, and his mansion was quiet.

We each had our own room there. Both had been made ready well in advance.

He didn’t come home until the early hours, drunk.

For my brother and me, the night was still young.

Uncle wore a sharp suit, his hair slicked back. Exquisite bone structure, handsome features, a beautifully proportioned body—he was a pleasure to look at.

We’d clung to him since we were little. It would be hard to claim his looks had nothing to do with it.

“Uncle!”

“Uncle!”

He raised his head at our voices. After a moment, he said, “Why are you still up? You’ve had a long journey. You didn’t have to wait for me.”

He clearly wasn’t up to date on our current sleep schedules.

“I’m gaming, Uncle. Why were you out entertaining clients so late? And why did you drink so much?”

“Uncle, it’s been ages! I missed you so much!”

Seeing me hug Uncle’s arm, my brother refused to be outdone. He sat on the other side, grabbed the other arm, and shook it. “Uncle, I missed you too!”

“…”

Uncle tried to free himself. “Shuyao, Yanchi,” he said helplessly, “I reek of alcohol. You’ll get a noseful.”

Neither of us let go.

When we were little and our parents were busy, he was the one who coaxed us to sleep. We adored him.

Still, he managed to coax us upstairs this time too.

I glanced back. Uncle sat with his eyes lowered, lost in thought, looking utterly dejected.

As though his world had fallen apart.