Yi Xun's tone was very magnanimous, as though he had seen through everything and had forgiven every single person who had done wrong by him.

Xu Tangcheng only felt his fingers starting to turn cold.

He digested those words. After quite a while, he finally looked up, his hands propped against the kitchen board. He looked at Yi Xun's eyes with a calm gaze and asked slowly, "Is that what you think?"

"What?" Yi Xun didn't understand.

"The reason why he chose Auntie Xiang, you think it's because Auntie Xiang was richer at that time?"

He had still been calm just now but when he repeated Yi Xun's version of the events, Xu Tangcheng found that even his breathing was shaky. Without realising it, he bit his lower lip. There were spots where his lips were dry and chapping and when his teeth bit down, the skin tore.

"If not, then what? What else could it be?"

The mortal world was absurd; in comedy, there was heavy tragedy.

Xu Tangcheng never would have thought that the younger brother that Yi Zhe had always missed so dearly would actually think of Yi Zhe in that way. Yi Xun's matter-of-fact tone made him suddenly feel petty. He could understand that the two brothers had been separated for too long and the time they had spent together too short, hence they did not understand each other very well, but he could not forgive this kind of misunderstanding that was almost slander.

All of a sudden, he was so angry that he could not speak. All he could do was to hold the towel in his hands in a death grip.

It was true that everyone wanted a better life. But what was Yi Zhe's definition of a better life? On one hand was a mother who spent every day mocking and cursing and there was never even a moment when she had a pleasant expression, on the other was a gentle and well-mannered father; would Yi Zhe choose his mother because of money?

"Unfortunately, he chose wrong at that time." The person beside him was totally unaware of the anger Xu Tangcheng was forcing down, still shaking his head and sighing without a care for others. "He was young and shortsighted. Even though my dad and I did indeed go through a period of difficulty, things are totally different now. One year of school fees for the school I attend is probably enough for his living expenses for a few years. And my dad's company is also expanding overseas. I'll soon be going abroad for senior high and will probably migrate after that."

Xu Tangcheng had yet to recover from being knocked off his feet just now. He lowered his head, a little numb, and started to tinker with the things on the kitchen board randomly. It was only today that he found out that he could be so cold when listening to someone give their account of something.

Outside, Xu Tangxi was calling for Yi Xun. Yi Xun answered from afar and got up to leave. Before he left, Xu Tangcheng's second batch of cookies came out of the oven. He took out the baking tray. Yi Xun followed beside him and reached out to take one.

"Take from that plate." Carrying the cookies that emitted a delicious smell, Xu Tangcheng turned slightly and dodged Yi Xun's hand. "This batch just came out of the oven. It's not good yet."

Yi Xun naturally did not know whether cookies that were fresh out of the oven were good or not. He glanced at Xu Tangcheng, then turned around, unperturbed. He took a cookie from the pile that had been sitting there for a while.

Xu Tangcheng stood there by himself for some time. When he wanted to continue making the chiffon cake, he realised that he had mixed the ingredients into a mess just now. The egg whites had been added to the egg yolk mixture before they were whipped into peaks. The sugar that should have been added in stages had all been thrown in at some point. He took a deep breath. When he exhaled, at the same time, he threw the stainless steel plate he was holding onto the kitchen board. He decided to just give up on this mess and picked up a dishrag to clean the oven.

The rage that he had been suppressing with all his might all this while could not be suppressed in the end.

He was obviously no longer a child and he knew that the world wasn't so simple and beautiful. Not all kindness would be repaid in kind, not all good intentions would be noticed. But he still could not accept it. He slammed the oven door shut and looked at his reflection there. It was childish but he could not stop himself from thinking, What right did they have?

Others might not know why Yi Zhe had made that choice back then but Xu Tangcheng knew very well.

That summer's day, he saw the car left with Yi Xun and his dad. He reached the bottom of his apartment building with a bellyful of questions and saw Yi Zhe there, a school bag on his back. The evening rays illuminated the solitary figure who was unmoving, staring in the direction where the car had left. Their gazes met, and he saw with his own eyes the light in those eyes falling along with the setting sun.

He put an arm around his shoulders and took him to the noodle shop. Amidst the steam rising from the piping hot bowls, he had also asked the question.

Why did you choose your mother and not your father?

What had the scene looked like back then?

The young teen opposite him lowered his head and quietly ate the last mouthful of noodles before looking at him and saying, "I don't want Yi Xun to live with her."

Xu Tangcheng could completely understand the look in those eyes because Yi Zhe had Yi Xun, while he had Xu Tangxi.

At that time, he had only felt that Yi Zhe was sensible. Yi Zhe was only in Year 6 of primary school but he was already so brave and could make a choice like this that would impact the rest of his life.

He had watched him walk all the way to where he was now. How much he had thought he was sensible back then was how hard his heart ached for him now, and how much he felt that the choice had not been worth it.

He strived for a better life for the person in the story, but the person in the story had never treated him well.

When Yi Zhe entered the kitchen, he caught Xu Tangcheng slamming the oven door shut. He felt that something wasn't right and stood there quietly, waiting for Xu Tangcheng to turn around. But even after a long while, he didn't see Xu Tangcheng move.

"Tangcheng-ge?" he called out softly. "Have you finished baking?"

Xu Tangcheng turned around. When he saw the person at the door, the rage that was in his heart subsided a little to be overlaid by a very heavy layer of heartache.

He suddenly thought, he was criticising Yi Xun but what about himself? He obviously could have explained things clearly to Yi Zhe, could have explained his worries and his cowardice, but instead, he had strung him along, had continued to stick around him, and had chosen to pretend that he did not know anything just like a hypocrite. Without saying anything, he avoided him, shunned him, made him uneasy and anxious, caused him to be distressed and remorseful, and even ended up making him come to apologise to Xu Tangcheng himself.

He could still recall the taste of the pan-fried buns from this morning. By now, they had turned into baldly accusatory questions.

He blamed others for trampling on Yi Zhe's kindness but how was the kindness that Yi Zhe gave him any less than what he gave others?

"Yeah." He didn't want Yi Zhe to notice anything. He tried his best to control himself, to calm himself down. "Have a taste."

The second batch of cookies were still arranged in rows on the baking tray. Without asking, Yi Zhe walked to the first batch that was piled up on a plate. But when he reached out, just before he took one, Xu Tangcheng suddenly took the plate away.

Stunned, Yi Zhe looked at him.

"Eat the ones on the baking tray."

Yi Zhe tilted his head and looked at the baking tray, then at the cookies Xu Tangcheng was holding. He asked curiously, "Aren't they the same?"

Xu Tangcheng looked at Yi Zhe like he was picking a fight, and with a resolute tone—he even made his voice more stern—he answered, "They're not the same."

After saying that, he turned around again to continue cleaning up. Yi Zhe looked at him for a while, then pressed his lips together and went to the baking tray to take a piece. He nibbled on it; then, still hesitating, he shuffled over to Xu Tangcheng's side.

Xu Tangcheng was wiping the knife. A head suddenly popped out beside him from below, giving him a fright.

"It's really good." Bending down, Yi Zhe drew near his face and watched his eyes carefully. "Tangcheng-ge, are you upset?"

Xu Tangcheng paused. He shook his head but his throat felt choked-up and he didn't want to speak.

Yi Zhe was slow to deduce anything, and he also didn't dare speak carelessly, so he just kept praising how delicious the cookies were in all kinds of ways.

"I'll pack them for you tomorrow." Hearing him go on and on for so long without repeating himself, Xu Tangcheng also relaxed a little. "I'll give all the ones on the baking tray to you. The other batch wasn't made so well, they don't taste as good."

"Okay," Yi Zhe responded, then said hesitatingly, "Then, you don't have to give me all of them. Leave some for Tangxi."

"No need," Xu Tangcheng immediately said. "I'll give them all to you. I'll make more for her."

Other people might not treat him seriously but he would give him the very best.

Hearing Xu Tangcheng say that, Yi Zhe couldn't help but feel that Xu Tangcheng was a little different today. He couldn't tell if it was because Xu Tangcheng was in a bad mood; in any case, he was being a little childish, like he was sulking.

"Okay," he said obediently.

Seeing that Xu Tangcheng's expression was a lot more pleasant than when he walked in just now, Yi Zhe could be sure in his heart that at the very least, he was definitely not the reason why Xu Tangcheng was angry. He discussed with Xu Tangcheng what time they should leave tomorrow, where they should have lunch, and other related matters. Xu Tangcheng patiently confirmed each item with him and his expression also did not become upset again.

Thus, Yi Zhe could more or less relax a bit more.

He helped Xu Tangcheng clean up and, at the same time, tried to look for chances to continue asking him. When he finally amused Xu Tangcheng into laughing by failing to slide the knife into the holder, he gentled his voice and again asked him why he was unhappy.

Xu Tangcheng randomly picked up the stainless steel tray on the table and put it in front of Yi Zhe.

"My chiffon cake failed."

This time, Yi Zhe finally and completely let out a long relieved breath.

"I was wondering what it was." He picked up the tray for a look and said with a smile, "You can just make it again next time, right? You're already very amazing. If you want me to bake cookies, I'll take a year and still fail to bake any."

"Stop saying nonsense." Even though it was obviously forced, Xu Tangcheng still smiled at Yi Zhe. "Follow the instructions and as long as you're a little patient you can do it."

"I'm not patient." Yi Zhe probably still wanted to make him happy, so he was talking more now. "And the instructions say things like how many grams and how many milliliters, I don't have any idea of those at all. I don't know how much they are."

"Then you can buy a measuring cup and a scale."

Their conversation after that was all jokes. Xu Tangcheng gradually recovered his calm state of mind and because an additional feeling of treasuring this person had emerged, he also gradually started to smile at him with his eyes curved like he had before.

Seeing the storm clouds finally cleared from Xu Tangcheng's face, all at once, Yi Zhe felt comfortable all over.

He lifted his head and swept his gaze around. When he saw the tomatoes on the windowsill, Yi Zhe finally remembered what he had come into the kitchen for. He reached out to take one and turned on the tap.

Xu Tangcheng saw that and his movements froze. "What are you doing?"

Yi Zhe would never take something to eat without first asking for his permission.

"Yi Xun said just now that you let him have a tomato, and that they're organic and delicious."

After hearing that, the rage that Xu Tangcheng had suppressed just now surged again. He was aware that he was especially irritable today but without thinking, he was already blurting out, "Doesn't he have hands of his own!"

When saying those words, Xu Tangcheng's voice was rather loud and his tone was also obviously unpleasant, startling Yi Zhe into losing his grip. The tomato in his hand dropped into the sink, a sorry sight as it rolled around a few circles.

Yi Zhe looked at the rather unfamiliar Xu Tangcheng in front of him. He blinked, not daring to move.

"Oh…"

He could clearly see that Xu Tangcheng was unwilling to let him wash the tomato for Yi Xun. Yi Zhe quickly turned off the tap but he also couldn't just leave the tomato half-washed. When he spied that Xu Tangcheng was lowering his head again, he furtively picked up the tomato in the sink and continued washing it.

But when he was done, he didn't dare bring it to Yi Xun.

He held the tomato, unsure of what to do. Yi Zhe bent towards Xu Tangcheng and held out his hand. He asked in a small voice, "Will you eat this?"

Xu Tangcheng turned to look at him. After a while, he took the tomato from his hand and took a large bite.

"Yes."