MC's mother was ML's father's mistress, but the relationship had started prior before Ml's father even married. ML had thought that MC's mother only started having an affair after his father got married. His mother committed su*cide after finding out the truth, and Yang Xuan not knowing wanted revenge. Truly the s*um in this story is ML's father.

He planned to kill his pe*ophile elementary teacher that had been stalking him until high school. Alas though ML came to save him before he could kill the pe*ophile. He died by getting hit by a car though, lol. Another time was framing his classmate that tried to drug him.

who was his teacher and lied about Tang Junhe stealing from him when Junhe defended himself against his pe*ophile advances. It's combination of being frozen out because people think he's a thief, and also trauma from being stalked for 6 years from childhood to his teens by his teacher.

the ML abandons him after the death of their father.

And Junhe, who pretty much offers himself to YX, gives him a way to take revenge on the woman who apparently destroyed his parents' marriage. Then he falls for Junhe, but denies it and tells himself he's just having an affair with his brother because it will destroy Junhe's mom. Of course this is not the case, since he had many chances of letting Junhe be ruined (not saving him from his stalker, letting him get lost on the camping trip, letting him take aphrodisiac and get r*ped), but every time he instinctively saves his brother.

He also doesn't give up Junhe until his dad and step-mother both implore him to and asks him not to destroy his brother's future. Given that they're both teens (Junhe's even underage) with no real power over their own lives, and the dad's death is a wakeup call, this makes sense.

We do learn that he came back for Junhe because of what happened to his team mates, but he seems like a different person. He's basically too nice, but also doesn't confess to Junhe until very late, which considering how insecure Junhe is (although the ML didn't know how bad it was), but just kind of invades his life. He doesn't even apologize for using him for revenge and betraying him 10 years ago.

It seems that Yang Xuan sent the text message that revealed his relationship with Junhe to his father, thereby sabotaging it. So he is a fault, but just gets absolved because Junhe is so co-dependent that he never even gets angry with him. Which is pretty unsatisfying to witness.

It would have been nice to see him struggle and fight to get Junhe back - but Junhe acts like a doormat and just gives in. YX doesn't even explain at first why he wants to get back together, or express any kind of regret for how he behaved in the past.

Considering how bad it gets towards the climax when the dad dies and Yang Xuan leaves, the second half of the story is kind of boring. It's just smooth sailing with the CP getting back together with no real obstacles, even though Junhe had every right to bear a grudge against the ML. It's just sweet scenes and lots of papapa that don't really feel earned, because the brothers don't have to fight for their relationship in any way, everything just falls into place. It weakens an otherwise good story.

who was ruined by her lover when she was young, chose to have her son even though she had to sacrifice a lot as a single mother, and later marries her old lover purely so she can provide her son with a better life. She hates Yang Xuan because to her, he had the nice life and the security that Junhe didn't have.

It gets revealed that just like Yang Xuan, he has a half-brother because his dad had an affair. His mother didn't die, but instead left him. He hates Junhe both because he idolizes Yang Xuan, but also because Junhe reminds him of his own messed up family and hateful father and half-brother. Which makes it more understandable that he goes to extreme lengths to ruin Junhe - even if his methods are horrible and he deserves getting expelled.

got stalked, sexually harassed and mol*sted for six years with no one to help him

methodically plotting out mu*der

Tbh, although he seems normal on the surface, I think he's not much different from MC too. He's like an empty shell fueled only by the desire of getting revenge in order to continue forward. He acts nonchalant, but there's this thing called 'smiling depression' y'know?

The 10 years of separation must have been so painful for MC whose only pillar of support left him. I feel so proud of Jun He who kept his promise to live well and even became the doctor that he wanted to be. It was definitely not easy for him as he went through serious PTSD from his brother's absence. Reading Yang Xuan's days in the special forces was painful too. The story of his comrades and his wills that he wrote everytime he went for mission. The part where Tang Xiao Nian passed away, I truly felt that she was at peace with Yang Xuan. Entrusting Jun He in his care was the best thing she could do for Jun He. It wasn't easy for her, with s*um husband's death and finding out about her son's in*est so finally accepting Yang Xuan brought tears to my eyes. My heart broke when Yang Xuan's granny called Jun He a kid - ever since his mother left he is not a kid anymore. You can only be a kid in your parents/grandparents' eyes and Jun He upon hearing that thought of his mom.

on chapter 80 from high school to working adults- the jump is immediate and there's no description of what the characters did in the 10 years of separation until later on, which is my exact preference with time skips

when she was not only willing to accept her son being gay, but also despite her qualms against the two brothers being lovers, she still eventually gives them her blessing and asks ML to take care of her son.

He has a few questionable moments in his younger years where he tries to stage a mu*der of his stalker pe*ophile teacher, and then frame a classmate who bullied him for drugs. Granted, both are not good people, but he's also going against the law in a dangerous manner.

After the time skip, he suffers from PTSD and has well described anxiety. He does actually go to therapy after the time skip, and surprisingly finds a psychologist who is chill with and supportive of his relationship with ML. That kind of support is not something too common, I would imagine...

"You have to force me to admit that I have lived through the past few years. Is it not good? You have to force me to admit... Have I ever become a terrible person because I like you?" His voice weakened, as if desperately begging, "I also want to like you in a decent way... "

"When I came here, I was thinking, " Yang Xuan looked calm and his voice was deep, "Is there any kind of liking that is decent."