Can't Let Go (Old-School Crematorium Trope)

[Old-School Angsty Dog-Blood Drama with a Groveling Ex]

1.

When Cheng Beiyu was 16, his father dumped him at the Yao family home and disappeared for good. He became an adopted son with no proper standing in the family.

The Yao family had two other sons: the elder, Yao Jinfeng, and the younger, Yao Jinyi.

Whenever the older one treated Cheng Beiyu kindly, the younger one would trip him up behind his back, locking him out of the house at night, getting him beaten in the school bathroom, or having street punks corner and beat him up.

After getting his face bruised and swollen for the umpteenth time, Cheng Beiyu finally figured it out: Yao Jinyi had a crush on his brother.

Cheng Beiyu said nothing, because he liked Yao Jinyi.

2.

People who are stubborn and blunt tend to get the short end of the stick. His mother had always warned him of that, but Cheng Beiyu never learned.

When he liked someone, he wanted to pursue them, treat them well, and give them everything he had.

He was naively, damnably clueless, convinced that sooner or later Yao Jinyi would get over his brother, then turn around and realize how good Cheng Beiyu was to him.

Sincerity works wonders, at least halfway.

Yao Jinyi noticed how good he was to him, but that didn't stop him from continuing to like his brother.

Everyone knew Yao Jinyi was toying with Cheng Beiyu, that stubborn dog, making him circle around him like a trained pet, then turning around and laughing with others about how someone so damn stupid could even exist.

But Cheng Beiyu had no idea. He really thought the gods had answered his prayers.

3.

Cheng Beiyu practically tore his heart out for him. He spent all three years of high school following Yao Jinyi around, then followed him to college, pointing him out to everyone he met: "That guy's handsome, right? He's my boyfriend!"

His roommate put up with him for a year before finally telling him that his boyfriend had another boyfriend on the side, and had never even acknowledged him. Was he out of his mind?

Cheng Beiyu went to find Yao Jinyi, only to catch him with Yao Jinfeng.

The three brothers had an earth-shaking fight, and Cheng Beiyu was once again the one pinned down and beaten.

But this time, he finally got smart and ran away.

4.

When Yao Jinyi stood in front of him again, Cheng Beiyu thought his pretty face was disgusting and asked him what he wanted.

Yao Jinyi had lost weight. His eyes still stayed fixed on Cheng Beiyu as he crooked his lips and said, "I'm here to retrieve my lost puppy."

Cheng Beiyu punched him in the face, then followed with a slap, hitting him back hard, just like he used to get beaten.

"I said get the hell away from me!"

A few notes:

1. Scheming, manipulative, possessive scumbag seme x stubborn, one-track-minded potato uke

2. Old-school, angsty dog-blood drama. The seme is trash inside and out, and he's both crazy and twisted.

3. Happy ending. Readers who aren't into this sort of thing, please proceed with caution.

4. All three brothers are adopted, have no blood relation, and aren't registered in the same household.

5. Blurb written on October 16, 2024, and screenshot saved.

Premise: Cherish the person in front of you.