A Nurturing Story

Gentle, thoughtful older brother x dark, troubled younger brother

Younger top, slow-burn development

Jiang Sui has an abusive father and a mother who was tricked into marriage. As a result, even though he was born mentally ill, his family couldn't afford prenatal checkups to find out.

At seven, he set a village on fire. He was caught, beaten nearly to death, and thrown into a river. In the dead of winter, Jiang Hewan found him. This menace had a home again.

When Jiang Hewan found Jiang Sui, he was so poor he could barely afford food. He was only eleven, and his debts stretched as far as he could see. He hesitated for a long time when he saw the unconscious child by the river, but in the end he steeled himself and took him home. From then on, he had to eat even less.

They lived from one meager meal to the next, huddling together for warmth. Jiang Hewan somehow managed to raise Jiang Sui.

Jiang Sui was vicious, vindictive, gloomy, and suspicious, with plenty of other problems. But in Jiang Hewan's eyes, he was a sweet, sensible, considerate, obedient little brother who never caused him any worry.

That was only what Jiang Hewan thought... Jiang Sui wondered countless times whether he and his brother would have been less badly hurt if he had given in a little and hadn't pushed him so relentlessly every time.

But if he didn't act this way, his brother would only keep drifting farther away...

Reading guide:

One-on-one, both are each other's first. Younger top, four-year age gap, amnesia trope.

Gentle, thoughtful older brother x dark, troubled younger brother

Slow-burn coming-of-age romance

Theme: Strive to make a living