Li Hanchen turned to put on the seat belt for her in the most natural manner after Mu Sheng got into the car. He retrieved a candy from his coat pocket, unwrapped it, and placed it by Mu Sheng’s mouth.
Since he had been feeding Mu Sheng a lot recently, she automatically opened her mouth and ate the candy.
Li Hanchen went back to his seat after he was done and placed his hands on the steering wheel before driving to the villa.
Auntie Lin stood beside Li An worriedly in the living room at the villa. “Young Master An, if you are upset, you can talk to Young Master about it. You can’t just leave without saying a word. If you leave, he will get very worried.”
Li An’s hands halted as he packed his suitcase. A look of ridicule emerged on his face. “I am just a burden. Why would he be worried? Life will be so much easier for him without me around.”
“Young Master An, how could you say that? How could you think that he doesn’t care about you?” Auntie Lin did not know what to say.
She had spent the afternoon preparing dinner and even made Li An’s favorite sweet and sour pork ribs.
Li An unexpectedly came home and started to pack. It seemed as though Li Hanchen and Li An had gotten into a fight and she did not know how to stop Li An from leaving.
“I’m going. Just tell my brother I’m gone.” Li An carried his backpack and headed out with his suitcase. His eyes were completely red under his cap.
Auntie Lin followed behind Li An and wanted to stop him. Li Hanchen’s car pulled up in the yard as she came chasing after Li An.
Auntie Lin looked like she had seen her savior as she waved anxiously and shouted, “Young Master!”
Li Hanchen gave off a powerful aura as he got off the car. Li An veered his eyes elsewhere and didn’t dare to make eye contact.
Li Hanchen’s eyes landed on Li An’s suitcase and frowned. “Where are you going?”
Li An held the suitcase handle tightly and said stubbornly, “I am going back to the Li residence.”
The moment Li An finished his sentence, he could keenly sense the atmosphere intensifying.
Auntie Lin looked at Li Hanchen before she looked at Li An. There was something on her tongue, but she shook her head and sighed as she headed back to the kitchen.
Li An lowered his head and looked at his shoes intently. He was hoping Li Hanchen would say something to keep him and also terribly worried Li Hanchen would not react. If Li Hanchen was happy to keep him around, Li An did not mind giving up his education if it meant he could live here.
Time passed by in complete silence. All he could hear was the wind gusting in the yard.
Li An felt completely disappointed.
Li An felt breathless from Li Hanchen’s stares, so he finally raised his head and looked straight into Li Hanchen’s eyes.
“The Li family is rich and powerful. I want to go back and enjoy the high life. I want to get driven around in posh cars and live in a luxurious villa! I don’t want to live here in poverty! I don’t want to live with you!”
Before Li Hanchen could react, Li An started to bawl.
It felt as though all the insecurity and doubt that Li An had been hiding in his heart finally gave way and exploded.
Li An wiped his tears as he pulled his luggage out teary-eyed. He glanced at Li Hanchen secretly and noticed how unperturbed his older brother was. Li An could not help feeling upset when it seemed as though nothing could move Li Hanchen.
Li An kept sobbing miserably as he thought about it. Within a few steps, his eyes were already red from crying.
Mu Sheng stood by the side of the car motionlessly as she witnessed the scene. This was between them, so it was unsuitable for her to interfere. She took her bag and said, “I’m heading inside.”
Li An kept walking out of the villa. When he walked past Li Hanchen, Li Hanchen finally said, “Stop right there.”
Li An automatically stopped. After pausing for a second, he continued walking as he replied to Li Hanchen stubbornly, “I am going back to the Li residence to enjoy life. I am done living in poverty with you. Who do you think you are? What makes you think I have to obey you…”
Li Hanchen grabbed Li An by the arm before he could finish his sentence and pulled him upstairs.
“Let me go. I told you I’m going to move to the Li residence.” Li An’s hood slid off amid the struggle to reveal his red and swollen eyes.
“You are a grown-up. Don’t force me to raise my hand at you.” Li Hanchen glanced at Li An coldly.
Li An finally stopped struggling. He looked at Li Hanchen in surprise. Li Hanchen seemed a lot more like family when he threatened to hit him.
Li An quietly followed Li Hanchen into his room as he rubbed his swollen eyes. “Won’t you be happier without me? All I do is spend your money. I’m sure life will be better without a burden like me around.”
Li Hanchen walked up to the desk to pull open the drawer and rummaged through it. “When did I say you were a burden?”
“Even though you did not say it out loud, you certainly feel that way, don’t you?” Li An wept uncontrollably. “Why didn’t you look for me after you escaped nine years ago? A year ago, when you came back home, if I did not shamelessly insist on leaving with you, you probably wouldn’t have taken me in, right?
“I know you said you were busy. How could you be so busy that you couldn’t even send a text message? Have you ever thought about me all these years? Maybe you did, but you didn’t want me. You didn’t want a burden like me around!”
Li An finally said everything he had kept hidden all this time. After shouting at Li Hanchen, he was unable to look at Li Hanchen. He could only purse his lips as he kept wiping the tears on his face.
Li Hanchen opened the drawer and retrieved a folder. He sat on the couch before he waved Li An over.
Li An turned his head. Humph. He did not want to sit with his older brother!
“Come here,” said Li Hanchen calmly.
Li An sniffled before he awkwardly sat down beside Li Hanchen. “What?”
Li Hanchen opened the folder. Li An secretly glanced at it. The moment he did, he opened his eyes wide.
The folder was surprisingly filled with his photographs.
Li An took the folder and went through its contents. The entire folder was filled with pictures of his everyday life that were unknowingly taken.
There were pictures of him in class, eating, attending sports day, and secretly snacking…
The pictures consisted of his days in primary school to senior high. It was a chronicle of everything in his life. It felt as though he could see the life he had led for the past ten years through the pictures.
Li An looked at Li Hanchen in surprise with his eyes bright. “What is this?”
Li Hanchen reached his hand out and placed it on Li An’s head and rubbed it gently.
He used to do this to Li An a lot before he was abducted.
Li Hanchen sighed softly as he looked into Li An’s eyes. “I was busy. I will tell you why I couldn’t get in touch with you in time. I never felt you were a burden.”
Li An’s eyes turned red as he looked into Li Hanchen’s deep eyes. “Then do you still want me around?”
Li Hanchen’s lips curved upwards slightly. “Are you an idiot? You are my little brother. Of course, I want you around.”
Li An looked at all the photos on the table before looking at Li Hanchen again as he brimmed with joy. However, he could not help feeling worried when he thought about what Li Ming said. “It is very expensive to keep me around and the Li family wants to cut you off.”
Li Hanchen put his hand down. “It will be fine.”
Li An raised his head and saw Li Hanchen looking down at him loftily. It felt as though he had total control of the situation. Li An suddenly felt confident.
After all, his brother was none other than Li Hanchen! Li Hanchen was the most gifted young man in town! Even if the Li family refused to give them money, he was certain that his older brother would find a way.
Even though Li An’s eyes were swollen from crying, he smiled happily. “I will eat less. Also, I will stop going to school. I can take online classes from home. I will do my best to spend less money. I won’t be a burden.”
Li Hanchen smiled. “Don’t worry about these things. Just do whatever I tell you to.”
“Uh huh!” Now that Li An was no longer worried, he was beside himself with joy. His eyes were bright as he smiled smugly while looking at Li Hanchen clingily.
Li An watched as Li Hanchen put away the pictures. He was so happy that his older brother did not forget about him. He looked at Li Hanchen’s cool profile and automatically said, “Big Bro, you’re the best.”
Li Hanchen’s hands paused slightly with a nonchalant look on his face. However, warmth swept through his eyes.
Auntie Lin paced up and down the living room worriedly until she saw Li An walking happily behind Li Hanchen. She finally felt relieved and happily went to the kitchen to fetch some rice.
Mu Sheng turned to glance at Li An. “Apply an ice compress before you sleep tonight.”
“Okay, Sis-in-Law! I will definitely do it.” Li An was in awfully high spirits. He was smiling as usual and energetic.
Since Li An felt smug, he could not resist bragging to Mu Sheng, “Sis-in-Law, do you know what my older brother has in his room?”
Mu Sheng looked at him quizzically. “What?”
Li An looked as happy as a dog wagging its tail. “He has my pictures in his room! Loads of them! I am sure he looks at them whenever he misses me, so he must like me a lot.”
