Chapter 2

At 16, Alex still needed to continue his education. I paid his tuition fees. It turned out he was an excellent student. I couldn't understand what his parents were thinking.

It was already difficult enough to support myself, and now with Alex, I had to work multiple jobs every day.

Alex didn't say much, but he somehow managed to find ingredients to cook. Every time I returned home, there was always a hot meal waiting for me. Used to eating leftover takeout from restaurants, I suddenly felt this broken-down house become much warmer.

After dinner, Alex would dutifully start washing the dishes. Looking at his skinny frame, I noticed that Alex was tall - even at 16, he was already slightly taller than me. But he was just too thin, seemingly malnourished. However, this didn't detract from his handsomeness.

As a first-time guardian, I made a mental note to ensure the kid got a balanced diet. I was actually starting to take on the role of a parent.

At first, Alex didn't like to talk much, and I didn't force him. Sometimes I would just chat away, and gradually Alex began to open up. We weren't that far apart in age and had similar experiences, so living together, we didn't feel so lonely anymore.

"Alex, call me brother," I said with a grin, a cigarette dangling from my lips. Alex was doing his homework nearby, the dim light casting a glow on his handsome face.

He looked up, frowning slightly, and walked towards me. That handsome face zoomed in before my eyes, and I froze.

But Alex just took the cigarette from my mouth, put it out, and tossed it in the trash.

I finally reacted, "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Smoke less, it's bad for your health," Alex said without looking back, returning to his desk to continue his homework.

I rebelled, "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

Alex looked up, his beautiful eyes gazing at me, and simply said, "Brother." That was enough to render me speechless. I mumbled as I quickly tried to escape the situation, "Fine, I won't smoke."

Little did I know, Alex smiled after I turned my back.

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