It was early morning, and Yibo stepped into the sitting room, dressed in his well-ironed uniform with a beret on his head. He headed to the kitchen, where Yuting was busy dishing out food. Yuting glanced at him and said, "You didn't comb your hair again, did you?"
Leaning against the doorframe with a playful pout, Yibo replied, "Mu Qin, it's too hurt. I couldn't do it."
Yuting didn't say anything, finishing up and placing his food on a plate along with soup. She handed it to him, and Yibo took it to the dining table. She brought him some fried chips and eggs she had prepared, placing them down while glancing at the clock. "Hurry up, or they'll be waiting for you again."
Yibo widened his eyes. "Mengxi and the others always wait for me, anyway!"
Yuting replied, "Just don't take too long." She walked back to the kitchen to finish the dishes. Once Yibo was done eating, he carried his plate and bowl to the kitchen, picked up his bag, and got ready to leave. Yuting called out, "Check on the dressing mirror in my room. There's some money there; take it."
He went to the room, grabbed the money, and called back, "Mu Qin, I'll be going bye-bye."
"Alright, stay safe and don't forget to double-check that you've got all your books!"
With a grin, Yibo left the part after saying a quick prayer. He walked to the parking area where his cousins usually waited for him. Most of the time, Seth was the one who drove them, though occasionally Yimei helped when their old driver left.
Standing near the car, Yibo noticed Xinyi, Mengxi, and Meiling planted beans assignments, all from his class in Grade 11. He glared at their plants, which were growing tall and healthy, while his own were wilted and ruined. His eyes narrowed as he walked over to their plants and stomped on two of them, leaving only Meiling's untouched since each plant bore its owner's name. Satisfied, he hurried back to stand by the car.
Xinyi was the first to emerge, dressed in the same uniform as Yibo. Mengxi and Meiling followed shortly. None of them spoke to him except Meiling, who asked, "Yibo, did you finish your math assignment?"
"Yes," he replied.
Meiling said, "Good. I didn't do mine. Can I copy it when we get in the car?"
"Sure," Yibo agreed.
Just then, Xiao Zhan walked out, car keys in hand, his face like a thundercloud. Yibo's eyes widened as he whispered to Meiling, "Is he the one driving us?"
Meiling nodded. "Yes, Seth-ge left earlier for an errand, so Yimei told Zhan-ge to take us. He's not happy about it though."
Yibo pouted but said nothing as Xiao Zhan opened the car door. Yibo climbed into the backseat with Meiling and Mengxi while Xinyi sat in the front. They drove off in silence. Yibo pulled out his assignment for Meiling to copy. The journey to school usually took twenty minutes, but Xiao Zhan's driving speed had them arriving in just a few minutes.
As they got out of the car, Xiao Zhan said sternly, "You all better start walking home after school because I won't be picking anyone up."
Xinyi murmured hesitantly, "Zhan-ge, Bobo mentioned that we'll be getting a new driver soon."
"Get out," he replied curtly, and Xinyi quickly exited the car. Yibo, Meiling, and Mengxi followed, hurrying into the school.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
That afternoon, Yimei came to pick them up after school. She noticed Yibo looking upset and asked, "What's wrong, Yibo?"
He pointed to his head and said softly, "I have a headache."
Yimei said, "Alright, eat something when you get home and take some medicine. Then, get some rest."
Yibo nodded. When they got home, he dozed off on the car until Meiling woke him up. Yimei told him gently, "Go inside, Yibo." He nodded silently and walked to their part of the house, limping slightly.
Yuting had prepared hot water for him. After his bath, he ate dinner, took some medicine, and sat on his bed, looking miserable. Yuting said, "Get ready for your lesson. It's too early to start skipping through it, especially since it's only Monday." Yibo didn't respond, and after Yuting left, he lay down as if he were about to cry.
At 4:05 p.m., Yuting returned to check on him and found him fast asleep. She touched his forehead, noticed it was warm, and sighed before leaving.
Meiling arrived in the sitting room, dressed and ready for lessons. She greeted Yuting and said, "We're waiting for Yibo."
Yuting replied, "He's not feeling well. You all should go without him."
"Alright. I hope he feels better soon," Meiling said before leaving.
At around 5 p.m., Yibo emerged from his room, feeling an odd internal heat. He avoided turning on the air conditioning in their sitting room, knowing it would only make his condition worse. Instead, he quietly left for Nainai's part, where he could turn on the AC.
Nainai was busy cleaning near the sink when she noticed Yibo and asked, "Why aren't you at your lesson today?"
"I didn't feel like going," Yibo replied, pouting. He walked into her sitting room, turned on the AC, and stretched out on the couch.
Still at the sink, Nainai muttered to Zhan who was coming towards her part, "Zhan, look at Yibo! He came over just to turn on the AC. Can't he use their own? I hope no one gets the idea that my sitting room is a communal area for the entire household!"
Xiao Zhan, who had just entered with a bag, placed it down and said, "Papa told me to bring this for you."
"Bless him. I was just craving some fruit," Nainai said happily.
As Xiao Zhan turned to leave, she continued, "And don't forget to tell Yibo to stop using my AC. He can't used their own, his mother will not allowed it, that's why he come here to use mine!"
Xiao Zhan sighed but didn't respond as he glanced at Yibo, who was lying on the three-seater couch, visibly annoyed. He clicked his tongue and turned to leave. Nainai called after him, "Hey! Are you ignoring me when I'm speaking to you? Would you behave like this if it were your mother, Yichen?"
Zhan stopped, his expression hardening, and turn back. Looking at her squarely, he replied, "If you keep dragging my mother into this, Nainai, there's going to be an audience in this house. Every issue, you bring up my mother."
Nainai's jaw dropped. "Are you raising your voice at me?"
He responded, "If you don't want me to raise my voice, stop involving my mother in your arguments. You're never at peace... you're always complaining about something or someone."
Shaking her head, Nainai said, "Alright, keep talking, young man. You'll see what happens when you speak to me that way." She turned off the AC.
Yibo, now sitting up, looked distressed. "Why did you turn it off, Nainai?"
"It's not Quentin's, so I turned it off. You've all gone too far, and now you're making me the scapegoat for your disrespect," Nainai shot back.
Yibo pleaded, "Please, Nainai, turn it back on. I'm feeling hot."
Nainai replied, "Well, you won't feel hot if you take the medicine I brought you all the way from Foshan. But no, you'd rather drive me insane with your antics. After all my effort, you still refuse to listen. If you had taken the medicine, you'd already feel better by now. This nonsense you're dealing with would've eased up."
Yibo retorted, "Who told you this need an ancient medicine? I've been dealing with this my whole life, and I know I will never recover from it... So I give up now..."
Nainai interrupted, "Oh, Zhan, did you hear that? Listen to the trouble he brings upon himself with his words. Out of all my grandchildren, Yibo, you're the one who lacks common sense."
Yibo frowned. "Fine, I heard you. Leave me alone with my condition. It's none of your business. And I'm not taking the medicine. I already have prescriptions from my doctor."
Nainai sighed dramatically. "Suit yourself. But don't come crying to me when no one wants to marry you, given your health issues. Every cent they have will go to hospital bills. Since you were little, I've been taking care of you, spending all my energy and resources to make you what you are today. If it weren't for me, you'd still be as frail as a skeleton. Your mother wouldn't be running around getting medicine for you. She'd just lock herself in her room and wait for the doctors."
Tears start running in Yibo's cheeks. "Fine, I get it. Just leave me alone. I don't have to take your medicine if I don't want to." With that, he stormed out of the sitting room.
Nainai muttered, "You'll all explain yourselves once your parents return."
Zhan clicked his tongue and got up to leave the sitting room as well.
****
Later, while Yibo was lying on the couch, Xinyi walked in and said, "Papa is calling you in Nainai's section." Then she left.
Yuting, sitting in the sitting room while eating, glanced at Yibo, who shifted restlessly but didn't say anything. After about five minutes, Yuting finally spoke. "You heard her, Yibo."
Yibo turned, tears threatening to fall. "But, Mu Qin, my leg hurts. I don't know if I can even get up."
Yuting shot him a sharp look. "Then crawl if you have to, since you can't stand up."
With watery eyes, Yibo struggled to his feet and limped out of the room.
Cautiously, Yibo opened the door to Nainai's sitting room. Inside were Zong, Nainai, and Yimei. Keeping his head lowered, he moved closer to Yimei and sat down, greeting everyone. Only Zong and Yimei responded, while Nainai wore a stern expression. Yibo avoided looking at her.
Nainai remarked, "So, is Zhan waiting for you Zong, to go fetch him personally?"
Zong turned to Yibo. "Go and tell your brother to come here immediately."
Yibo stood and threw a quick glare at Nainai before leaving the room. He found himself upstairs in the corridor near Zhan mother's room, hesitating outside the door. Just as he was about to knock, the door opened, and Zhan stepped out.
Startled, Yibo quickly stepped aside. "Bobo said to call you," he murmured.
Zhan didn't even glance at him as he walked downstairs. Yibo made a face at his back and followed. When they arrived at Nainai's sitting room, Zhan opened the door and walked in.
Zhan knelt respectfully near Yimei, keeping his head bowed. Zong regarded him with a stern expression, tapping his foot. Yibo entered the room, but seeing where Zhan was kneeling, he said, "That's my spot."
Yimei chuckled, but Zhan didn't even look up, let alone move.
Nainai grumbled, "Zong, I'm tired of sitting here like some offender. Let finish this I want to go and rest."
Zong turned to Yibo. "Find another place to sit, my friend."
Yibo shot a glare at Zhan before sitting elsewhere.
Zong, still looking at Zhan, said, "Zhan, is this how you've started treating my mother in this house?"
Nainai sat with a frown, shaking her foot impatiently. Zhan neither looked up nor said a word. Zong broke the silence, his voice sharp. "Am I not talking to you, Zhan?"
Slowly, Zhan lifted his gaze and replied softly, "I'm sorry, Papa, please forgive me."
Zong's anger flared. "Foolish boy, you think I'm the one who needs your apology?" He turned to Nainai. "Apologize to her."
Zhan shifted his attention to Nainai and said, "I'm sorry, Nainai."
She cut him off with a wave of her hand. "Oh no, young man, you're calling me 'Nainai' in front of your father? Earlier Zong, he pointed a finger at me outside the door like he was ready to hit me. I thought Zhan was about to strike me after scolding me endlessly. Honestly, Zong, your children are completely disrespectful and lack any sense of shame.
"Seth is the only one who avoids upsetting me, though even he never helps me with my work unless it's forced upon him. But today, Zhan, if someone had seen me struggling to clean the tap, shouldn't he have helped me? Instead, he ignored me and insulted me. Imagine coming into my part just to humiliate me! Let me tell you, the day I can no longer tolerate this, I will pack my things and leave this house. Don't think I'll stay where I'm not respected!"
Zhan glanced at her briefly from the corner of his eye before lowering his head again. Zong said nothing. Yimei, trying to ease the tension, interjected, "Please, A Yi, forgive them. They meant no harm."
Lowering her voice, Nainai sighed. "Zhan, can you act this way towards your own mother? I only asked a simple question, and you lashed out. And as for that other one, that spoiled brat who looks like a porcelain doll, he told me off too! All I said was, 'Yibo, here's the medicine I got for your mysterious illness,' and what do I get in return? Rudeness! He went as far as to tell me it's none of my business and that the illness won't even heal."
Yibo broke into exaggerated sobs, loud and dramatic. Zong, visibly irritated, barked, "Stop that nonsense!"
Sniffling, Yibo whispered, "Bobo, she's the one insulting me..."
Zong cut him off sternly. "Keep quiet!"
Yibo fell silent, tears streaming down his face. Zhan muttered again, "I'm sorry, Nainai."
Nainai waved her hand dismissively. "What choice do I have but to forgive you? After all, it's always the wronged party that has to apologize. But let me be clear: I don't want to see you or Yibo near my wing again. Since you both think so little of me, I'll manage with Seth and Meiling from now on."
Zong scolded Zhan harshly, and he kept his head down the entire time. Nainai dabbed at her tears, pretending to ignore the commotion while making it clear she was deeply hurt. Zhan continued to apologize, and Yimei coaxed Yibo into apologizing as well.
But Yibo bolted out of the sitting room, tears streaming down his face. Nainai muttered under her breath, "Look at him, sitting there pretending to be humble, but he's as crooked as he is. Just don't come near my part again... I'm done with all of you."
Zhan didn't reply, nor did he meet her gaze. Instead, he quietly left the room.
As he walked out, he noticed Yibo crouched near some flowers, crying softly. He glared at him as he approached, and Yibo quickly stood up, trembling. "Gege, did you hear me insulted her earlier?" he asked, his voice quivering.
Without stopping or sparing him a glance, Zhan continued walking and replied coldly, "No one hit you too, so what are you crying for?" Then Zhan vanished from there.
Yibo stared after him, tears falling as he sobbed quietly...
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛