Zhan turned and walked out of the sitting room. Yibo pouted, wiping his eyes, and said, "Gege doesn't even know who came, yet he keeps calling him my boyfriend. Nainai, please tell him to mind his own business in this house."
Nainai sighed and said, "And what exactly is your connection to him? I only know that his father is your father's younger brother, and I raised both of them. Even though I didn't give birth to your father, he is still my eldest son. Aside from that, you and Zhan have no real ties—not through your mother's side or your father's. Just ignore him and let him deal with his own foolishness. What business does he have meddling in your personal life? Even if you do have a boyfriend, is it any of his concern? Or does he think he'll be the one to marry you if you don't find a husband? Stop listening to him. Whenever your boyfriend calls, just get ready, spray some perfume, and go out. Who has time to sit around listening to Zong and Quentin's nonsense? Even their own son is already on their way. All this bookish arrogance… The moment you finish high school, we'll arrange a marriage for you so your husband can handle your issues, and my Quentin can finally get some peace."
Yibo shot her a look, wiped away the last of his tears, and walked out of the sitting room.
That evening, Quentin finished packing for his trip back to Shanghai. He went to say goodbye to Nainai. After tidying up, she sat down and asked, "So, you're really leaving today?"
"Yes," he replied. "I need to catch my flight before it leaves without me."
Nainai nodded. "Safe travels. But what about the discussion you had with Zong yesterday?"
He frowned. "What discussion?"
"The one about the kids visiting Yong Dan," Nainai reminded him.
Quentin spoke up. "Yes, Barrister said they should leave next week."
"That's good," Nainai said. "Even though their mother was a cruel woman, I still hope she rests in peace. I have forgiven her, but our real justice will come in the afterlife. She hurt me terribly…"
Quentin sighed. "Come on, A-Yi, you said you forgave her."
Frustrated, Nainai snapped, "Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting. Just because I forgave her doesn't mean the pain disappeared. You have no idea what she did to me. Jealousy is madness. The only reason I allow any relationship with the children she left behind is out of respect for your late grandfather. And yet, those children never even come to visit me, despite sharing the same father with me."
Quentin shook his head. "You said you forgave her, so just let things be."
"And if I hadn't said that, what would you have me say?" Nainai retorted. "Do you want them coming around, staring at you and your brother? Keeping a distance is better. At least this way, no one knows what's truly going on in each other's lives. You and Zong talk so much because neither of you were the ones who suffered. My stepmother, who owed me nothing, is dead and left them with nothing, while my children are well taken care of. What do they need from me? I have my own children. You four are enough for me. Even Beiting said she's planning to return to the country permanently soon, so what else do I need? Just send them some gifts and greetings. They can even stop by to visit that huge Hanba in Shanghai. Nothing more. May we receive our rewards, and may their intentions follows them."
Quentin sighed. "I should get going, A-Yi. Zhan will bring you something later."
Nainai nodded. "Safe travels. May you be blessed and protected wherever you go."
"Amen. Thank you," Quentin said, then left the sitting room and headed to his quarters.
Before leaving, he said goodbye to Yuting. "Tomorrow, you make sure Yibo goes to his lesson. By Wednesday, I expect them to leave. Before that, his doctor will come to deliver his medication since he has has resumed."
Yuting nodded. "Safe travels. Should I wake him?"
"No, let him sleep," Quentin replied before heading out the door.
Seth was the one who drove him to the airport.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
Zhan lifted his head, looking at his father after he finished speaking. Slowly, he said, "Papa, I was just transferred here not long ago, and now I'm supposed to take leave from work already..."
Zong frowned. "You're just looking for excuses. I've noticed you don't want to go at all, Zhan."
Lowering his head, Zhan replied, "No, it's not like that, Papa. It's just that..."
Zong cut him off. "I'll speak to your boss myself."
Zhan immediately looked up at his father but didn't say anything.
"Besides," Zong continued, "if you leave on Wednesday, you'll be back by Friday. It's just Luo River."
Zhan still didn't respond. Sensing his silence, Zong added, "Are you worried about Yibo? Zhan nodded and said "You know his condition—should he come with us?"
Zong shook his head. "You'll be there, won't you? Just take a first-aid box with you."
Zhan sighed. "Alright then."
Zong nodded. "Also, there's something else I wanted to discuss with you, Zhan."
"I'm listening, Papa."
"It's high time you thought about settling down with a family," Zong said firmly. "I see you moving through life without much concern, but if I leave you like this, you'll never take that step. All your friends are married with children—multiple children, even. What exactly are you waiting for, son?"
Zhan ran a hand through his hair before answering, "Papa, the woman I want to marry is still in school, but she'll be graduating in a few months."
"And where is she from?" Zong asked.
A small smile appeared on Zhan's face. "She's from Beijing. Her parents live here, but she stays with her elder sister."
Zong nodded. "That's good, very good. But I think it's better to start formal discussions now..."
Before Zhan could respond, Yichen's voice interrupted them. "There will be no such discussions."
Both men looked up as she stepped into the sitting room, her face clearly showing her displeasure.
"So, Zhan, you're going behind my back?" she said coldly. "Is this how we do things now? Well, let me make one thing clear—so long as I am breathing, you will not marry that girl. And if you insist on keeping ties with that miserable girl, don't expect things to go smoothly for you. Imagine bringing poverty into our family as a daughter-in-law? Over my dead body! I've already found someone perfect for you—Ning Li, Sun Yue's daughter. She's a well-bred, intelligent young woman who is deeply interested in you. And now you dare to humiliate me by rejecting her?"
Zong sighed. "What I'd like to understand here is, were you eavesdropping on me, Yichen?"
She scoffed. "If I was, then I thank fate for allowing me to hear this nonsense. Zong, do you realize how deep in poverty that girl's family is? They live in some rundown neighborhood, barely surviving. If Zhan marries her, do you know how people will look at us? A wasted beauty—she's not even particularly attractive! You should take a lesson from Seth. Look at the girl he's seeing—a wealthy woman from a well-respected family. But Zhan? No, he wants to ruin our family's name by dragging some low-class girl into it."
Zong shook his head. "And who are you to decide who is rich and who is poor, Yichen?"
"I don't care about all that," she snapped. "But let me warn you, Zhan—if you don't listen to me, you'll regret it. I won't stand by and watch you make this mistake. If you refuse to obey me, don't expect things to go well for you." With that, she stormed out.
Zong sighed, shaking his head. "Listen, son, ignore your mother. She doesn't think rationally. I'm giving you my word—go after the woman you love. Everything else will fall into place."
Softly, Zhan murmured, "Hmmm."
"You can go now," Zong said.
Zhan stood up. "Thank you, Papa." With that, he left the sitting room.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
Yuting slowly opened Yibo's bedroom door, peeking inside after hearing his laughter under the duvet.
Sensing the door opening, Yibo quickly ended the call and shoved his phone under the pillow.
Yuting turned on the lights and asked, "Who were you talking to, Yibo?"
Yibo threw off the duvet and sat up, pretending to have just woken up. "Huh?"
Yuting gave him a sharp look. "Are you going to answer my question or not? Who were you on the phone with?"
Yibo remained silent, staring at Yuting like he was about to cry.
She walked closer to his bed and said, "Give me the phone."
Without arguing, Yibo took out his phone and handed it to her.
Checking the call log, Yuting asked, "Whose number is this?"
In a barely audible voice, Yibo replied, "Jun Bin ge's friend."
Yuting frowned. "And what do you have to do with Jun Bin's friend? How do you even know him?"
Yibo hesitated before answering, "He visits Wei Po's house sometimes, and his younger sister is my classmate. He just called to ask me something, that's all."
Yuting studied his face suspiciously. Yibo lowered his head.
"You really know how to be sneaky," she muttered.
Yibo's voice wavered. "Mu Qin, I swear, he just called me. That's all."
"Good," Yuting said. "Now listen carefully—don't let me catch you talking to anyone on the phone in this house again. If your father finds out, you better be ready with an explanation because I won't be involved."
With that, she turned and left the room.
The next afternoon, Yuting sat in the living room when Yibo walked in, fully dressed with a small bag slung over his shoulder.
She glanced at him. "Where are you going?"
"Mu Qin, I'm just heading to the supermarket to buy some cream," he answered quietly.
She raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I just buy you a whole pack? How could it be finished so soon?"
Yibo stayed silent, giving her a guilty look.
Yuting narrowed her eyes. "Since when did you start drinking cream?"
"It's just for applying, Mu Qin," he mumbled.
She scoffed. "Well, I don't have money for your cream right now."
"It's fine, I have money in my account," Yibo said.
Yuting snorted. "Oh, excuse me, Mr. rich teenager. Safe travels, then."
Yibo chuckled, slipped on his shoes, and left the house.
As he walked carefully toward the main road to catch a taxi, his phone vibrated in his bag. He pulled it out and saw Sen Wen's name flashing on the screen.
He answered the call.
With his usual cool tone, Sen Wen asked, "How are you, Yibo?"
"I'm fine. How about you?" Yibo replied softly.
"I'm good. Are you on your way somewhere?"
"Yeah," Yibo answered.
"Where to?"
Yibo hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'm going to the supermarket."
"The one we met at the other day?" Sen Wen asked.
"Yeah," Yibo confirmed.
"Tell me what you need, and I'll get it for you," Sen Wen offered. "I can bring it over right now."
Yibo quickly shook his head. "No, that's not necessary."
"Why not?" Sen Wen asked gently.
"I just don't want to trouble you. I'm taking a taxi anyway," Yibo explained.
"Alright then," Sen Wen said. "We'll talk later. Take care."
"Thanks," Yibo replied before hanging up.
He flagged down a taxi and headed to the mall.
Instead of going straight to the supermarket, he stopped by a high-end boutique across from the mall.
He walked over to the eyeglasses section, admiring the stylish frames—the kind Sen Wen always wore.
His eyes widened at the price tags.
After browsing for a while, he picked out a pair he really liked, examined them for a moment, then walked to the cashier. Handing over his ATM card, he paid for the glasses and waited as they were packaged.
After leaving the boutique, he crossed the street and entered the supermarket.
He went straight to the body care section and picked up a cream, even though he still had plenty at home.
In reality, he had transferred it to another container and hidden it, knowing his mother might go through his things.
As Yibo picked up the cream and turned to leave, he nearly bumped into someone. He instinctively stepped back to apologize, but when he saw who it was, his eyes widened in shock.
Sen Wen smiled, his dimples showing. "Sorry about that."
Yibo lowered his gaze.
Sen Wen asked, "Are you done shopping, or did you just get started?"
"I'm done," Yibo replied, looking away.
"Then come with me. I need to grab a few things," Sen Wen said casually, already walking ahead.
Without much choice, Yibo followed him, feeling somewhat reluctant.
They headed to the snack aisle, where chocolates, biscuits, and sweets were neatly displayed.
"My little sister's birthday is tomorrow," Sen Wen said, glancing at Yibo. "I know how much you teenagers love this kind of stuff. Do me a favor—pick out the things you love. I'm sure she'll like them too."
Yibo smiled. "Alright then."
Without hesitation, he began selecting all his favorite snacks, grabbing whatever caught his eye.
Sen Wen pushed the trolley behind him, watching with amusement. Then, he raised an eyebrow. "Yibo, are you sure you're not just being greedy? Are you seriously telling me you love all of this?"
Yibo turned to him with wide eyes. "Everything I picked—I love with all my heart. You have no idea how much I love chocolates and sweets."
Sen Wen chuckled. "Alright, let's leave it at that, then."
"No, wait!" Yibo said, spotting another chocolate bar.
Before he could say anything, Yibo quickly grabbed five packs and tossed them into the trolley. He added some biscuits and another pack of sweets before turning to Sen Wen with a smile.
"By the way, I really love teddy bears. Should I get one for her?" Yibo teased.
Sen Wen tilted his head and sighed. "You just want to make my bank account cry today, don't you?"
Yibo frowned. "Just two or three, that's all. Isn't she your sister? And isn't it her birthday?"
Without waiting for a response, he walked over to the plush toys and picked out three expensive, adorable teddy bears, tossing them into the trolley. "Since you're complaining about your account, we'll leave it at this," he said with a smirk.
Sen Wen laughed. "No, go ahead. Keep going until you're satisfied."
Yibo shook his head. "No, I have a conscience."
Sen Wen chuckled as he followed Yibo to the counter.
When Yibo placed his cream on the counter and reached for his card, Sen Wen was quicker—he handed over his own card first.
Yibo turned to look at him, his heart skipping a beat when their eyes met. He quickly looked away.
After the payment was processed, they packed the items, and Yibo carried the teddy bears while Sen Wen took the rest of the bags.
Outside, Sen Wen placed the shopping bags in the back of his car and locked the trunk. He turned to Yibo, about to say something when Yibo suddenly asked, "Is today her birthday?"
Sen Wen nodded, smiling.
Yibo lowered his head slightly, hiding his face. "Well, I really like grilled chicken. Do you think she'd like it too?"
Sen Wen's eyes widened in surprise before he burst into laughter. "Where did you see grilled chicken, Yibo?"
Yibo pouted and pointed towards the section where they were selling roasted chicken. Still smiling, Sen Wen walked over and bought two whole grilled chickens before returning to the car and placing them inside. He then turned back to Yibo with a pleading expression. "Let me drop you off, please."
Yibo quickly shook his head. "No, thank you."
Without another word, he opened his small bag and pulled out a pair of glasses, still wrapped in their box. He glanced at Sen Wen before handing them over.
Sen Wen hesitantly took them, his gaze locked onto Yibo's eyes. That intense stare made Yibo quickly lower his own.
Sen Wen carefully unwrapped the glasses and, under his breath, whispered, "Wow…"
Yibo smiled and was about to turn away when Sen Wen suddenly reached out and gently held his hand. In a soft voice, he said, "Thanks, Yibo. I love them…"
Before Yibo could react, Sen Wen pressed a light kiss on the back of his hand.
Yibo's eyes widened in shock, and he quickly pulled his hand away, his heart racing. Sen Wen, realizing what he had done, immediately panicked. "I… I'm sorry, Yibo. I was just really happy. I love the glasses."
Yibo forced a small smile, but he could still feel the warmth of Sen Wen's lips on his skin.
Just as he was about to walk away, Sen Wen called out, "Wait, Yibo."
Yibo froze, his heart pounding.
Sen Wen opened the front passenger door and said, "Please, let me take you home."
Yibo couldn't bring himself to look at him, nor could he refuse. Slowly, he got into the car.
Sen Wen smiled and closed the door before walking around to the driver's side. He got in, started the engine, and drove out of the mall parking lot.
When they reached Yibo's neighborhood, Yibo refused to be dropped off directly at his gate. Instead, he had Sen Wen stop a few houses away.
As soon as he stepped out, Sen Wen got out as well, walked to the back seat, and took out all the shopping bags—including the teddies and grilled chicken. He placed them beside Yibo and, with a playful smile, said, "They're all yours."
Without waiting for Yibo's response, he got back into the driver's seat, started the car, and drove off, leaving Yibo standing there, wide-eyed.
Yibo stared at the bags, looking as if he might cry. What am I supposed to do with all of this…?
After a moment, he hurriedly hid the bags among the flowers near the entrance. Then, carefully, he started carrying them inside one by one, terrified that someone might see him.
When he entered the house with the last bag, Nainai's eyes widened in shock as she stared at all the things he had brought in.
Meanwhile, Seth, who had been watching Yibo since his first trip inside, finally stood up and walked over to him. With a confused expression, he asked, "Where are you rushing in from, Yibo? And what is all this you're carrying in?"
Yibo hesitated for a moment, forcing a smile before quickly walking past Seth, afraid he might run into Zhan. He rushed straight to the sitting room, where Nainai was still standing by the door, her mouth slightly open in shock as she stared at the mountain of shopping bags. She watched him as he set them down, then lowered her voice and asked, "Yibo, where did you get all this?"
Yibo quickly gathered all the bags and hurried to Nainai's room, knowing Seth would probably follow him. When he came back out, he whispered, "Just keep quiet, Nainai. If Zhan-ge finds out, he'll beat me up."
Nainai frowned. "Beat you up? If he even tries, he'll have to deal with me first. That boy has no right to raise a hand against you in this house."
Yibo sat down on the couch, his heart still racing.
Just then, Seth walked into the sitting room. Nainai's expression immediately turned stern as she watched him.
Seth crossed his arms and looked at Yibo suspiciously. "Where are you coming from, Yibo?"
Nainai scoffed. "Oh, so now you're an investigator? Did you send him somewhere? You people in this house should learn to mind your own business. What is all this questioning, as if you're the head of the family?"
Seth sighed and walked out of the room, clearly annoyed.
Nainai quickly locked the door and turned to Yibo with a teasing smile. "Let me guess… your new boyfriend is the one who bought you all this?"
Yibo smiled. "Nainai, if you tell anyone, you won't be getting any of this grilled chicken."
Nainai chuckled. "Oh, please! Do I look like someone who gossips? This is our little secret."
Yibo went back inside and pulled out the two packs of grilled chicken. "What if Gege comes in and sees everything?"
Nainai waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, please. Who cares about him? If he comes in here, I simply won't open the door. He's always looking for something to complain about anyway."
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛