Zong turned to look at Zhan after hearing what Nainai said.
Yibo struggled to sit up and weakly said, "It's not my leg that hurts."
Nainai frowned. "Then where does it hurt?"
Instead of answering, Yibo lay back down, turning his face away.
Yuting stood by the bedroom door, watching him closely.
Zong, still looking at Zhan, who remained silent, asked, "But why did you kicked him yesterday?"
Zhan lowered his head. "It wasn't intentional."
Zong nodded. "It wasn't intentional? Alright, if that's what you say. Well done." He then turned to Yuting and said, "Get him ready; we're going to the hospital." With that, he left the room.
Zhan shot a glare at Nainai, his expression stiff as he turned to leave.
Nainai smile. "Oh, so he's covering for you. But let's be honest, there's no doubt your kick is what caused this."
Yuting stepped aside with a cold expression, allowing Zhan to pass. He kept his head down as he left the room.
Nainai shook her head. "It'd be best if Yibo started avoiding Zhan from now on. Just run the moment you see him."
She sighed and continued, "I knew from the time Zhan was just three years old, biting and clawing at the neighborhood kids, that trouble was coming. He tormented every child around him. The moment people saw him, they'd rush to protect their own kids. That poor boy Yong Dan's child—Zhan used to bite him every day! Yong Dan was furious, especially since she had come home for her postpartum recovery. By the time she left, Gao's body was covered in Zhan's bite marks. And now, we expect him to be any different?"
Hearing this, Yibo, still lying down, chuckled weakly.
Yuting ignored Nainai completely, instead focusing on getting Yibo's clothes ready.
Nainai sighed. "Well, may you be safe from him, Yibo. Be careful and keep your distance. I'll visit you at the hospital when you return, if all goes well. But honestly, I don't see this trip happening anymore."
With that, she left the room.
Yuting turned to Yibo. "Are you going to get dressed, or do you plan to lie there laughing like a fool?"
Yibo sat up slowly and started putting on the clothes she had laid out.
Meanwhile, outside, Nainai found Zong standing by the entrance.
She sighed dramatically. "Zong, I take it the trip isn't happening anymore?"
Zong shook his head. "No, Seth and the others will still go ahead. But Zhan is taking Yibo to the hospital."
Nainai raised a brow. "Oh, good. That's a better plan. Should I go with them?"
Zhan, who had just walked out, glanced at her sharply.
Zong nodded. "Sure, if you want to go."
"Let me lock my room first. Can't leave it open." With that, she walked off to her section of the house.
Meanwhile, Zhan headed to his car to pull it out of the garage.
Zong watched as he drove the car to the entrance and parked it.
Yibo slowly made his way outside, each step heavy.
Zong gave him a sympathetic look. "Take it easy, son. You'll be alright."
Yibo murmured, "Thank you."
Zong nodded. "Let's wait by the gate. I don't know what's taking Zhan so long to move the car."
Together, they stepped out of the compound.
Zhan opened the front passenger seat for Yibo to get in.
Zong looked at him and said, "A-Yi is on her way. You'll all go together."
Zhan, still watching the gate, replied, "I know."
Zong then returned inside the house.
Zhan kept his eyes on the gate, waiting. The moment Nainai stepped out, grinning, he immediately revved the engine and zoomed off.
Yibo's eyes widened as he turned to look at him.
Zhan didn't say a word. He simply turned off his phone and focused on the road, heading straight for the hospital where he worked.
As they drove in silence, Zhan finally spoke, his face serious. "So, you complain to your mother about me kicking you?"
Yibo pouted. "Or maybe she saw me crying."
Zhan nodded. "You'll realize your mistake soon enough."
Yibo huffed, crossing his arms and leaning his head against the seat.
When they arrived at the hospital, Zhan parked the car and turned to Yibo. "Get out."
Yibo's eyes widened slightly.
Zhan stepped out first, then walked around to Yibo's side and opened the door. Seeing that Yibo hadn't moved, he frowned. "Are you getting out or not?"
Yibo hesitated, his voice trembling slightly. "Gege, I'm feeling dizzy."
Zhan shot him an unimpressed glare. "So, do you expect me to carry you?"
Yibo said nothing and slowly got out of the car.
Zhan shut the door, grabbed his hand, and led him inside the hospital.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
At around 11 a.m., Zhan sat in his office, scrolling through his phone. The moment he turned it on, a call from Zong came through.
He smiled slightly before answering.
"What's taking you two so long, Zhan?"
Zhan leaned back in his chair. "They put him on a drip, Papa. He's much better now and fast asleep."
Zong sighed. "That's good. But why did you leave your grandmother behind?"
Zhan chuckled. "Papa, you know how she is. If she came, she would have spent the entire time complaining about every little thing."
Zong let out a small laugh. "True enough. So, when are you coming back?"
"Around 2 p.m."
"Alright. Take care."
"Okay."
With that, the call ended.
Zhan turned to look at Yibo, who was still fast asleep on a hospital bed meant for pregnant women.
Standing up, Zhan walked over, checking the IV drip. It was already halfway done. He reached out and placed a hand on Yibo's forehead, still slightly warm.
At that moment, Yibo's eyes fluttered open.
Zhan's expression remained serious. "How are you feeling now?"
Yibo frowned, trying to sit up.
"Lie down and answer my question."
His voice came out soft. "My head hurts."
"Just your head?"
"And… I'm hungry."
Zhan glanced at the untouched meal from earlier, which Yibo had refused before getting the injection and IV. He picked it up and set it beside him. Then, lifting Yibo slightly, he helped him sit up.
Yibo's eyes widened. "Gege, that same food from earlier?"
Zhan raised an eyebrow. "Did you bring another one from home?"
Yibo pouted. "I can't eat that! It's been sitting out for too long. Who knows how much dust has settled on it?"
Zhan sighed. "Then stay hungry. There's nothing wrong with this food—it's still warm."
He scooped a spoonful and held it up, but Yibo turned his head away stubbornly. "No, I don't want it. Even if it's just been sitting here, dust could've settled in. Just eat it yourself and bring me fresh food."
Zhan smirked. "Let's see if you get any other food."
With that, he took the food and started eating it himself.
Yibo stared at him with wide, teary eyes as if he were about to cry.
Seeing that Zhan was completely ignoring him, Yibo finally whined, "Just give me my phone. I'll call Mu Qin to bring me food."
Zhan didn't even glance at him. "No."
Yibo huffed, lying down and sniffling until he eventually fell asleep again.
Once Zhan finished eating, he covered the remaining food and left the office.
He went out and bought a takeaway meal for Yibo, returning shortly after.
Walking over to the bed, he gently woke him up, placing the food beside him before turning to leave again.
Still groggy, Yibo sat up, opened the container, and began eating slowly.
By the time Zhan returned, Yibo still hadn't finished his meal.
Zhan sat down at his desk, opening his laptop.
Yibo looked at him, pouting. "Gege, I can't finish it."
Zhan didn't acknowledge him, his focus on his screen.
After a while, he finally turned to check, noticing that Yibo had set the food aside and was lying down again.
Sighing, he stood up, walked over, and took the food away.
Yibo peeked at him and softly said, "Gege, I want to call my mom."
"You're not calling anyone."
With that, he returned to his desk.
Yibo huffed, puffing out his cheeks, and turned away from him in protest.
At exactly 2 p.m., Yibo opened his eyes, feeling someone holding his hand. Zhan was removing the IV drip and asked, "How are you feeling?"
Struggling to sit up, Yibo replied weakly, "Better. I want to go home."
Zhan disposed of the IV bag as Yibo tried to get off the bed. The moment he stood up, his legs wobbled, and Zhan instinctively reached out to steady him. Yibo clutched the bed frame, his voice trembling as he said, "Gege, I feel dizzy."
Zhan immediately let go. "Did I tell you to get up?"
With a slight pout, Yibo sat back down on the bed. Zhan left the room and returned shortly after, grabbing his phone and car keys. "Let's go."
Yibo widened his eyes. "What if I fall?"
"Then get back up," Zhan said casually, already walking toward the door.
Yibo hesitated before slowly getting off the bed again. He stood still for a moment, waiting for the dizziness to pass, then carefully made his way toward the door, almost as if he were counting his steps.
Zhan was waiting outside. Seeing how slow Yibo was moving, he gave him an unimpressed look. "If I'd known you'd take this long, I would've gone back to my office first."
Ignoring him, Yibo followed Zhan out of the hospital.
On the way home, Zhan stopped by a pharmacy to pick up the prescribed medication.
As they drove closer to their neighborhood, Yibo glanced at Zhan and hesitantly said, "Hub…Gege can we stop and get some fried chicken, please?"
Zhan didn't even look at him. "No. I'll get you dog meat instead."
Yibo grinned. "Okay, then buy me that."
When they arrived home, Zhan parked the car and said, "Get out."
Yibo opened the door and stepped out. Once he made it past the gate, Zhan noticed the bag of medicine he had bought still sitting in the car.
Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he grabbed it and quickly followed Yibo inside.
Yibo was already near their apartment when Zhan decided to head straight to his own section of the house instead.
The sitting room was empty as he walked upstairs. Just as he reached the hallway, Zihan stepped out of her room and asked, "How's Yibo feeling?"
Zhan glanced toward Yichen's room before responding, "He's better. Is Mom not home?"
Zihan sighed. "No. She left early in the morning after finding out you took Yibo to the hospital. She stormed out right after finishing her rant."
Zhan's eyes widened. "Who told her?"
"Your dad, of course. It's not like he's afraid of her."
A bead of sweat formed on Zhan's forehead as he leaned against the wall. Zihan walked past him, leaving him standing there.
With a sigh, Zhan forced himself to move, dragging his feet toward his room.
Meanwhile, Yuting had prepared warm water for Yibo in the bathroom.
She stepped out and said, "The water's ready. Just make sure it's not too warm before you use it."
Yibo nodded and headed to his room to freshen up.
After taking a shower and changing, Zhan left his section of the house.
But instead of heading toward the main area, he made his way to Nainai's part of the house, hoping to avoid running into his mother.
The moment he stepped into the sitting room, Nainai emerged from her bedroom.
She took one look at him and scoffed. "Oh, no. Get out of my sitting room before I gather a crowd to chase you out. What on earth are you doing here?"
Zhan chuckled. "Come on, Nainai, are you really kicking out someone who shares the same name as your husband?"
Her expression darkened. "He's in the grave. Leave before I lose my temper, Zhan."
Zhan grinned. "Papa told us to leave without you, Nainai."
She paused, staring at him. "Are you serious?"
"Would I lie to you?"
She let out a sigh and sat down. "Unbelievable. So, Zong told you all to leave me behind? Fine, let him do whatever he wants. No wonder he had the nerve to stand together with the guards to apologize to me earlier. I even shed tears!"
Zhan smiled as he stretched out on the couch.
Nainai huffed. "Whatever. How's Yibo feeling?"
"He's better," Zhan replied.
"Was he really sick, though?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously. "Or was he just pretending to avoid going to the village?"
Zhan rolled his eyes. "Is there any food?"
She gestured toward the table. "Yuting brought me some food earlier. It's just rice, nothing fancy. If you want snacks, there are all sorts in my room—Sen Wen brought them for Yibo. As for the chicken, I heated it up earlier and ended up finishing the last piece."
Zhan abruptly sat up and stared at her for a solid ten seconds before asking, "Who did you say brought him the snacks?"
Nainai fell silent, lowering her gaze. Then she hesitantly glanced at him, their eyes meeting. "Who else? It was Quentin, of course!"
With that, she quickly got up and disappeared into her room.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
Yibo stood frozen outside Yuting's bedroom door for more than two minutes, unsure of what to say.
Just as he was about to turn away, the door opened, and he jumped back in surprise.
Yuting frowned at him. "What are you doing lurking outside my door?"
Yibo fumbled for words, avoiding eye contact.
"Yibo," she said firmly.
He finally looked up at her, his eyes glistening as if he was about to cry.
Lowering her voice, she asked, "Tell me, what do you want?"
Fidgeting with his fingers, he mumbled, "Mu Qin… um, Sen Wen is outside. He came to greet me."
Yuting studied him for a moment before nodding. "Alright, but don't stay out too long."
Relieved, Yibo flashed a small smile. "Thank you, Mu Qin."
He stepped out of the house, his heart settling now that he had permission.
Sen Wen had been waiting outside since 4 o'clock, but Yibo hadn't known how to ask for permission to leave.
To his relief, Zhan's car was nowhere in sight, meaning he wouldn't have to deal with his watchful gaze.
Outside, Sen Wen was leaning casually against his car, arms crossed, as usual. His sleek glasses sat perfectly on his sharp nose, and his neatly trimmed beard gave him an air of effortless sophistication.
Yibo lowered his gaze as he approached.
Sen Wen peered at him through his tinted lenses, not blinking once.
Softly, Yibo said, "Good evening."
Sen Wen smiled, revealing his dimples as he removed his glasses. "Evening, Yibo. How are you feeling?"
"I'm better," Yibo answered quietly.
"Are you sure?"
Yibo nodded.
"Good. Did you take your afternoon dose? Your medication, I mean?"
"I did," Yibo confirmed.
"Good. And how's your mom?"
"She's inside," Yibo replied.
Sen Wen tilted his head. "When can I come and greet her?"
Yibo's eyes widened. "No need. I'll tell her you said hello."
In a softer tone, Sen Wen asked, "You just don't want your family to know about me, do you?"
Before Yibo could respond, the front gate opened.
Nainai stood at the entrance, frowning at the guard. "Do you even know how to use a phone? I want to call Beiting! There's no one home except that sick boy, and he's probably asleep right now. The rest of the kids are away in the village and won't be back until tomorrow!"
Yibo stood frozen, his heart pounding as he heard Nainai's voice.
The security guard quickly stood up and answered the call. "Yes, Ma'am..."
Nainai scoffed, staring at him. "Oh, so you really have no manners? You call the madam of the house by ma'am, and you call me 'Ma'am' as well? Let me tell you something—everyone who works here calls me Nainai, and that includes the people who hired you. Don't let my kindness fool you; I may look good for my age, but I'm probably older than your grandfather!"
The security guard lowered his head with an embarrassed smile. "I'm sorry, Lao Shi. I truly apologize."
Nainai clicked her tongue. "That's more like it, boy."
Meanwhile, Yibo stood frozen, his back turned to Nainai, his heart racing.
Sen Wen lowered his voice and asked, "Your grandmother?"
Yibo gave a small nod.
As if sensing their presence, Nainai suddenly looked up and spotted them. Her eyes widened as she turned to the guard. "Hey! Isn't that Yibo standing over there?"
The guard nodded. "Yes, Lao Shi."
Sen Wen whispered, "I should go greet her since she's seen us."
Yibo felt like he could cry. This was it…
As Sen Wen approached, Nainai watched him carefully.
He bowed slightly and greeted her respectfully.
She raised an eyebrow. "So, you're his new boyfriend?"
Sen Wen smiled but said nothing.
Nainai shook her head. "Unbelievable. Listen, I gave birth to his father, Quentin. Yibo is my grandson. I was there when he was born! If I hadn't come outside, you wouldn't have even bothered greeting me? Is that how things are done where you're from? Or did he not tell you his grandmother is still alive? Just look at him—too ashamed to even turn around, standing there like he's about to melt into the ground."
Sen Wen chuckled. "I was planning to come inside and greet you, Nainai. Please forgive me."
Nainai sighed. "People should do things properly, that's all. Well, now that I've caught you, come inside."
Still smiling, Sen Wen followed her as she led him through the gate. She pointed to a large part in the compound.
"See that big building?" she asked.
"I see it, Nainai," he replied.
"That belongs to Yibo's uncle. People call him Barrister. He studied law in India. His wife and younger sister live there with their seven children. Zhan, my eldest grandson, was born while I was standing outside the hospital doors. You'll meet him soon—he's tall and strong. Back in the day, he used to lift those heavy iron weights like the foreigners do. It took a lot of effort from his father, Zong, to get him to stop. I prayed every day for that boy."
She shook her head before continuing. "I practically raised him. His parents left him with me when he was just a baby. When he finished high school, his father sent him abroad to study medicine, but let me tell you, he picked up all sorts of wild habits over there! When he came back, I was scared of him—he had grown this ridiculous amount of hair! His girlfriend is also here in Beijing."
She waved dismissively before pointing toward another section of the compound.
"And then there's his cousin, Seth. You'll see him—he's thin and fragile, looks like he might break in half! He's finally gained a little weight, but when he was born, he was as tiny as a kitten. The rest of the family is mostly girls."
Sen Wen simply listened, smiling as she spoke.
She then pointed toward another section of the house. "And that over there is Yibo's side of the house. His father is off in Shanghai, working. Yibo is his only child, but at least he has one. His mother is here—she's fair-skinned and very kind. As for me, I live in that small section they built for me."
She motioned toward a cozy little house within the compound, and Sen Wen followed her hand....
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛