The absence of the teacher that day turned the class period into a chatter session for the students. Normally, even if the teacher wasn't around, there would be someone to cover for him.... but today, no one came.
The students formed small groups, each engaged in their own discussions. Some sat on desks, others on chairs, scattered around the classroom. Among them, Nalan's group was the largest, but even within it, each girl seemed absorbed in her own world. They were chatting, yes, but it was calm....no chaos, no shouting.
Zhan sat apart, head resting on the desk as though he were asleep. But he wasn't sleeping. A book lay open in his hand....he was studying for the test scheduled for the next day.
Despite his focus, he couldn't help but catch bits of Nalan's group conversation. Most of the girls were talking about their older brothers and family life. Nalan sat in the middle, quiet, just listening, occasionally glancing at Zhan with mild irritation. She couldn't understand how someone could live in such silence....no friends, not with anyone, always alone. She found it baffling.
She scoffed lightly when one of the girls, Hainan, teased,
"Princess, you haven't told us about your brother. I bet your story's sweeter than ours."
A small smile curved on Nalan's lips as she thought about her moody brother....Prince Yibo, the king of cold stares. A mysterious presence who hardly ever laughed and made you feel uneasy just by looking at you. She recalled the names their mother used to call him when he annoyed her.
"I only have one brother. Prince Yibo," she said proudly, her voice rich with affection. Everyone leaned in. It was rare for Nalan to share personal things. They were eager to hear more.
"Tell us about him!" Hainan urged, smiling widely.
"Everything about Prince is different," she began. "I've never seen anyone like him. He's unique....even within our own home. From his looks to his attitude, everything about him is striking. He's incredibly handsome.....sometimes I even wish I looked like him."
"Wait.....really?" Hainan widened her eyes. "But you're already so beautiful!"
Nalan nodded seriously. "Yes, but his beauty is something else. It comes with this intense presence. I don't like his cold attitude though.....I hate how emotionless he can be." She then glanced secretly at Zhan, sure he had heard that part.
"He can go a whole day without talking to anyone. Even in a crowd, you could count the words he says. But whenever I want to complain or tease him... you know what?"
Everyone leaned in.
"The moment he looks at me, I go quiet. There's something in his eyes....this power. My brother has real presence."
"Wow... wow!" Hainan clapped excitedly, scooting closer to Nalan.
"Please, friend... let me have your brother! I already think I'm in love."
The whole group burst into squeals and laughter, their noise growing loud enough to reach Zhan. He squeezed his eyes shut, annoyed, then dropped his book on his head in frustration. But the giggles didn't stop.
"Wait....calm down, girls," Nalan said, raising her hands.
"He's already taken."
Silence fell. Everyone stared at her.
"By who?"
"Miss Qiantang."
"The wealthy business man's daughter?" one of the girls gasped.
Nalan turned to her and nodded. "Exactly." Then she slumped back into her seat, sighing.
"End of discussion."
"What do you mean?" Hainan frowned, clearly not pleased.
"I mean," Nalan said firmly, "even if you met him, I doubt he'd be impressed. I know his type. Even Qiantang wasn't his choice.... our mother arranged it. But besides that... Yibo-ge is expensive. Right now, at just twenty, he's already out of reach. In the future, he'll only be more so. He's for elite, high-class women. I'm sure he'd only look down on anyone else."
She paused, then asked, "Tell me, who do you all think is the most beautiful in this entire school?"
All at once, their eyes turned to Zhan.
He felt it too....the sudden wave of attention....and shifted uncomfortably. A strange tightness settled in his chest.
Nalan laughed knowingly, having guessed where their attention had landed.
"Even if someone as beautiful as him, were a girl, I still doubt Yibo-ge would be interested. Like I said, Prince is different."
Without a word, Zhan stood, carefully set his book down, and walked out of the class. Though the conversation wasn't about him, he found it annoying.... especially the way it dragged him into something that didn't concern him.
He didn't return until he was sure the teacher had arrived. Once back, he tried to focus completely on his studies. But a new problem had emerged....hunger.
He hadn't eaten since the day before. Last night, he had left the food for Chou. Their father hadn't gave anything. And this morning, there was nothing either. But today, he hoped things might be different. Ms. Bao had returned, and he planned to stop by her place after school for work. That thought kept him going....through the hunger and the noise.....until the end of the day.
🔹▪️🔸▫️
Zhan finally arrived in their neighborhood, exhausted as usual. As he walked down their street, a familiar sense of dread crept in. What new chaos would he return to this time?
And sure enough, the first thing his eyes landed on was a van unloading household supplies straight into their house. His heart dropped instantly. So their father wasn't giving up on this marriage plan after all? He was serious about it, just like he kept saying over and over again?
With heavy steps and a tired spirit, Zhan reached their gate just as the van workers pulled out, heading off. The smoke from their exhaust hit Zhan right in the face, burning his lungs and making his already empty stomach twist with fresh hunger.
As he was about to enter the house, he spotted Yulou and Niu carrying a large tray filled with takeaway food, neatly arranged. Zhan stared at them until they walked up to him, and just by looking at them, he knew exactly where they were coming from. His expression darkened, eyes narrowing, and he asked sharply:
"Where are you coming from?"
"It was Aunt Fenghua who asked us to take her food out for selling today.... she said she won't be selling at home," Yulou replied.
Zhan's voice rose, furious, as he looked at them.
"Selling!? Selling, Yulou!? How many times have I told you no selling!"
They both fell silent, their little bodies tense with fear. Zhan hated street selling more than anything. He didn't mind them doing hard labor or anything else to earn, but not that. Especially not with kids as young as Yulou and Niu, who were barely eight or ten years old.
He stepped forward, took the tray of takeaway meals from them, handed them his schoolbag instead, and marched straight into the house without another word.
He didn't greet anyone. His anger didn't even allow him to notice the people helping prepare their father's bride room. All he could hear in the house was the constant chatter and clatter of preparations. Food containers and bottled drinks were scattered around....a clear sign that people had already eaten and moved on. He walked straight to Fenghua's room and dropped the tray of food in front of her.
She paused her conversation with her guest, clearly narrating recent events, and looked up.
"Where's my money?" she asked immediately, stretching out her hand.
Zhan didn't say a word. He turned to Yulou and Niu, held out his hand. They knew exactly what he meant and quickly gave him the money, which he passed to Fenghua. Then, without waiting to hear her complaints about not selling a lot, he pulled the children away. Maybe their brat older brother had told them not to sell anything.
Fenghua's guest glanced at her in surprise.
"That's your husband son too?"
Fenghua sighed in frustration.
"Hmph, you wouldn't believe it if I told you. Some of his children aren't even in town....they've gone off earning money."
"But wow, he's quite something," the guest said. "You know, if you sent a boy like that to work as a house help, you'd earn a fortune."
Fenghua shook her head, irritated.
"Don't even say such things! That one and his late mother's sister's who are barely ever here. If not for their father clinging to him stubbornly, he would've been gone long ago." She went on to share more about Zhan with her guest.
Meanwhile, in the room, everyone had gone silent, all eyes on Zhan. It wasn't often they saw him upset or raising his voice. The mood shifted, everyone a little uneasy. Zhan, ignoring the untouched rice placed for him, went to take a shower. He only came back out after getting dressed. When even the kids began showing signs of fatigue, he finally sat down and quietly ate a bit of food.
"Get up and get ready. We're all going out," he instructed, pushing away the half-eaten rice as the taste of it turned bitter in his mouth.
From the moment he entered the house, it had been all whispers and snide comments. He didn't even know how many times they'd mocked Fenghua already. What surprised him most was how quiet she had remained today despite usually having no patience....perhaps because of her guest.
Zhan didn't leave the house until he escorted the kids all the way to their lesson center, ensuring they were safely inside. Only then did he head to Ms. Bao's house.
"Speak of the devil....I was just talking about you, Zhan. Look, Huixi, he's here already," said Fenghua, seated beneath the canopy outside her room. She stretched out her legs. Beside her sat another woman, likely around the same age as her. Zhan smiled faintly and walked over to sit by the mat, saying casually,
"I'm on my way from school. I didn't rush today."
"Well, ever since I got back, I have been able to relax. Waiting for you," Ms. Bao said, smiling. Zhan returned her smile and greeted her politely. He turned to greet her guest, but their eyes met unexpectedly. It seemed she had been watching him for a while. She quickly looked away, and so did Zhan. He greeted her, and she returned it with a warm expression. Without another word, Zhan stood up and got to work.
Yet with every pass he made nearby, Huixi's eyes followed him.
"Bao, where did you find a fine boy like this?" the guest asked, curiosity lacing her voice.
"Zhan? He lives just down the road from us," Fenghua replied.
"You're lucky to have such a hardworking boy. But I'm surprised....he's quite good-looking, and yet he's doing this kind of work?"
Ms. Bao sighed. "Life, Huixi. It's not always fair. But honestly, Zhan deserves to be in a better place, a bigger home. Sometimes I catch myself staring at him. And this is him without trying.....he never even dresses up properly. He's always in those worned clothes of his."
"Well, whatever the case, the boy is undeniably handsome. If someone from a wealthy family....or some powerful woman....got her hands on him, they'd never let him go," Huixi said with a soft laugh.
Ms. Bao chuckled. "You know, I've had that same thought. All this charm, and if he's not careful, it'll go to waste. One day, some random girl from the outskirts might sweep him up, while he could've married into real status."
Just then, Zhan approached, bringing an abrupt end to their conversation.
The guest stayed no more than two hours before bidding farewell, leaving only Zhan and Ms. Bao behind. As usual, she wouldn't let the silence settle....She loved to talk, and she kept Zhan engaged in her favorite way: conversation. Today, the topic revolved almost entirely around the Prince of Tianjin. Strangely, it reminded Zhan of the things Nalan had said earlier. Their words were oddly similar. Still, the conversation didn't interest him much. He would've preferred to sit in silence and think about his own life, about how his family's situation might change.....anything but listen to gossip about a Prince.
By six o'clock, Zhan had finished everything he came to do and got ready to leave. As he was saying goodbye, Ms. Bao called out to him,
"You're not going to stay and eat something?"
Zhan gave her a small smile. Ms. Bao knew him well.... he was shy. Even if he was hungry, he wouldn't feel comfortable sitting down to eat in front of her.
So she said kindly, "Take a takeaway and serve yourself. Eat it at home."
💚🦁❤️🐰💛🐢
He wore a thick, dark green winter coat that made him look broader than he was....but it suited him perfectly. The coat was decorated with intricate red embroidery that added to its elegance. Surprisingly, despite the chilly breeze sweeping through the open-air venue, he had pulled back the hood, letting his neatly groomed, shiny hair remain uncovered.
His pants matched the coat well, and on his feet were stylish high-top shoes that completed the sharp look.
He sat alone at a table. In front of him were three bottles of beer and a glass cup. Though it was nighttime, the area was well-lit, almost as bright as daylight, allowing one to see even the smallest detail.
One look at him, and it was clear....he was in a foul mood. He poured himself another drink, not even keeping track of how many glasses he had already downed.
Almost every woman around had noticed him. The place was filled with ladies of all kinds...different races, accents, and origins: Europeans, Arabs, Africans, and Asians. But there was one thing keeping them from approaching him.....his commanding aura.
His presence alone filled the entire place. It dimmed the shine of every other man there and made even the most confident hesitate.
A heavy sigh escaped a tall, fair-skinned girl seated nearby, her eyes fixed on him while her two friends looked on.
"Ladies… I don't think I can hold back tonight. I've really tried," she said with frustration. "For months, I've been hiding how I feel about him. I'm done pretending. I need to let him know. I think about him constantly, dream about him every night. It's time I make a move."
Her Mandarin was fluent, yet anyone seeing her for the first time wouldn't have guessed her ethnicity or background....definitely not Chinese. She didn't look the part at all.
Her friend immediately grabbed her hand.
"Meng Zi, slow down. You clearly don't know who Prince Yibo is. If you did, you wouldn't think of approaching him so carelessly."
Mengxi Zi pulled her hand away and stood up.
"I know. I know he's not like other guys. But he's still human, right? I'll go talk to him. Whatever happens, happens."
She raised her brow with a playful smirk. Her friends got the message and burst into laughter, which she joined before walking toward him, switching up her walk with each step, radiating confidence.
The funny part is....He didn't even notice her approach. In fact, he stood up and glanced at his watch....clearly preparing to leave.
"Hey," she called softly as she stopped just behind him. He turned calmly, and their eyes met. Instantly, his already serious face hardened even more.
"I hope I'm not bothering the Prince," she said with a sly smile, swaying her body slightly. He kept staring at her silently, which she took as a positive sign. Still smiling, she extended her hand to him.
"I'm Meng Zi."
Her perfectly manicured fingers were painted a glossy red that shimmered under the lights. But he didn't shake her hand. He only glanced at it before locking eyes with her again, his intense gaze making her heart skip.
Embarrassed, she lowered her hand, sensing he wasn't going to return her greeting.
"Are you not interested in talking to women or...."
"Hey," he cut her off sharply, though his tone remained eerily calm. "Get out of my sight."
She chuckled awkwardly, pretending not to be fazed.
"Relax, Prince. I didn't come here to start a fight. I just wanted..."
He let out a deep, frustrated sigh loud enough to catch the attention of nearby tables. People turned to look at them. Without another word, he picked up his phone and began walking away.
She felt utterly humiliated. Every eye seemed to be on her, and she could've sworn she heard someone laughing from another part of the venue. Her stomach twisted with shame. Knees weak, she turned and began walking away too.....no longer caring about her appearance or keeping up any façade.
"She clearly doesn't know who Prince Yibo is," a group of fair-skinned girls whispered as she passed them. But she didn't look back. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she hurried out of the place.
As soon as she reached outside, Yibo sped out in his car, leaving her behind. She watched the vehicle disappear, her chest tightening with frustration. No one had ever humiliated her like this before. But she swore....he would come back to her, and when he did, she would be the one in control.
🔹▪️🔸▫️
It was a well-developed, upscale neighborhood....neatly arranged and reminiscent of foreign suburban layouts. In front of a modern, modest-sized house, Prince Yibo parked his car abruptly and killed the engine. He didn't spare a single glance back at car. Instead, he strode inside with visible irritation.
Using the spare key in his hand, he pushed the door open like a man being chased by someone.
The sitting room was modest in size but elegantly furnished with luxurious items arranged with taste. Seated on one of the couches was a young, handsome man. On his lap, a scantily dressed girl sat, the two lost in a passionate kiss. They had clearly drifted into their own world.....until the sound of the door startled them.
The couple froze.
Yibo stood still, casting them a look so intense that the girl scrambled off the young man's lap in fear. She fumbled to gather her things without a word, avoiding Yibo's gaze, then rushed out of the room. The man, on the other hand, found it hard to meet Yibo's eyes, but managed a forced, awkward chuckle while buttoning up his shirt.
He was just about to speak when Yibo cut him off, voice sharp with anger.
"Sikong… How many times do I have to tell you? How many damn times?"
Sikong stepped forward, a hint of annoyance on his face. "Come on, Prince, why are you acting like this? You're being too dramatic. You always blow things out of proportion."
Yibo pointed toward him with the car key still in his hand. "I'm the one being dramatic?"
Before Sikong could answer, the door opened again and another guy entered, casually calling out a greeting. None of them responded. The tension was thick.
The new arrival, another young man close in age to them, looked around. "What's going on, guys? You all look like caged roosters."
Instead of answering, Yibo turned to Sikong again.
"You have one hour. Pack your things and get out of my house."
Sikong blinked. "What? What do you mean? Prince Yibo, come on...."
The guy who had just walked in tried to calm things down, reaching for Yibo's arm, but Yibo was already halfway down the corridor that led to his bedroom. He didn't even turn back.
The man turned to Sikong. "Are you serious? What the hell happened?"
Sikong shrugged both shoulders and said, "Yeah, fine. He wants me out of his house? To hell with him. Let's see what happens when I leave. He's always angry and bossing people around like he's better than us. Who does he think he is?"
Ka Gang, the newcomer, shook his head and stepped closer. "Don't say that, Sikong. You know Yibo's right. What you did wasn't okay. You know damn well neither of you would ever let your parents find out about this. And you know better than anyone why we even came to this country in the first place. On top of that, you know what Yibo's dealing with. He has every right to do whatever helps him forget his pain. But instead, he's always careful, always controlled, just to respect his mother's wishes. Why can't you show him the same respect? Why drag him down when you know what he's going through?"
"Spare me the lecture, Ka Gang. We already knew you're his little defender and a nosy hypocrite. Things weren't like this before you showed up. Yeah, he'd talk tough sometimes, but it wasn't like this. You think you're so important, huh?"
Ka Gang smiled. He could see that Sikong was trying to guilt-trip him because Sikong was King Mo Yi's nephew, while he....Ka Gang....was just a friend to Yibo.
"I know, but the truth still has to be said, Sikong, whether you like it or not."
Sikong scoffed, turned, and walked into the bedroom he shared with his roommate, beginning to pack up his things. Ka Gang didn't like how things had escalated, but he knew they all saw him as the one interfering between Yibo and Sikong. Still, he couldn't let it go like that....so he headed straight for Yibo's room.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛