Chapter 16: Bad luck boy
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Finally, Yin handed Mrs. Dong her gift and went to find Jinye so they could go home. I trailed behind her like the loyal invisible shadow that I am.
Jinye was sitting alone in the garden, lost in thought, his brooding prince look on full display. Yin stood watching him for a while, before gently walking closer. When he noticed her, he looked up.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to yell at you," he said.
She walked closer to him, and that's when he noticed Zhong hiding behind her. His eyes narrowed.
"You again," Jinye muttered.
Zhong immediately shrank behind Yin like a scared kitten.
"Husband... I want him to stay with us," Yin said calmly.
Jinye shot her a look so sharp it could cut steel. "Yin, he can't stay with us. All he'll bring is bad luck."
Zhong's face twisted like he was about to cry.
Yin turned and hugged him tightly. "Baby, don't cry, okay? Daddy loves you too... he just doesn't know how to say it yet."
I could tell Jinye was trying not to explode. The man looked like he was seconds away from drop-kicking a five-year-old.
"Husband, please," she begged. But Jinye was as stubborn as ever.
"Fine then," she snapped. "But know that I'm taking him with me."
She picked Zhong up and turned to leave.
"Baby, wait!" Jinye called, but Yin didn't stop.
"Ugh, that damn kid," Jinye muttered, pacing. "Ever since Yin met him, he's been messing everything up. First, she ignores me. Now she leaves me? No way. I'm going to my car—she's probably waiting for me there."
Spoiler alert: she wasn't.
He tried calling her. Rejected. Again. Rejected. This woman was cold!
He called Yanjj. "Find her. Now."
As for me, I had an idea. I ran through the streets and eventually found myself at Yin's apartment—with Nan Nan. Bingo! She was there.
Inside, Yin was settling in with Zhong. She bathed him, gave him a warm set of pajamas, and smiled while drying his fluffy hair.
"It's not Gucci, baby, but it's cozy," she giggled.
Zhong was smiling so big, it melted my ghostly heart.
"Thank you," he said softly.
Yin nearly fainted from cuteness. She kissed his cheeks, gave him a head massage, and cuddled him to sleep.
The next morning, she made him breakfast in bed like a tiny king, fed him, cleaned him up, and took him to the family mansion to collect his school things. Then she dropped him off at school and went back home.
Nan Nan arrived later.
"What the hell did you do?!" she asked.
Yin just calmly arranged Zhong's clothes. "Nan, could you abandon your own child?"
Nan sighed. "Girl... I'll help you, but if your husband finds out, I'm not part of the fallout."
Later that day, I checked on Jinye. The man was DRUNK. Like, rich-boy-in-his-feelings drunk. Bottles everywhere.
"She really left me... because of him," he slurred, downing another gulp.
"Do you think Yin would like seeing you like this?" Yanjj asked.
"She'd be mad..."
"Then freshen up. I'll keep looking for her."
Meanwhile, back at Nan Nan's place, Yin opened the door... and it was Yanjj.
"You!" he said.
She let him in. "How is he?"
"Drunk out of his mind. But if you tell me your condition, I'll relay it."
Yin nodded. "He has to accept Zhong."
Back to mom-mode: it was pickup time. Yin dressed up, marched to the school gate—and chaos.
Zhong was there, bloodstained, another kid crying, and a WOMAN had just slapped him.
Yin transformed into Mama Bear in 0.3 seconds.
She pushed through the crowd, grabbed the woman, and slapped her twice—yes, TWICE.
"Are you okay, baby?" she asked Zhong, checking him over.
The woman tried to retaliate, but Zhong chucked a rock at her!
"You little brat!"
"Call my baby a bastard again, and I'll cut off your tongue," Yin growled.
"Who even are you?!" the lady screamed.
"Dong Jinye's wife."
Mic. Drop.
The woman burst out laughing. "Yeah, right. Like the young master would ever marry someone like you."
Yin smirked. "Should I call him? Want proof?"
"No, no, that's okay—"
Too late. Jinye arrived. The woman's face turned ghost white.
"She hit my baby!" Yin pouted.
"Leave it to me," Jinye said.
They all got dragged into the principal's office.
"Mr. Dong," the principal began, "your son has a violent record—"
"Talk to me, not my husband," Yin snapped.
Boom. Queen behavior.
"Did you ask what happened?"
"He doesn't talk," the principal muttered.
"Baby, why did you hit that boy?"
"He called me a... bastard," Zhong said, voice trembling.
"Oh hell no," Yin growled.
"Suspend the principal for a year and freeze her salary," she told Jinye sweetly.
"Anything for my babe," he said, dialing.
The principal panicked. "Please! I have a family!"
"Baby, should we let her go?" Yin asked Zhong.
He nodded.
"Fine. But next time, try using your mouth before your fists," she said, leading Zhong out.
"Don't hit anymore, okay? Use your words."
"O-kay," he said.
They bumped into Jinye. She thanked him and turned to leave, but he pulled her into a hug.
She resisted.
He pinned her to the wall and kissed her.
Zhong, not having it, smacked Jinye's leg.
"Let go!"
Jinye lightly pushed him away. Zhong fell.
Yin scooped him up. "Don't you dare touch my baby again."
She walked away.
"Please come home!" Jinye begged.
"Only if he stays."
"Fine! He can stay. Just don't let him get in my way."
Yin's eyes sparkled like the night sky.
"Thank you, husband!" she cheered.
She kissed Zhong's forehead, ignoring Jinye.
"She didn't even kiss me," he mumbled.
She got in the backseat with Zhong.
Jinye sighed and drove them all home.
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Hello, my lovely readers! What did you think of this wild rollercoaster chapter? I'm trying my best with this angst-drama-fun combo! Leave your thoughts below. Love you all!