"I'm Fine,Shi Wang....Did you have some work here." Yu Han asked.
"Uhh.. no, I was just thirsty." Then, Shi Wang turned to Yang Zi and said with big smile,
"Thank you Yang Zi for water and ointment. Then, I'll catch you later. Take care of yourself."
Shi Wang left leaving both of them alone in the apartment.
Yu Han's amusement quickly vanished, replaced by a sudden urgency. He strode over to Yang Zi, grabbed his arm, and practically yanked him onto the sofa.
" Hey, come here, quick! "
"Whoa, what's with the rush?"
Yu Han ignored Yang Zi, fumbling furiously in his pocket for his phone.
"No, just look. Look at this!"
Yu Han shoved his phone screen into Yang Zi's face, displaying a series of screenshots.
Yang Zi squinted, his brow furrowing, then his eyes widened, jaw dropping in disbelief.
Yang Zi,whispering, almost voiceless,
"No… no way. This man who captured us is Li Hao and he is… a CEO? The CEO of that company?"
"This must be a joke, right Yu Han?!"
A heavy silence descended upon the room, broken only by their ragged breathing. Hundreds of questions swirled in Yang Zi's mind, coalescing into a furious torrent.
Yang Zi's voice raised, a tremor of pure disbelief.
" Yu Han, why did Li Hao keep you in supervision at his house? Is there anything that I don't know, Yu Han?! How did you even meet him?!"
Yu Han stared at his lap, avoiding Yang Zi's gaze, his shoulders hunched. He said nothing.
Yang Zi's voice raw with frustration, "Yu Han, fucking tell me! How did you meet Li Hao?!"
Yang Zi was losing his cool, his hands clenching into fists. Yu Han flinched, then finally spoke, his voice barely audible, still not looking up.
"Uhhh… Yang Zi… ohh… act… actually…."
Yang Zi exploded, lunging forward slightly, "Just fucking tell me, Yu Han, otherwise I'll kill you!"
Yu Han suddenly blurted it out, loudly, his eyes wide and trembling as they finally met Yang Zi's,
"I KISSED LI HAO!"
Yang Zi froze, mid-lunge. The strength seemed to drain from his body, and he slowly sank back onto the sofa, staring blankly ahead.
"You… you kissed whom, Yu Han?"
Yu Han muttered, looking down again,
"Uhh… Li Hao."
Yang Zi's eyes snapped back into focus. He slammed his hand on the table, the sudden crack echoing in the silent room, and shot to his feet.
"How the fuck, Yu Han?! Are you insane?!"
(He clutched his head with both hands, pacing wildly)
"Yu Han, how can you kiss a man?! And not just a common man, but a CEO of such a big company?! I'm going crazy, Yu Han!"
Yu Han's voice was trembling, barely audible
" I was drunk that day, I didn't know what I was doing."
"Shut up, Yu Han!" Yang Zi roared.
Yu Han's eyes still glued to the floor, voice even more faint, "Actually, Yang Zi, uhhh… I think I also kissed his girlfriend… in front of Li Hao.
Yang Zi, who was still standing, suddenly slid down the sofa, landing in a heap on the cushions, a look of utter disbelief etched onto his face. He stared at the ceiling for a long moment.
"Yu Han… you are such a pro player. You literally kissed a girl in front of her boyfriend, and even the boyfriend, who is a CEO." Yang Zi's voice was hollow.
Yang Zi started to laugh, a strained, angry, hysterical sound that filled the room.
Yu Han, seeing Yang Zi laugh, nervously joined in, a high-pitched, almost panicked giggle.
Then, as quickly as it started, the laughter died, and the room went silent again.
Yang Zi sprang to his feet, a renewed surge of anger radiating from him. Yu Han, anticipating the inevitable, scrambled up and bolted.
"Come here, you bastard! I'll kill you!"
Yu Han,Ducking behind the armchair, yelping,
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
The apartment erupted into a chaotic chase, furniture rattling as Yang Zi pursued a terrified Yu Han through every room.
After what felt like hours, both men collapsed back onto the sofa, breathing heavily, their chests heaving, sweat pouring down their faces.
Yang Zi gasped for air,
"If… if this is the reason Li Hao approached you… why the fuck is Shi Wang meddling in our lives?!"
Yu Han, still bewildered, pulled out his mobile phone, his fingers shaky as he searched.
Yu Han,Reading the screen aloud,
"Shi Wang—Owner of WANG R&D PRIVATE LIMITED."
They weren't overly shocked by this; they'd already suspected Shi Wang was a big deal.
Yu Han scrolled further, his eyes catching another line. His breath hitched.
"No way…"
Yang Zi leaned in, reading over Yu Han's shoulder. Their eyes widened simultaneously.
Yu Han & Yang Zi, in unison, their voices weak and defeated,
"Li Hao and Shi Wang are cousins?!"
They both sank further into the sofa, letting out a long, collective sigh.
"Our lives is going to end." Both said in unison.
After a moment of silence,
"You know, Shi Wang is completely opposite of Li Hao. They don't seem to be cousins at all." Yang Zi said.
"What do you mean?"
"Whenever we're with him, he always greets us with a warm smile."
Yu Han sighed, shaking his head slowly.
"He must has some hidden motive, Yang Zi. He's probably helping his cousin Li Hao to take revenge on us."
Yang Zi didn't want to agree, but a cold knot of dread formed in his stomach. He looked from the phone screen to Yu Han's panicked face, then back again.
"I… I don't want to agree, but you're probably right. We can't trust these men. Not at all."
Yu Han sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the wall, a distant, troubled look clouding his usually bright eyes.
Yang Zi watched him for a few minutes, his own heart aching with a familiar worry.
"Yu Han?" Yang Zi finally broke the silence, his voice soft, laced with concern.
"You've been quiet for a while."
Yu Han flinched slightly, as if startled from a deep reverie.
He shook his head almost imperceptibly, avoiding Yang Zi's gaze. "It's nothing, just thinking."
Yang Z's voice dropped, turning gentle but firm,
"Why did you want to sell your parents' house?"
Yu Han's breath hitched. His eyes darted to Yang Zi's face, then quickly down to his own clasped hands.
The question hung in the air, a terrible secret exposed. His shoulders hunched.
When he finally spoke, his voice was barely a whisper, thick with shame and despair.
"I... I have to pay my tuition fees by the end of the month. Otherwise, they won't allow me to sit for this current semester's exams." He let out a shaky, choked sound. "I've tried everything else, Yang Zi. Everything. I don't know what else to do."
Yang Zi's heart clenched. He immediately reached out, his hand enveloping Yu Han's, his grip firm and reassuring.
His eyes, filled with sudden anguish and a touch of reproach, searched Yu Han's downcast face.
"Yu Han, why didn't you tell me earlier? Why did you let it come to this? How could you even think about selling your parents' house?" His voice rose slightly, not in anger, but in profound disbelief and concern.
"That house... it's more than just bricks and mortar, isn't it? It's your history, your childhood memories, the last tangible piece of them you have. How could you bear to part with it?"
He squeezed Yu Han's hand tighter, his voice now firm, full of unwavering conviction.
"You won't sell it. Do you hear me? You absolutely will not. I'll help you. There's no need to even consider such a drastic step."
Yu Han struggled, pulling his hand slightly, shaking his head vehemently, fighting back the tears that were now desperately welling up in his eyes.
"But Yang Zi, you've already done so much for me. Too much. You're managing our living expenses, looking after everything." His voice cracked, thick with guilt.
"I can't possibly burden you with this too. I can't see you struggling because of me, living hand-to-mouth just to keep me afloat. It feels... dishonorable."
Yang Zi gently cupped Yu Han's face, making him look him directly in the eyes.
"What are you talking about, 'burden'? 'Struggling'?" His gaze was intense, full of love and understanding.
"Yu Han, this isn't a burden. This is family. What does it matter if I'm managing our living expenses? We live together, we share everything. Your parents... they trusted my family, they looked out for us, didn't they? How could we ever turn our backs on you when you're in trouble?"
His voice softened, filled with raw emotion.
"Please, don't ever think like that. Don't ever feel like you're alone in this. We've known each other since we were kids. Your problems are my problems, Yu Han. Always. I'm always with you, no matter what. We'll figure this out together, just like we always do."
Yu Han's carefully constructed tough facade finally crumbled. A single tear escaped, then another, silently tracing paths down his cheeks.
He couldn't form words; there was too much emotion clenching his throat. He only managed a shaky, faint smile that spoke volumes of gratitude, relief, and the deep, silent agony he had been carrying.
With a sudden, desperate movement, he lunged forward, pulling Yang Zi into a fierce, tight hug, burying his face in Yang Zi's shoulder.
The sobs he had fought so hard to suppress now racked his body, muffled against Yang Zi's shirt.
Yang Zi held him just as tightly, stroking his back gently, murmuring soft, comforting words against his hair.
"It's okay, Yu Han. It's okay. We're in this together."