After That Night
*****
Mr. Xian's eyes fluttered open, the morning light streaming in through the window. He reached over to grab his phone, checking the notifications. His heart sank as he saw the alert from the bank. "Account on hold." The words glared at him like a warning.
He knew why. His father. It had to be. The familiar feeling of frustration and helplessness washed over him. His father had been pressuring him to marry his friend's daughter for months now. Mr. Xian had made it clear he wasn't interested, but his father didn't take no for an answer.
Mr. Xian's thoughts drifted to Zi Chén, sleeping peacefully beside him. How would this affect them? Could they keep their relationship a secret from his family if his father was going to strong-arm him into marriage? Mr. Xian's heart ached at the thought of being torn between his family's expectations and his love for Zi Chén.
Mr. Xian quietly got out of bed, not wanting to disturb Zi Chén's peaceful slumber. He tiptoed to the kitchen, his mind still reeling from the notification about his bank account. As he entered the kitchen, he was greeted by the warm aroma of cooking food and the sight of Mrs. Chén, Zi Chén's mother, busy at the stove.
"Ah, Xián's already awake," Mrs. Chén said with a warm smile. "Wait for a bit, this will be done soon. Let's eat together."
Mr. Xian smiled back, feeling a sense of comfort in her presence. "Okay, thank you, Mo...Mrs. Chén," he said, catching himself before using the more formal title.
Mrs. Chén chuckled. "Still sleeping, is Baobao?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You tired him?"
Mr. Xian laughed, feeling a bit self-conscious. "No, Mrs. Chén, nothing happened," he said, trying to play it cool.
Mrs. Chén laughed again. "Stop calling me that, just call me Ma," she said, her voice filled with warmth.
"Okay, Ma," Mr. Xian said, smiling. He felt a sense of belonging, being included in the family like this.
Mrs. Chén smiled as she served Mr. Xian a steaming hot Shandong-style pancake, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, accompanied by a plate of golden Youtiao and a bowl of warm soy milk. "Eat up, Xián. I made your favorite Shandong pancake," she said, her eyes sparkling with warmth.
Mr. Xian's eyes lit up as he took a bite of the pancake, the savory flavors and crunchy texture filling his senses. "Mmm, Ma, this is so delicious!" he exclaimed, feeling grateful for the warm meal and the loving care.
The aroma of the food filled the kitchen, and Mr. Xian felt a sense of comfort and belonging. He took a sip of the soy milk, feeling the warmth spread through his body. Just then, Zi Chén walked into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Morning, Ma...Xián," he said, his voice still husky from sleep.
Mrs. Chén beamed with a warm smile. "Come on, let's eat together," she said, gesturing to the spread of food on the table. Zi Chén yawned and took a seat next to Mr. Xian, who was already digging into the Shandong pancake.
Mrs. Chén's eyes landed on Mr. Xian, and she couldn't help but smile. "Junjie, eat more, you need to keep your strength up for Baobao," she said, using the affectionate nickname that meant "handsome and heroic" to Zi Chén.
Mr. Xian's cheeks flushed slightly at the nickname, but he smiled, feeling touched by Mrs. Chén's warmth. Zi Chén, on the other hand, just rolled his eyes good-naturedly, "Ma, stop teasing him," he said with a chuckle.
*****
After breakfast, Mr. Xian and Zi Chén helped Mrs. Chén with the dishes, and then it was time for Zi Chén to head to work. Mr. Xian walked Zi Chén out to the car, and they drove off together, enjoying the morning traffic.
As they drove, they chatted about their plans for the day. Mr. Xian dropped Zi Chén off at his workplace, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek before sending him off. "Have a good day, Baobao," he said, smiling.
Zi Chén smiled back, "You too, Junjie. Take care of yourself." With a wave, he disappeared into the bustling office building.
Mr. Xian got back into the car and drove to his own apartment, his mind preoccupied with the notification about his bank account. He wondered what his father had planned, and how he would navigate this situation without jeopardizing his relationship with Zi Chén.
*****
Mr. Xian's eyes narrowed as he stood in front of his apartment door, staring at the passkey device. He had entered the code correctly, but the device insisted that it was incorrect. Frustrated, he pulled out his phone and dialed the management office.
"Hello, this is Mr. Xian. I'm having trouble with my passkey. It's saying incorrect code, but I'm sure I'm entering it right," he said, trying to keep his tone even.
The management representative's voice was apologetic, but laced with a hint of sadness. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Xian. It's...your father, Mr. Wei Quán. He's...he's taken control of your apartment. He's frozen your access."
Mr. Xian's anger boiled over. "What?! How can he do that?!" he demanded, his voice rising.
The representative's tone turned sympathetic. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do, Mr. Xian. Your father has the authority..."
Mr. Xian didn't wait to hear the rest. He hung up the phone, his anger and frustration simmering. He turned around and headed back to his car, determined to confront his father about this. He drove to his family's house, his heart racing with anticipation of the confrontation to come.
Mr. Xian stormed into the house, his anger and frustration evident on his face. His mother, was in the living room, and she looked up at him with a mixture of concern and wariness.
"Xián, what's wrong?" she asked, but Mr. Xian didn't answer. Instead, he demanded, "Where's Father?"
His mother hesitated before answering, "He's...in his room."
Just then, Mr. Wei Quán emerged from his room, a smug expression on his face. "Ah, my lovely son," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What brings you here today? I wasn't expecting you."
Mr. Xian's eyes flashed with anger. "You know exactly why I'm here," he said, his voice low and even. "You've frozen my bank accounts and taken control of my apartment. What do you want, Father?"
Mr. Wei Quán's expression didn't change, but a hint of satisfaction crept into his voice. "I want what's best for you, son. And what's best for you is to marry the Li family's daughter. She's a good match for you, and it will benefit our family's business."
Mrs. Wei's eyes widened in shock as she turned to her husband. "Wei! Is that true? You're controlling Xián's life like this?" she asked, her voice laced with concern and disappointment.
Mr. Wei Quán's expression turned stern. "Someone needs to wake him up from his delusional ideas about life," he said, his voice firm. "He's not thinking about the family's future, about our business. He's too caught up in his own selfish desires."
Mr. Xian's face reddened with anger and frustration. "Father, just let me live my own way," he pleaded. "Let me live and choose the path I want. I'm not a child anymore. I can make my own decisions."
Mr. Wei Quán sneered. "You're not capable of making decisions for yourself. That's why I'm here to guide you. You'll marry the Li family's daughter, and that's final."
Mr. Xian's voice trembled with emotion as he stood tall, his eyes locked on his father's. "Okay, Father. If you can't respect me as your son, then just respect me as a human being with a life. Don't control me. I'm not a robot that doesn't have feelings."
Mrs. Wei's face crumpled, and she burst into tears, hearing the pain and desperation in her son's voice. She tried to intervene, but Mr. Wei Quán's expression remained unyielding.
Mr. Xian's voice rose, his words pouring out like a dam breaking. "I'm out of this family. Don't expect you still have a son. I won't be held captive by your expectations and control anymore."
With that, Mr. Xian turned and walked away, leaving his parents' house behind. Mrs. Wei's sobs echoed through the hallway as she cried out for her son, but Mr. Xian didn't look back.
As Mr. Xian walked out of the house, he headed towards his car, but his father's security guards blocked his way. "I'm sorry, Mr. Xian. Your father has instructed us not to let you drive your car," one of them said, their faces apologetic but firm.
Mr. Xian's eyes narrowed. "What? You can't be serious. This is my car," he protested, but the guards stood their ground, complicating his attempt to leave.
The tension was palpable as Mr. Xian realized the extent of his father's control. He felt trapped and suffocated, with no way out. With a surge of determination.
Mr. Xian tossed the car keys to the security guard, his eyes locked on his father's. "He can live without that," he said, his voice dripping with determination.
The guard caught the keys, looking uncertain, but Mr. Xian just turned and walked away, leaving the security guard and his father's disapproving gaze behind. Mr. Wei Quán's face twisted in anger and disappointment, but Mr. Xian didn't look back, his shoulders set in a resolute line.