After a while, Zhan returned to the gate. Summoning his courage despite the pounding of his heart, he said, "Sorry… my brother told me not to open the gate until he comes."
Silence followed his words. Then one of the men said, "Give us your brother's number."
Zhan froze at the request. When they repeated it, he steadied himself and replied firmly, "No, I can't give it without asking him first."
The man insisted. "Call him now and tell him we are asking for his number. Do it immediately."
Zhan went back inside the house and dialed Dr Jing's number again. As soon as the phone rang, Dr Jing picked up.
"I'm on my way. Don't open the gate," he instructed.
On the verge of tears, Zhan said, "But they are demanding your number."
Dr Jing paused briefly, then replied, "My number? Fine, give it to them. But do not open the gate. Just read it out from inside."
Zhan nodded as if the man could see him. Dr Jing asked again, "Did you hear me?"
"Yes," Zhan whispered.
When the call ended, Zhan returned to the gate and said bravely, "He said I should give you the number. I'll read it out now."
"Good. Do it," the man replied.
Zhan recited the digits one by one until he finished. "Alright," the man said.
Zhan thought they had left the gate. He strained his ears and finally heard the sound of their car driving away. Still, he didn't dare open the gate. Instead, he went back inside, deeply shaken, unable to think straight. He sat in fear until around five o'clock, when his phone rang again. It was Dr Jing.
"Come out and open the gate," Dr Jing said.
"You're here already?" Zhan asked anxiously.
"Yes, I'm outside."
Zhan stood up, his heart racing, and went to the gate. Pressing himself against it, he asked, "Are you alone?"
"Of course it's just me, Zhan," Dr Jing replied.
Slowly, with trembling hands, Zhan opened the gate. Dr Jing stood there, and Zhan's eyes brimmed with tears. He asked, "Did they call you?"
"Yes, but it wasn't anything serious."
"Then why did they come? What did I do? Did I commit an offense?"
Dr Jing sighed. "We need to go to the police station. They just want to ask you some questions."
Zhan burst into tears. "But they only take someone to the station if he's guilty of something! What did I do? Please don't hide it from me...tell me the truth."
"I told you, it's not serious, Zhan," Dr Jing reassured him. "I was just at the station. They only want to take your statement. I'll bring you back home afterward. Don't panic. I won't let anything happen to you."
Still crying, Zhan demanded, "Statement about what? What wrong have I done?"
"Calm down," Dr Jing said gently. "I'm here for you. Didn't I just come all the way from Guangzhou for your sake?"
Zhan wiped his tears and looked at him miserably.
"Get your phone and bag. Time is running."
Zhan went inside, picked up his phone and backpack, then returned. He locked the house and followed Dr Jing to the car. Zhan sat in the front passenger seat, his whole body trembling with fear.
As the car moved, Zhan's thoughts drifted painfully. He wished he could see his parents and brothers one last time...especially his eldest brother, Haikuan, a stern barrister who never tolerated nonsense.
Once they had left the street, Dr Jing lowered his voice. "Please calm down, Zhan. You know I won't allow anyone to harm you. And like I said, this isn't serious. Don't let your mind run wild."
But Zhan sobbed harder. "I want to know what I did! Why did they come for me? What offense have I committed? I know you're aware since you went to the station. You're just hiding it from me. Please, tell me so I can at least breathe easier."
Dr Jing looked at him for a moment, then said, "Alright. I won't hide it. Do you know what this is about?"
Zhan shook his head quickly, his chest tightening.
Dr Jing sighed. "Every community has its own rules and values, right?"
Zhan stayed silent, waiting anxiously.
"The people in this town are worried. They don't like that you rented a whole house and live alone. They say they fear their children might think it's acceptable for a boy your age to live unsupervised. They also found out you're not really studying here in Guangzhou like you told them....you only come and go. And they claim young men and women have been visiting you at the house."
Zhan's jaw dropped. He stared at Dr Jing, shocked and speechless.
Dr Jing added softly, "I don't know if anyone has visited since I came last week."
Zhan broke down, weeping bitterly. "That's a lie! Since I came back, no one has ever come here except you. How could they slander me like this? I'll never forgive them for such an accusation."
Dr. Jing lowered his head and said,
"You see what I've been telling you? A person's reputation matters most in front of their family. And if not before their family, then before the community. Especially in Asia....wherever you go, that's the kind of judgment you'll face, and it never really changes. To put it simply, they think you've been spending your time partying in Guangzhou and only coming back here to Foshan for leisure. Let me tell you something… these days, people watch people...not animals. Every single step you take is under someone's eyes."
Zhan couldn't say anything. All he could do was cry bitterly from frustration and humiliation. The tears didn't stop all the way until they reached Guangzhou. Even Dr. Jing eventually stopped trying to console him. When they pulled up to a police station, Zhan's heart sank.
After parking outside, Dr. Jing turned to him and said,
"Be patient. Everything will be over soon. Wipe away your tears and trust me....I'll be by your side."
Slowly, Zhan wiped his eyes, and in a trembling voice asked,
"So… what do I even say when we go in?"
Dr. Jing replied calmly,
"Don't worry. I've already explained everything to them. At most, they'll just take your statement. That's all."
He stepped out of the car, and Zhan followed reluctantly, still unable to stop crying. His heart ached at the thought of the way people looked at him....first Daniel, then Zhe, and now the people of Foshan. Dr. Jing glanced back and said,
"I told you, stop crying."
Zhan nodded faintly, brushing at his tears. They entered the station together. Dr. Jing greeted the officers inside and asked,
"Can we see the DPO?"
"Yes, he's inside. You can go in," an officer replied.
Zhan stood there, nervous and terrified....he had never set foot in a police station before. Dr. Jing gently nudged him.
"Let's go."
Zhan followed him into the DPO's office. His chest tightened as he froze at the doorway, staring at a man sitting silently on the sofa. The DPO turned his head slowly toward Zhan, his expression stern.
"Young man," the DPO said firmly to Zhan, "come in and close the door."
Zhan felt like running away. Somehow, with trembling hands, he shut the door and lowered his head. But he couldn't bring himself to walk further inside. Dr. Jing went ahead and sat, leaving Zhan stranded by the wall. The DPO gave Zhan a long look and then a thumbs up with a mocking smile.
"The runaway boy!"
Zhan's eyes dropped to the floor.
"What's your name?" the DPO demanded.
In a shaky voice, Zhan answered,
"Zhan."
"Zhan, the runaway boy… Sit down."
Zhan stole a glance at the man on the sofa....his elder brother Hai Kuan. The moment their eyes met, Zhan looked away quickly, ashamed, and then went to sit, huddled tightly in one corner.
The DPO asked,
"Do you know who this man is?"
Head down, Zhan hesitated.
"Hey! I asked you a question," the DPO barked.
Terrified, Zhan whispered,
"He's my brother."
"What's his name?"
Afraid of another outburst, Zhan stammered,
"Hai Kuan."
"How long have you been away from home?" the DPO pressed.
Zhan burst into tears again, unable to speak.
"I didn't ask for tears," the DPO snapped. "Anyone who dares to run away clearly has the courage for it, so don't pretend otherwise. How long has it been?"
With trembling lips, Zhan said,
"About three weeks."
"And you had no intention of going back anytime soon, correct?"
Zhan lifted his tear-streaked face and nodded weakly.
The DPO sighed, then pointed at the chair directly in front of his desk.
"Sit here."
Zhan dragged himself over, sat down, and wiped his face. The DPO looked at him directly and said,
"Zhan, do you really think what you did was right? Just because you faced some difficulties doesn't mean life is over. What if you had fallen into the wrong hands? Do you know the kinds of cases we deal with here daily? Why would you choose to leave home as if that was the solution? Please, next time if you see anyone thinking about doing what you did, advise them not to. It's pointless. Life comes with its struggles. Everyone has their own share. You just have to endure it and face it head-on. You're young, intelligent, and capable—running away is not the answer. Have you even thought about what your parents and siblings went through because of this? The worry? The fear?"
Zhan lowered his head again, tears sliding silently down his cheeks.
"Do you even know how far they tracked you down, all the way to Foshan?" the DPO asked.
Zhan shook his head.
The DPO pulled out a file and placed it in front of him. Zhan glanced at it, then quickly looked away.
"Next time, don't ever try this nonsense again," the DPO said firmly. Then he looked at Dr. Jing.
"And you....thank you for all your effort. I'll be stepping out now. You two are free to leave."
Zhan avoided looking at Hai Kuan the entire way out of the office, clinging close to Dr. Jing.
Outside, Dr. Jing turned to Hai Kuan.
"Where are you heading now? It's almost night."
Hai Kuan shrugged.
"No problem. I'm used to driving at night. I'll head straight to Tianjin."
Dr. Jing nodded.
"Alright then, call me once you arrive."
"Will do. Thank you, Doctor."
"You're welcome."
Then Dr. Jing went to Zhan,
"Go with your brother."
Before he could finish, Zhan burst into tears again.
"I can't! I'm scared of him....I can't go with him."
Dr. Jing blinked.
"Why?"
Through sobs, Zhan replied,
"He'll hit me, I know it. If it were Yibo ge, it would have been easier…"
Dr. Jing chuckled softly.
"No, he won't do that."
Zhan cried harder.
"He will! Why wasn't it Yibo ge who came instead?"
Dr. Jing turned and looked at Hai Kuan, who was leaning against the car with folded arms, his face expressionless. With a small smile, Dr. Jing walked over and said,
"Barrister, please forgive him. He says he's afraid you'll hit him."
Hai Kuan shook his head.
"Not at all. Ask him if I've ever laid a hand on him. He's just wasting our time.... we still have a long journey ahead."
Dr. Jing sighed.
"Please, just be patient with him."
After much convincing, Zhan finally got into Hai Kuan's car, clutching his backpack tightly. Hai Kuan bid Dr. Jing goodbye, then got behind the wheel. Dr. Jing returned to his own car as they both drove off into the night. In the car, Hai Kuan didn't talk to Zhan, neither Zhan talk to him too.
When Zhan noticed they had already gone quite a distance, he turned to Hai Kuan for the first time. Fidgeting with his fingers, he spoke quietly, "Gege, can I pick up my bag in Foshan?"
Hai Kuan didn't reply, just focused on driving, eyes fixed on the road as if he hadn't even heard him. Zhan looked down, lips pressing together, and stayed silent.
Eventually, Zhan drifted into sleep, and when he woke up, they were already in Tianjin. Sitting up quickly, he saw that Hai Kuan had quietly adjusted the seat earlier to make him more comfortable while he slept. Still, Hai Kuan kept his eyes forward, pretending not to notice Zhan was awake. From Guangzhou to now, he hadn't said a single word to him.
The car finally pulled into a hotel. After parking, Hai Kuan stepped out without hesitation. Zhan frowned but followed him, lips pursed. At the reception, Hai Kuan booked an executive room. With the key in hand, he headed straight for the elevator while Zhan trailed behind, wishing deep down it were Yibo instead of Hai Kuan by his side.
The suite had a spacious living room and a bedroom. Hai Kuan set down his phone, car keys, and watch on the coffee table. Zhan stood there sulking, staring at him. Finally, Hai Kuan looked up, and Zhan quickly lowered his gaze, pretending innocence. Without a word, Hai Kuan walked out, locking the door behind him. Zhan sighed and slumped.
Soon Zhan stood, took the hotel toiletries, and went to shower. He came back refreshed, lowered the room's air conditioning, and lay down on the bed, stomach empty.... he hadn't eaten all day. Just as he was drifting off, the door creaked open. Zhan froze, then squeezed his eyes shut, pretending to sleep, unsure what Hai Kuan might say.
"Get up and eat," Hai Kuan's voice came flatly.
Zhan pouted but opened his eyes. He sat up, rubbing them, and glanced at the food bag Hai Kuan had placed on the table. Still, he didn't move. Suspicious of Hai Kuan's silence all day, he muttered softly, "Just leave it there. I'll take it."
Hai Kuan finally looked at him, and Zhan blinked back, uneasy. For a moment, he thought Hai Kuan might actually slap him. But Hai Kuan only stood, walked away, and sat down on the sofa. Zhan moved hesitantly, grabbed the food bag, and carried it back into the room, sneaking glances at him. Hai Kuan watched him go but said nothing.
***
The next morning, a knock woke Zhan. He sat up, staring at the door until Hai Kuan pushed it open.
"Good morning, Gege," Zhan murmured in a low, careful voice.
"I don't know if it's a good morning," Hai Kuan replied bluntly. "Pack your things. We're leaving."
"I won't take a shower?," Zhan muttered. But one sharp look from Hai Kuan made him grab his bag and phone immediately. They checked out, Zhan slipping into the passenger seat of the car.
By nine, they were back in Beijing. The moment the familiar neighborhood came into view, Zhan's chest tightened. Anxiety pressed down on him....how would everyone accept him back? Would his mother even welcome him? The thought broke him, tears spilling silently down his face.
Hai Kuan glanced at him, still driving. "Should I take you back to Guangzhou then?"
Shaking his head, Zhan choked out between sobs, "No…"
"Then what's wrong?"
"I don't even know if Mama...." His voice cracked, and he couldn't finish.
Hai Kuan's voice softened. "Mama missed you. Since you left, she hasn't been the same."
Zhan looked at him with tear-filled eyes, lips trembling. Hai Kuan said nothing more until they reached the gate. After honking, the gate opened quickly, and he drove in. Parking, he turned to Zhan, who was lost in thought.
"I hope you'll never make such a mistake again, baby brother."
Zhan turned to him slowly and nodded.
"Baba was there for you. I was there for you. So was the doctor. But you chose to follow your heart, and it led you astray," Hai Kuan said, his voice steady but stern.
"I'm sorry," Zhan whispered, trembling.
Hai Kuan got out, but Zhan froze, unable to open the door, body heavy with regret. Tears flowed again. Hai Kuan circled around, opened his door, and gave him a firm look. Zhan lowered his head and stepped out.
"Come on," Hai Kuan said, pointing toward the entrance.
Zhan walked ahead slowly, wiping at his face, stomach twisting with dread. What if his mother refused to even look at him? He didn't think he could bear it. Hai Kuan stayed close behind as they reached the sitting room entrance.
Zhan hesitated, unable to open the door. He turned to Hai Kuan, eyes wide with fear.
"I'm scared, Gege," his voice broke.
Hai Kuan said gently, "You don't need to be scared, everyone misses you badly." He patted Zhan's shoulder as he wiped his eyes, then added, "Go inside…"
Without protest, Zhan walked past him into the sitting room. Hai Kuan followed with his gaze. The moment Zhan stepped inside, his eyes met Min's, who was standing at the kitchen doorway, waiting for the new maid Lan Yi had assigned to finish frying the Irish potatoes....claiming she couldn't cook herself. Min froze, her mouth slightly open, staring at him in shock.
Zhan quickly looked away toward the staircase when he heard footsteps descending. It was Yibo coming down with Lan Yi beside him, saying, "Honestly Mama, I'm only doing this because of you, but it's exhausting for me. Why can't she just be put in the car and sent back to Tianjin instead…"
His voice trailed off when his eyes landed on Zhan's. For a long moment, they both stood frozen, gazes locked. Then, before Zhan knew it, he rushed forward and threw himself into Yibo's arms, breaking down into tears.
In a low, almost disbelieving voice, Yibo whispered, "Baby??"
Min quickly turned her face away, her phone slipping from her hand without her even realizing it. Hai Kuan too turned aside and quietly walked out of the sitting room. Lan Yi froze on the staircase, unable to move, tears brimming in her eyes as she watched. Zhan pressed his face against Yibo's chest, sobbing, "I missed you so much, Gege…"
Still sounding like he was afraid to believe it, Yibo whispered, "Why did you leave me like that, Baby?"
Zhan's gaze accidentally caught Lan Yi's, who stood there with tears streaming down her face. His own eyes dropped to the floor, guilt weighing on him.
Pulling slightly away from Yibo, Zhan lifted his head and looked at her, mirroring her disbelief, neither of them blinking, as if both feared it was only a dream. His tears kept falling, but he gathered the courage to walk toward Lan Yi.
At that, Lan Yi broke down, crying heavily. Zhan hugged her tightly, his voice trembling as he said, "Mama, I'm sorry… I didn't know what else to do…"
Min, overwhelmed, slipped out of the sitting room, forgetting completely about the Irish potatoes she had been waiting for, and retreated to the chalet.
Just then, Granny Ai emerged from Lan Yi's sitting room, already fuming. "This is too much! This hardship is not even from her father's family....why should we suffer like this? No, I won't take it. I told myself I'd stop meddling in things that don't concern me, but here she is, dragging her mess into our lives and making trouble for me…"
She suddenly stopped, her eyes going wide when she spotted Zhan. "And who is this again?"
Zhan quickly released Lan Yi, who was staring at him. Granny Ai placed her hand on her waist, shaking her head. "Of course! Where are your parents who dumped you in the gutter as a baby? Did you return with them?"
Zhan bowed his head silently.
"But let me tell you," Granny Ai snapped, "if not for the fact that I don't want Lan Yi to lash out at me, I'd say it straight.... you are ungrateful! You abandoned her, left us in pain, with sleepless nights and her blood pressure rising every day because of the worry you caused. And now shamelessly, without a shred of guilt, you walk back in here empty-handed. I really thought you'd at least return with your parents, since you showed us clearly that we meant nothing to you. After all the sacrifices we made, you spat on us. I even spent days in the hospital for your sake without proper food or sleep, but that didn't matter....you chose to torment us and vanish."
She continued bitterly, "Qiren lost his mind searching for you, wandering Beijing in mismatched shoes, going to every police station he could. Do you know the hunger and sleepless nights you caused us?"
Lan Yi had grabbed Zhan's hand, pulling him away from Granny Ai as she cried, with Granny Ai still following, unwilling to stop.
From the moment Zhan entered the sitting room, he had noticed Shu lying on the floor, looking completely lifeless, as though she had never known happiness. Her face was covered in acne, pale and dull.
Zhan sat down on the sofa, ready to ask Lan Yi if Shu was sick, but she had already left the room. Unable to resist, Zhan turned to Granny Ai and asked, "Is Shu Jie unwell?"
Granny Ai scoffed. "Who? Shu? Let me tell you, Shu is pregnant with the spiritual man baby! Yes, pregnant, Zhan."
The shock hit him so hard he didn't even realize when he shot to his feet. Granny Ai waved him back down. "No, sit back. Don't get all worked up. After all, we don't even know where you came from either."
Zhan kept staring at Granny Ai without even blinking, while she busied herself wiping down the chair where Shu had sat earlier. Granny Ai said,
"Let me tell you something...Fang Yu Jie has completely cut ties with Shu. She swore never to forgive her, not even if someone begged on her behalf. If their eyes ever meet, Fang Yu Jie would start coughing as if she's about to collapse. Right now, she's in Yisue's house in Tianjin. You wouldn't even let a dog live in that house....the place is so wretched that even a dog would get sick and die for nothing. Honestly, the moment I escorted her there, I didn't even last fifteen minutes before running off to Marquis' residence. After all, what happened wasn't my problem. I only went there out of kinship. Otherwise, if I had let myself dwell on it, I'd have switched families already, because this family of ours has turned into nothing but ruins.
Shu has ruined everything for us, and all we can say is it's her fault. That's why I ran to the Marquis' household hoping for some peace. But that place is like a marketplace....so many people under one roof. The husband's mother, the husband's father, all of them with their battalions of noise. This one comes in, that one goes out....no peace at all. To cut the story short, the very next morning I had them take me to the station. I got on a bus and returned to Beijing where life is more sensible.
But because of Shu's mess, poor Lan Yi has been the one suffering. And Qiren...being a good man....never wanted this disaster to destroy the upbringing of his sons. If we had extended relatives in the village, Shu would have been banished there long ago, forced to give birth and raise that illegitimate child in seclusion. But we don't. At first, Qiren actually agreed to drive her out of his house.
But you know your father....his heart is too soft. He couldn't bear to see his wife suffer either. In the end, he said to let her stay, but he forbade her from even going near the gate. He didn't want the neighbors mocking him, saying there's a girl carrying an illegitimate pregnancy under his roof. Marquis refused to take her in, so all the burden fell on poor Lan Yi. That's the truth."
Zhan kept staring at Shu with tears sliding down her cheeks. In this house, tears had become her daily routine....always crying as if her life would end...thanks to Granny Ai's constant torment. Her sharp tongue nearly drove her into depression.
Granny Ai added harshly, "So stay away from her. We all keep our distance from her. Back in our time, if a girl got pregnant out of wedlock, she would either hang herself or flee town for fifty years. But Shu? She refuses to do either."
The sitting room door opened, and Lan Yi entered carrying breakfast for Zhan. She didn't say a word, but her face glowed with rare happiness. Anyone who knew her could tell she hadn't felt this kind of joy in a long time. Hai Kuan had truly surprised both her and Yibo with his actions, since he had kept everything to himself.
Granny Ai eyed her sharply as she set the tray down in front of Zhan. "Come on, son, eat," she said.
Then Granny Ai snapped at her. "So this morning, I didn't even get a cup of tea from you or that useless new maid of yours. But here you are serving breakfast to this boy on a tray with your hands trembling. I stayed in this house last night and got nothing, but he, who didn't even stay overnight, gets all this?"
Lan Yi ignored her completely, simply lifted the tray and carried it toward her room. She turned and called gently, "Come, Baby."
Weakened by all Shu's troubles, Zhan wiped his tears and followed her quietly into the bedroom.
Lan Yi herself prepared his tea, arranged everything for him, then sat watching him. Zhan raised his head and asked softly, "Mama, where's Baba?"
Lan Yi smiled. "I called him. He's on his way."
Zhan picked up the cup she had prepared and began sipping. Lan Yi rose and left the room, carrying another tray to deliver Granny Ai's own breakfast.
Not long after, Yibo entered the bedroom. Zhan lifted his gaze to him as Yibo walked over and crouched down in front of him. Zhan quickly dropped his eyes and asked, "Shall I make you tea too?"
Yibo let out a hidden sigh. "Just share yours with me."
Zhan smiled lovingly. "Then let's drink together."
Yibo sat cross-legged on the rug, facing Zhan. After Zhan took a sip from his cup, he passed it to Yibo, who drank quietly. Then Zhan began eating the potatoes with ketchup and eggs that Lan Yi had served.
After sipping again, Yibo set the cup down and said softly, "Why did you leave, Baby?"
Zhan didn't dare look up. His voice was low and trembling. "That's in the past now, Gege."
Yibo only nodded, still gazing at him. After a moment, Zhan asked gently, "Won't you eat some potatoes?" Yibo picked up a fork and started eating.
Zhan lifted the cup again, drank a little, and set it down. Their eyes met. Yibo whispered, "I missed you, Baby."
Zhan gave a small smile. "I missed you more my Gege."
At that moment, Lan Yi returned and found them sitting together sharing the tea with one cup. She looked at Yibo and asked, "Didn't they serve yours in your room?"
Zhan quickly answered, "Mama, I asked him to eat here with me."
Yibo only smiled, while Lan Yi sat beside the bed, watching them both closely.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛