Zhan found himself scrambling down from the bed after Yibo moved to one side. He curled up, his body trembling as he grabbed his towel from the floor and quickly covered himself. Tears streamed down his face, and he couldn't bring himself to look up, utterly terrified of Yibo. He didn't even know where Yibo was in the room, or if he had left. He just stayed hunched over, his body shaking. Deep in his heart, he still couldn't believe it was Yibo who had done this to him. Fresh tears welled in his eyes. The worst part was Lan Yi opening the door and seeing them.
Zhan didn't know when his choked sobs had erupted into wrenching cries. He felt as if the ground should open and swallow him whole, just to spare him the shame. Yibo was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head also bowed, holding it as if he couldn't move a muscle. He wanted to get up and leave the room but felt glued to the spot. Everything had just happened within a minute. He couldn't bring himself to look at where Zhan was crouched, crying. For more than three minutes, neither of them looked at where the other was.
Finally, Yibo mustered the strength to stand up with great effort. He walked slowly towards the door and left without turning back, without so much as a glance at Zhan.
Even after he entered the sitting room, he couldn't bring himself to go outside. Had he ever felt such profound shame in his entire life? The sheer embarrassment of Lan Yi opening the door and finding them like that had completely shattered him. He just wished he could disappear from the house right now. Summoning his strength, he walked out of the sitting room with his head still lowered. He couldn't bear to lift it as he walked, heading for the stairs.
Just as he was about to go downstairs, he heard Granny Ai's voice calling him. He stopped but didn't turn around. She quickly caught up to him, looking him over and speaking in a low voice, "Is Lan Yi not in her room?"
Yibo shook his head at her. "She's not there."
Granny Ai said,"So where are you going now? I saw you looking down. Don't let your mother's foolishness upset you so much that you go and catch a cold. We are here for you, and she is not in her right senses that's why her husband married another woman. Now, you go back and sit in the sitting room until I return."
He kept his eyes downcast. "I'm going home, Granny Ai."
Granny Ai said, "Did you hear what I said? I said go and sit in the sitting room and wait for me." With that, she left quickly. Yibo watched as she opened the door to Zhan's room and went in. Almost immediately, she came back out. Yibo began to descend the stairs, while she headed towards Lan Yi's room.
Granny Ai entered Lan Yi's sitting room and, finding no one there, proceeded into the bedroom. She saw Zhan still curled up in a ball. "You hypocrite, get up and follow your husband. You're nothing but a spoiled boy. What are we supposed to do with you living here? I swear, if you're not careful, this your mother will be the end of your marriage. That woman was acting just like her mother, who nearly ruined her own marriage. Your marriage that, despite all its troubles, hasn't finished affecting our peace, is now being targeted for destruction... What if a stranger come into this house and see you, they would think a great tragedy has befallen our family..."
Zhan could only cry as he looked at Granny Ai. She glared at him. "Are you going to get up while I'm talking to you, or must I make you?"
Slowly, Zhan began trying to secure his towel, then hurriedly stood up.
Granny Ai said,"Oh, I see. So you've had your bath and were waiting for Lan Yi to come rub you with lotion and dress you like a child since you're her last son, is that it? Well, come out now. Don't make me prepare you myself."
Zhan hung his head, gathered his clothes, went into the bathroom to dress, and came out with his head still bowed.
Granny Ai said,"Let's go...."
Zhan walked slowly towards the door,his head down, desperately hoping not to run into Lan Yi, unsure of what kind of look he would get from her. All the while, Granny Ai was close behind him, scolding him relentlessly until they went downstairs, with Zhan listening to her like a condemned man.
Yibo made eye contact with Zhan and quickly looked away. Zhan also met his gaze for a second before immediately lowering her head, his shame overwhelming him.
Granny Ai said,"Take his hand and let's go, Yibo. And don't you dare ever bring him back to this house again until 3 months later. He is of no use to us, he just had to sit in his husband's house. He should be dedicated to his marriage life and earn his reward. As for Lan Yi, she won't mind to arrange the expensive furnishings his father's family provided for him in this house when she break your marriage."
Yibo didn't say a word, nor did he lift his head.
Granny Ai continue,"Let me get you some food to take with you, maybe if you feel hungry tonight... And as for your mother, she probably has no decency, holed up in some room and refusing to come out."
It was then that Yibo raised his head and said quietly, "No, Granny Ai. I'll come to pick him up in two days..."
Before he could even finish,they saw Zhan quickly head for the sitting room door to leave.
Granny Ai said, "Hah! See that? He's eager to go home too, but Lan Yi's trying to ruin his marriage and push him out. Young man, get up and go. We'll be here until Tuesday; if we don't leave by then, we'll be visiting you house with Marquis, as I have somewhere to be on Monday."
She then added quickly, "Oh, wait. Let me get you the perfumes that your father's wife gave for Zhan. These expensive perfumes cost much, and just smell them! I had urged Lan Yi to take a couple of them, but she refused out of sheer petty jealousy. Well, when we come on Tuesday, Zhan had better have set aside a small bottle for me..." With that, she went upstairs.
Yibo gave a slight smile and sat back down. Zhan's reaction had honestly amused him; it seemed he couldn't bear to stay in the house.
It wasn't long before Granny Ai returned to the sitting room with a bag of perfumes.
Granny Ai said, "I tell you, as I was coming into the sitting room, I saw Lan Yi and she handed the perfumes maybe Qiren told her to let Zhan go. Did you called Qiren and tell him, because he's the only one who can handle her... That Lan Yi is not good."
Yibo stood up and took the bag. Granny Ai saw them off all the way to the parking space. They stood there and saw Zhan waiting like a nervous wreck by the car. He opened the car door for Zhan, who slipped into the back seat, tears falling from his eyes. Yibo bid a simple "see you later" to Granny Ai, and they left the house.
Almost all the way home, Zhan had his face covered with his shirt, crying quietly without stopping. He is just confused at this point. If he says he won't go with Yibo, he can't stay at the house...he doesn't know what look he would keep getting from Lan Yi. And if they go back to their home, he doesn't know what will happen there either. It felt as if Zhan just wanted to run away to Tianjin.
Yibo parked in their designated space. Zhan got out of the car, his face a mask of misery, and headed for the entrance as if he would go straight upstairs. Yibo just watched him go.
Zhan leaned against a pillar, hugging his arms and staring off in another direction until Yibo reached the entrance, unlocked it, and went inside. It was only after Yibo had been in the sitting room for about two minutes that Zhan came in, moving to go straight upstairs towards the bedrooms.
Yibo called out, "Hey..."
Zhan didn't turn around,continuing on his way. Yibo stood up and said firmly, "I'm talking to you."
Zhan stopped but didn't turn around, even though his heart was pounding, he said "Please, from today, don't speak to me again in this house. Let's continue how we started; I prefer that. I see you can't keep your promise. I don't want you to talk to me anymore. You do your thing, and I'll do mine..." Then his voice broke with emotion as he said, "Weren't you ashamed of what you did?"
He was crying so hard he was trembling. "And don't you have any conscience? I look at you like my own flesh and blood, and now you looking at me with dirty desires. So, do not talk to me again." With that, Zhan passed his room and slammed the door.
Yibo didn't go after him. Around eleven o'clock, he entered his own room and went to bed.
***
The next morning, around eight-thirty, Zhan came out to the sitting room. He took the bag of perfume he had left there, carried it to his room, and then began his household chores. Afterward, he went into the kitchen. Though he felt hollow inside, he resolved to make breakfast. In the end, he made some for Yibo as well. After finishing, he set Yibo's portion in the dining area and went back to his room.
He didn't come out again until he heard the sound of Yibo's car pulling out around noon. Yibo hadn't touched his breakfast; Zhan glare at the food and pout, then he took the food went to his room, and ate alone.
Zhan felt unsettled after Yibo left the house. Every thought that came to him was a troubling one. Had he gone to see that Zizi? The noodles he had cooked remained uneaten. Around six o'clock, he heard Yibo's car return.
Zhan hurried out to the sitting room, his face tense, and found a chair to sit in. It wasn't long before Yibo entered. After a single glance at Zhan, he looked away. Zhan kept watching him from the corner of his eye, taking in his outfit. After Yibo enter his room Zhan retreat to his own space.
Later that evening, when Zhan came out to serve the food he had cooked, he saw that Yibo had changed his clothes, a sign he was going out again. A scent of cologne lingered in the air. Zhan watched him until he left the sitting room without a single word exchanged. Once he passed his room, Zhan hurried inside and broke down into tears he couldn't explain.
The next day, Zhan didn't leave his room until after Yibo had gone to work. He spent the whole day like that, eating nothing but tea. Yibo returned around six, took a shower, waited for full darkness, and then went out again. Zhan heard him leave and came out to the sitting room, where the scent of Yibo's cologne still hung in the air. He sat on the carpet, hugged his knees to his chest, and cried, trembling. He was convinced Yibo had gone on a dinner date with Zizi. Zhan stayed in the sitting room like that until 8 o'clock.
He went back to his room, showered, came out, got ready for bed, and lay on top of the covers watching the clock. At ten-fifteen, Yibo came home. Zhan quickly sat up after hearing his car. He listened as Yibo entered his own room, then lay back down, wiping his eyes. After twenty minutes, he heard Yibo come out of his room again. Zhan sat up straight once more. He was sitting on his bed and didn't hear Yibo return to his room. After about 10 minutes, Zhan slowly got down from his bed and went to his door. Opening it and stepping into the corridor, he saw that Yibo's bedroom door was open. He quickly slipped inside, moving like a thief.
Yibo's phone was on the bedside table. He tried his own name as a password to see if it would unlock, knowing that almost four years ago, Yibo used "Baby love" as his password. Right beside the drawer, he saw the phone. He quickly picked it up and entered the nickname Yibo used to call him. The phone unlocked. Zhan's heart sank. He sat on the edge of the bed and went into the call logs. He saw Zizi's name as the last call. His heart plummeted. He kept staring at her number, and just then, a text from Zizi came in:
"Hi, my heart's desire, hope you got home safely, my love. Please, I'll be expecting your call so we can finish our conversation. I love you so very much, baby."
Zhan stiffened, the phone held tightly in his hand as he stared at the text, not even blinking. Immediately, his eyes filled with tears. He felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if he'd been stabbed. He had never felt such a piercing ache before. Tears fell from his eyes one after another like a broken faucet. The bedroom door opened. Zhan turned quickly and saw Yibo standing there, realizing he was wearing only shorts.
Yibo was immediately annoyed to find Zhan in his room. He put down the cup of tea he was holding and said, "Hey, who said you could come into my room and touch my phone? Are you okay?"
Zhan stood up without looking at him, his voice shaking. "I won't sleep in this house tonight. Just take me to the station so I can get a bus to Tianjin. If not, I'll run away. I am not sleeping in this house today."
Yibo walked toward him with a stern face. "Give me my phone."
Zhan didn't know when he broke into a fresh wave of sobs. He scrambled backward quickly and then threw Yibo's phone onto the floor with all his strength. Yibo's eyes widened in shock, and he stared at him. Zhan picked the phone up and slammed it down again, sobbing. He did this to the phone three times. At one point, Yibo moved toward him as if to grab him.
Seeing this, Zhan flinched and wrapped his arms around Yibo hugging him tightly, trembling. "This is the devi work. Please, Gege, I'm sorry!"
Before he could say more, he felt his pajama top fall to the floor... Yibo had torn open the buttons. Zhan was shocked and afraid at the same time. He clung to Yibo in a frantic struggle, trying to prevent him from seeing his exposed body. For Yibo, the direct body contact, the warmth and softness of Zhan's body, made him feel like the room was spinning. He felt all his anger drain away. His legs became weak and heavy. He couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with Zhan. Zhan, meanwhile, hid his face against Yibo's shoulder, his body trembling as he pleaded, "Gege, I'm begging you, for the last time, I'm sorry! I promise I will get you another new phone tomorrow. It was a moment of madness, this isn't like me, please forgive me!"
As Yibo tried to take a step back, Zhan clung to him until they reached the light switch by the door. Yibo reached out and turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness. Zhan let out another scream, calling for his mother. In the confusion, he struggled to break free, pleading, "Gege, I swear, have some decency! Please, for the last time, stop! Have you forgotten that I am your blood brother? This is wrong! Help, someone!"
Despite Zhan's struggles and pleas, Yibo did not release him. Zhan had no strength left to resist, and could only gasp as Yibo's mouth found his in the dark, guiding them both onto the bed.
NB
Another short chapters, Happy Friday.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛