Mei-Mei walked into Momy's living room and sat down with a faint smile. She waited until Momy finished her phone call with her friend Godiya before speaking.
"Momy, I reached him on the phone."
Momy straightened immediately. "He picked up?"
"Yes," Mei-Mei replied. "He called back after seeing the message I sent."
Momy adjusted her seat, relief softening her expression. "Good… that's good. What did he say?"
Mei-Mei shrugged lightly. "You know he'll definitely come. I'm just worried he might call Dad and explain things differently."
Momy gave a small, confident smile. "He won't. I've already told your Dad what's going on."
Mei-Mei let out a breath. "That's a relief. If he catches a flight today, we might see them here."
"Of course he'll get a flight," Momy said. "There's still plenty of time."
Just then, the housemaid appeared at the doorway, hovering awkwardly despite the door being open. She held a tray with a plate of grilled chicken and two bottled drinks.
Mei-Mei frowned at her. "If the door is open, you can come in. Why are you standing there like that? Stop behaving like this....it's irritating."
Momy watched silently as the maid stepped forward and placed the tray down.
"Ma'am, the chicken is ready," the maid said politely.
Momy frowned. "And that veil you keep wearing in this house...it's getting on my nerves. Don't wear it again. If you want to wear it outside, fine, but not here. It looks shabby."
The maid lowered her head. "Alright, ma'am. I won't wear it again."
She quickly left the room.
Momy picked up the plate of chicken and began eating. "The moment I heard he was bringing him along, I relaxed. Getting him here was the difficult part anyway…"
Mei-Mei smiled, picking up a piece of chicken. "I trust you, Momy."
***
Zhan pulled on his jacket, letting it fall neatly to his knees as he packed some of his smaller belongings into a trolley, just as Yiming had instructed.
His movements were slow and absentminded—his thoughts far away.
The door opened, and Yiming walked in. Zhan didn't turn; he continued packing.
Yiming came to stand behind him.
Zhan's heart pounded, but he still didn't turn.
Yiming reached out, gently turning him to face him. Zhan lowered his gaze.
"Why do you still look so tense?" Yiming asked. "You always seem worried."
Zhan slowly raised his eyes but said nothing.
"Are you done packing?" Yiming asked.
Zhan shook his head.
"Finish it."
Zhan turned back and continued packing while Yiming stood there watching him.
When Zhan picked up a pad to place inside the trolley, Yiming spoke again.
"What are you using that for? Won't you be done today?"
Zhan avoided his gaze. "I'm not done yet."
Without waiting for a response, he placed it inside and closed the case.
He stood up, but Yiming caught both his hands, looking directly into his eyes.
"Promise me you won't do anything reckless before we get to Chongqing."
Zhan didn't understand why tears filled his eyes.
Yiming continued, his voice low and firm, "If you try anything reckless, you won't like what I'll do. I mean it."
After a moment, Zhan spoke softly, "Okay… but please, I want to call Yu-Bin. I miss him."
"You won't call Yu-Bin," Yiming replied. "But when we get to Chongqing, I'll take you to your family first before we go home."
Zhan said nothing, tears slipping down his face.
They left for the airport.
By evening, they arrived in Chongqing, where the family driver was already waiting.
He opened the back seat for Zhan respectfully.
Zhan entered quietly, his head lowered. Anyone could see he was deeply troubled.
Yiming got in beside him, and the car drove off.
After leaving the airport, Yiming told the driver where to go first.
They had driven a long distance before Yiming turned to Zhan, who was lost in thought.
He took Zhan's hand, pulling him gently back to reality.
"Are you hungry?" he asked softly.
Zhan shook his head.
Yiming pulled him closer.
Zhan said nothing, his heart pounding.
By around 5:30 PM, they arrived at Zhan's neighborhood.
The driver parked across from the house.
Yiming stepped out first.
Zhan followed slowly, unsure of what he felt—whether relief or something else entirely.
Yiming watched as Zhan walked into the compound.
Only then did tears gather in Zhan's eyes.
Meilin was the first to see him. She had been outside tending charcoal and immediately ran forward, throwing her arms around Zhan.
At that moment, everyone else turned to look.
Lina, who sat by her doorway, stared silently.
Zubei Mama and Antu Mama exchanged glances, unimpressed.
Aunt Fin, who had been arranging Lina's room, rushed out when she heard Meilin call Zhan's name.
Zhan ran to her and broke down in tears.
Aunt Fin's joy was obvious...she assumed A-Bo and I-Bo had brought Zhan back.
But when Yiming entered, everything changed.
All eyes turned toward him in surprise.
Aunt Fin's expression immediately fell.
Only Antu Mama and Zubei Mama greeted him.
He stepped into the compound calmly.
Aunt Fin released Zhan and went to sit beside Lina, her face unreadable.
Zubei Mama quickly spread a mat for Yiming, while Antu Mama welcomed him warmly.
Yiming sat down, looking toward Lina.
He greeted her politely.
Lina nodded.
"Welcome."
Aunt Fin stood up and walked into Lina's room.
Yiming greeted Zubei Mama and the others, who welcomed him warmly, smiling widely.
Zhan remained kneeling beside his mother, his head lowered.
Yiming glanced at Lina and asked, "Is Father not around?"
Lina gathered herself and replied, "No… he hasn't returned yet."
Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Aiyin walked into the compound, carrying half a sack of potatoes. He stopped when he saw Yiming and Zhan.
"Oh! What a surprise… we have guests today," he said.
Yiming stood up and walked over to greet him. Xiao Aiyin responded politely, though slightly reserved. He quickly brought out a mat and spread it for Yiming.
"Sit here," he said. "Let me get some water."
He hurried off to fetch two containers of water.
Lina quietly got up and went into her room, and Zhan followed behind her.
Just then, Nenne entered the compound.
"Well, what a pleasant surprise," she said warmly. "Welcome, Yiming."
He greeted her respectfully.
She pulled a chair closer and sat facing him. "I'm doing well. How are your parents? I was just preparing something when a boy came running to tell me you had arrived. That child always brings me news quickly. I'm really happy to see you. Where is your partner? I heard you both came together."
"We came together," Yiming replied.
Xiao Aiyin returned with the water and said, "He's with his mother."
Nenne turned to him. "What are you doing with water at this hour? It's not even evening yet."
"Oh… I thought it was already late," he said, quickly putting the containers aside.
Nenne lowered her voice slightly as she looked at Yiming.
"Yiming, please take good care of what has been entrusted to you. From now on, you are everything to Zhan. If he makes a mistake, bring him to me—I will handle it. And for the sake of this bond between you, please speak to your father and settle any past misunderstandings with Xiao Aiyin. We are all one family now."
Yiming nodded. "Of course."
Nenne smiled. "Good. I didn't even prepare dinner for you, or I would have served you."
"That's alright," Yiming replied. "We'll be heading home soon."
"Alright then," she said. "Let me bring him out for you. Take it slow on the road—it's not in good condition."
Inside the room, Zhan was crying continuously.
Lina sat silently, watching him, holding back her own tears. She didn't know what to say.
Aunt Fin leaned against the wall, equally silent, her face heavy with emotion.
Nenne entered and clicked her tongue.
"Go out. Your husband is waiting for you."
Zhan didn't respond—he just kept crying.
Nenne continued, her voice firm:
"You want to stay here forever like this? You think life works that way? You should be grateful you have someone like Yiming. Do you know how rare that is? Instead of appreciating it, you're here crying."
Through tears, Zhan shook his head. "I don't like him… I don't want to be with him."
Nenne frowned. "Enough of that nonsense. What's done is done. You can't keep running away from it. You have to face your life now."
Zhan broke down even more.
Lina wiped her tears and spoke softly, "Go, Zhan… go with him. Take care of yourself, i will continue praying for you."
Slowly, Zhan stood up, still crying, and walked out of the room.
Nenne sighed. "That's all we can do....advise him and hope he understands. Sometimes life takes its own course. From what I've seen, Yiming truly cares for him. If Zhan calms down, things might turn out well for him."
When they left the house, Zhan couldn't stop crying.
Yiming gave some money to the household members before they left...small amounts to a few people, a larger one to Meiqin, and some to Nenne as well.
Xiao Aiyin refused to take his share, so Yiming simply left it on the mat by his door.
As they got into the car, Zhan felt uneasy.
His heart pounded heavily.
The earlier fear he had been trying to suppress returned even stronger now.
By the time they arrived at Yiming's house around 7 PM, his anxiety had doubled.
The car drove into the large compound and parked.
Yiming stepped out first and turned to look at him.
Zhan slowly stepped out, his heart racing uncontrollably, though he couldn't fully explain why.
Yiming started walking, and Zhan followed behind him quietly.
Together, they approached the entrance of the house…
Zhan walked slowly into the living room, his heart pounding in a way that didn't feel normal. His body felt tense, restless, and uneasy.
Yiming closed the door behind them and looked toward his mother, who was seated with her sister Aunt Quo and Mei-Mei. Each of them held a bowl filled with pepper soup.
Zhan lowered his head as all eyes turned to him. Their faces were expressionless, but their eyes carried clear hostility.
With effort, he stepped forward, feeling like he might collapse at any moment. He bow slightly and greeted them all in a soft voice.
Instead of responding, Momy turned her attention to Yiming.
"So you only found a night flight?" she asked. "Even after Mei-Mei sent you a message early this morning?"
Aunt Quo called the maid over to refill her soup.
Yiming said nothing.
Noticing that no one answered Zhan's greeting, he looked at him and said, "Stand up. Let's go."
Zhan raised his head slightly but didn't move. His heart kept racing.
"Go where?" Momy asked sharply. "And who exactly is he?"
"He's my husband," Yiming replied calmly.
Aunt Quo sat up in shock. "Wait… is he the child of that man who defrauded your father of millions?"
Mei-Mei scoffed. "Exactly. That's him. The one Yiming insisted on, ignoring everything that happened to Dad. His mother came here years ago, got involved with his father, and now look at this mess..."
"Enough."
Yiming's voice cut through sharply.
"If you continue speaking nonsense, you won't like what happens next. Control yourself Mei-Mei."
Aunt Quo stared at him. "You're talking to her like that? Have you lost your mind? Over him?"
Yiming turned to her coldly. "Stay out of matters that don't concern you. This is between me and her."
Momy smiled faintly. "Ignore them, my son. Take him upstairs so he can rest. Welcome home."
She stood and walked toward Zhan, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Welcome, my child. Go upstairs."
Zhan forced himself to stand, his body weak, and followed Yiming out of the room.
Momy watched them until they disappeared upstairs, then turned to Mei-Mei and Aunt Quo.
"You both lack sense," she said quietly. "Was this how you were raised?"
Mei-Mei huffed. "I just can't pretend, Momy. I really can't."
Momy snapped, "Then leave before you ruin everything. You're the reason we're in this situation in the first place. One week is already too much for him to stay here, if I truly know my son. Anyone who can't follow my plan should leave this house."
Aunt Quo frowned. "What if he decides to take him back to his own place? You know no one can stop him."
Momy smirked. "Just watch."
She stood and walked toward the stairs confidently.
Mei-Mei muttered, "I swear, I can't stand him. I've never disliked someone this much. And Yiming humiliated me because of him—right in front of him."
Aunt Quo sighed. "Same here. Let's just follow sister's plan and hope this ends quickly."
Upstairs, Zhan looked around the room Yiming brought him into....it was clearly his room.
He sat quietly on a chair, watching as Yiming removed his wristwatch, preparing to go freshen up.
Everything that had happened downstairs replayed in his mind.
Yiming returned shortly after and looked at him.
"Go freshen up, i need my husband now" he said.
Zhan's heart dropped. He looked up slowly. "I… I'm not done yet."
Yiming suddenly raised his voice, startling him.
"Don't test my patience. Is it going to take forever? You're lying...you're already done."
Zhan trembled, unable to respond.
"When I come back," Yiming added coldly, "I'll confirm it myself."
He walked out of the room.
Tears immediately filled Zhan's eyes. The moment he had been dreading was finally here, and there was no way out.
He broke into quiet sobs.
A couple of minutes later, the door opened again.
Zhan turned quickly, fear rising...but it was Momy.
She smiled gently and walked toward him.
"What's your name, my child? They told me Zhan, but I don't think that's your real name."
Zhan lowered his gaze. "My name is Zhan."
Momy smiled warmly. "That's a lovely name. Welcome to the family."
For the first time, Zhan felt a slight sense of relief from her tone.
She took his hand. "Come with me."
She led him to her own room and pointed toward the bathroom.
"Go freshen up. But first… let's talk."
Zhan looked at her.
She gestured for him to sit. "Sit, dear."
He sat down on the couch beside her.
"Don't hide anything from me," Momy said softly. "Think of me as your mother. Tell me the truth...has anything happened between you and Yiming since he brought you with him?"
Zhan felt the weight of the question immediately. He couldn't meet her eyes and simply lowered his head.
"There's a reason I'm asking," Momy continued gently. "Don't be shy. Open up to me."
Zhan shook his head quietly.
Momy held his hand. "Be honest with me."
"I'm telling you the truth," Zhan said softly.
Momy studied him carefully. "Are you sure?"
Zhan hesitated, then replied, "I wasn't feeling well… but I'm fine now."
Momy let out a quiet breath of relief.
"I'm glad to hear that," she said. "I know Yiming brought you here suddenly after you returned from school. Your family didn't get the chance to prepare you properly for this new life… but now that you're here, I'll take care of everything you need."
Zhan remained silent, his head still lowered.
Momy stood up with a smile.
"Come," she said gently. "Let's go to the bathroom…"
Zhan stood up and followed Momy into the bathroom. Momy pointed at a large flask.
"Do you see this flask? You'll be using the water inside it...mix it with hot water from the tap and use it to cleanse yourself, when he get to you... You won't hurt much."
She then picked up several dark soaps wrapped in nylon and handed them to him.
"You'll also use these soaps when you wash. Afterward, keep them where you found them—they're yours."
She pointed to a covered container in the bathroom.
"You'll also take from this and use it for cleansing, understood?"
Zhan nodded quietly. "Yes, Momy."
Momy then brought out a small bottle she had hidden, poured its contents into the flask, and straightened up.
"Good. Make sure you use everything exactly as I told you. After that, wash and come out."
"Yes, Momy," he replied softly.
Momy left the bathroom and sat waiting until he finished. When he came out, she stood and gestured to the stool.
"After you're done, don't come out. Stay here...I'll bring you food."
"Okay, Momy."
She left the room, locked the door from the outside, and walked away with a faint smile.
In the corridor, she ran into Yiming, who had just come out of his room after not finding Zhan there.
"You're back already?" she asked.
"I am. Where is Zhan?"
She lightly pulled his ear. "What you did to your sister earlier...was that necessary? Sometimes she doesn't think clearly. You should have just ignored her."
He frowned. "She was about to hit him, Momy. Where did she get that boldness from?"
Momy took his hand and led him into a nearby guest room.
"I've already scolded her. She only acted out because she was upset about what you did earlier. Just let it go."
He sighed. "Fine. Where is Zhan?"
"I'm not giving your husband back to you until the day after tomorrow," she said firmly. "If you want to complain, go ahead. Since you didn't let his family prepare him properly, I will."
He looked confused. "Prepare him how?"
"Have you ever seen a young bride taken to her husband's house just like that? You overpowered his family, and they couldn't refuse you. But in our tradition, that's not how it's done. I won't hand him over until I've properly prepared him. If you don't like it, that's your problem."
Yiming stared at her, speechless.
"Come eat," she added, already walking out.
He followed her, but even with his usual boldness, he couldn't bring himself to argue with his mother.
She personally arranged his meal on the dining table and then went to the kitchen to prepare food for Zhan.
Yiming sat down but couldn't eat. His mind was restless...he hadn't even planned to sleep in the family house tonight with Zhan, considering everything he had intended.
Frustrated, he stood and went into the kitchen, where he found Momy supervising a tray of food being prepared for Zhan...far more elaborate than his own.
"Take this to my room and wait for me," she instructed the maid.
After the maid left, Yiming turned to her angrily.
"Why did Mei-Mei tell me Dad was critically ill when he's not even in the country?"
"He traveled to the U.S. for a medical check-up," she replied calmly. "Didn't he tell you? Their flight left at four in the afternoon. That's why I said you should have come earlier...you might have seen him."
Yiming fell silent.
"I'm going to check on my son-in-law," she added. "And don't take your anger out on Mei-Mei."
With that, she left him standing there.
Upstairs, the maid was waiting outside Momy's room with the tray. Momy unlocked the door and let her in. The maid placed the food in front of Zhan.
"Leave us," Momy said.
The maid hurried out.
Momy smiled at Zhan. "Here's your food, my dear."
She then took out a small bundle from her handbag, opened it, and secretly sprinkled its contents into the bowl of pepper soup.
"Drink everything, including the broth," she instructed.
Zhan simply nodded.
Momy sat down, turned on the TV, and watched as he slowly ate, his mind heavy with thoughts.
So this was it… he would have to endure the marriage. His entire family had accepted it. Even Yiming's mother seemed kind to him. Maybe this was his fate. Maybe he should just accept it and find peace.
His thoughts drifted to his housemate, and suddenly his eyes filled with tears. He quickly lowered his head so Momy wouldn't notice, wiping them away as they fell.
Once Momy was satisfied that he had eaten enough, she told him to bathe and repeat the cleansing process using everything she had shown him.
By the time Zhan came out, she had already laid out sleepwear and undergarments for him. He changed, said his night prayers, and lay down.
Momy didn't leave until almost 9:30 p.m. She tucked him into bed, turned off the lights, handed him the AC remote, and said, "Good night."
As she reached the door, she paused, came back slightly, and reminded him:
"If you wake up at night, don't forget to use the water and cleanse yourself again."
"Yes, Momy," he replied.
She locked the door again and went downstairs.
Yiming was alone in the living room, watching football, though his expression showed clear irritation.
"Good night," she told him.
He muttered a response.
She then went upstairs to join Mei-Mei and the others.
They all turned to her expectantly.
"Is everything done?" Aunt Quo asked.
Momy smiled. "Of course.You just need to show a little care to desperate people like him, and he'll trust you"
"Good," Mei-Mei said. "What about Yiming?"
"I already handled him," Momy replied calmly. "His medicine was mixed into his food too...and the tea. I sent the maid away to the backyard so I could do it myself."
Mei-Mei smiled darkly, clearly pleased. She knew Momy didn't deal with amateurs spiritualist...when she wanted something done, she went all the way. Even if it cost millions, she made sure it was effective.
💚💙❤🖤