Ning Li was in the kitchen washing dishes, not the least bit bothered by the way Yibo had treated her earlier. In fact, she was quite pleased that Zhan hadn't come to his defense, not even for a second. It made her remember how he had once stood against her, and now, seeing things finally going her way — especially with her mother visiting soon — brought a quiet smile to her lips.
Zhan sat alone in the sitting room, eyes fixed on the TV screen, though his mind was blank. The breakfast he'd asked Ning Li to set aside for Yibo remained untouched. A glance at the clock told him it was already ten. He sighed, stood, and headed to the kitchen to get a tray, a cup, and a spoon.
Ning Li looked at him in surprise. "What are you doing with those, dear?"
Zhan replied without looking at her, "Yibo hasn't eaten."
She frowned and went back to rinsing a plate. "If he's hungry, he can come get it himself. We left it for him....we've done our part. Maybe he's just not hungry."
Zhan gave a small nod and walked out. He poured a cup of tea in the sitting room where the supplies were still laid out, then placed it next to the plate of Irish potatoes and eggs on the tray before heading upstairs.
From the kitchen, Ning Li peeked out, watching his back as he disappeared up the stairs. Her heart suddenly clenched. The plate in her hand slipped back into the soapy water. She stepped out of the kitchen, eyes wide, following him with a quiet, shaken stare.
Upstairs, Zhan gently unlocked the bedroom door and stepped inside, closing it behind him. Yibo was sitting at the edge of the bed, arms wrapped around his knees, head bowed low.
Zhan placed the tray down slowly. "I brought you something to eat," he said softly.
Yibo stood quickly, avoiding his gaze, and headed toward the bathroom. But Zhan reached out and gently held his wrist.
"Yibo," he said, his voice careful. "Please talk to me."
Yibo's chest rose and fell rapidly, his face trembling with emotion. "Take me home," he whispered. "I don't want to spend another minute in this house. If you won't take me, I'll leave on my own."
Zhan stepped in front of him, blocking the path. "Did someone say something to you? What happened?"
Yibo's hands trembled as he tried to push Zhan away, but Zhan didn't move. Instead, he smiled faintly. "After the way you spoke to my wife, you're the one crying now?"
Yibo pushed him and said, "She's not your wife, but I am..." Zhan laughed and said, "You came back from my brother to my husband. When did that happen that I didn't know?"
Struggling, Yibo tried to free himself, but Zhan refused to let go. Yibo burst into tears and said, "Everything you do to me, I'll tell Bobo and Nainai until..." Yibo quickly felt what was happening to him and said, "What's this, Gege??"
Zhan closed his eyes and said nothing, continuing to kiss Yibo's entire body as if his life depended on it at that moment. Yibo pushed him away with his shaking body. At one point he got scared and said in a trembling voice, "Please let me go. I don't like this, Gege. What are you...?" Zhan held him tight, making the affair deeper and hotter; from there, he didn't give him another chance to talk.
Yibo was so scared at that moment; it's something that just came all of a sudden, all this, and Zhan didn't open his eyes, let alone look at him. Yibo's legs couldn't hold him at all. Seeing that he wanted to kneel down, Zhan laid him down on the bed, going further from where he stopped. At one point he opened his eyes, and they changed their appearance looking at Yibo. He lifted him up quickly and said, "Yibo, Yibo..."
Trying to catch his breath, Yibo was backing away. Zhan held him and looked at him, and he was also letting out a shaky breath until he saw that Yibo had calmed down completely and his breathing returned to normal. Then Yibo smack his hand with tears filling his eyes without looking at him. You could see he was scared. Zhan stood up and tried to hold him.
Yibo burst into tears, his body shaking as he backed away. He said, "Please, Gege, please let me go. I don't want this. Please forgive me."
Zhan said softly, "Come down and have breakfast."
Yibo's heart was pounding, but he still refused to look at him, just as Zhan didn't meet his eyes either. When Yibo noticed the breakfast tray on the floor, he frowned and said coldly, "I'm not eating." Then, quickly and nervously, he climbed down from the bed before Zhan could reach him, and said, "Gege, please don't touch me… I'm sorry."
Zhan looked at him with soft eyes and replied, "Alright, just sit down and eat."
Yibo shrugged and muttered, "Just buy me something else. I don't want this."
He turned away from Zhan, refusing to look at him.
Zhan smiled quietly, running his fingers through his hair, and asked in a low voice, "Really…?"
Without turning around, Yibo responded, "Yes. Just get me something else. I'm not eating this mess."
Zhan walked gently toward him. The sound of his steps made Yibo panic... he quickly turned and tried to leave. "Gege…"
Zhan only smiled, patting his head gently. "Alright then, let me go buy something for my little brother…"
Yibo quickly said, "Let's go together. I'll show you what I want to eat."
Still, he avoided Zhan's eyes the entire time.
Zhan replied softly, "Okay, let's go."
Yibo started to walk past him but then hesitated, stepping back as if about to cry. "Gege…"
Zhan opened his eyes. "What?"
Whispering, Yibo said, "Please don't touch or grabbed me."
With a playful smile, Zhan replied, "I won't touch you now… maybe later tonight, hmm?"
Yibo's heart raced. He looked at Zhan for the first time, eyes brimming with tears.
Zhan was still watching him and said, "Ok, I won't touch you, It's not like I'm desperate to touch someone who doesn't even want me… I will go and touch the one longing for my touches"
Yibo gave him a sharp glare and snapped, "That's not new. You even slept in her room last night."
Zhan blinked in surprise. "Her room?"
Yibo didn't answer. He left the room, ignoring Zhan completely.
Zhan bent down, picked up the tray, and exited as well.
Ning Li was sitting in the sitting room, tired of staring at the stairs, when she saw Yibo coming down. He didn't even glance her way as he walked past, going outside to grab his boxer.
She watched him with growing irritation, her heart burning.
When Zhan appeared, she stood up immediately, her face tense.
Zhan glanced at her once before heading to the kitchen.
She followed him, her eyes narrowing at the tray he had set down.
"I'll be back soon," Zhan said.
"Where are you going?" she asked quickly.
"I want to get him something to eat…"
She scowled. "What about this?"
"He said he's not eating it."
"I might as well get ready too. I didn't really have a proper breakfast anyway....you know I don't like Irish."
Zhan raised an eyebrow. "really? You said earlier you were getting used to it…"
She didn't respond and simply went upstairs.
Zhan watched her go, scratching his head, then grabbed his car keys and headed outside.
He found Yibo standing by the car. "We're going with Ning Li. She'll be out in a minute...."
Before he could finish, Yibo cut in, "Then go with her."
He turned to leave, but Zhan gently pulled him into a soft embrace.
In a low, affectionate voice, he murmured, "Come on, hubby…"
On the verge of tears, Yibo muttered, "She's not coming with us, or I'm not going. You're not her husband."
Zhan couldn't help but laugh. He rested his forehead against Yibo's and said, "So I'm your husband, little brother?"
Yibo kept staring at the front entrance. "Yes."
Zhan whispered, "So… we're sleeping together tonight?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"You won't be scared of me?"
"No."
Zhan kept talking, but Yibo wasn't listening. His attention was fixed on the sitting room entrance, waiting for Ning Li.
"You just said yes to all that with your own mouth," Zhan teased.
Yibo repeated softly, "Yes…"
Zhan lifted his head to look at Yibo's beautiful face, even though he knew he wasn't paying attention.
Just then, Ning Li came out, phone in hand.
Zhan gently released Yibo, hearing her footsteps.
He approached her and said, "Tell me what you want to eat, and I'll get it for you."
She gave him a pointed look. "Why?"
Yibo looked her straight in the eyes and said, "Because he's not your husband. Wait for a week—maybe then you can borrow him and ride in the car with him. But not today."
Ning Li stared at Yibo in disbelief, then turned to look at Zhan.
Zhan said, "Don't worry, I'll get you pizza. I'm guessing that's what you want for breakfast."
With that, he walked to the gate, opened it, then unlocked the car.
Yibo opened the front seat door and got in without sparing Ning Li a glance and shut the door close.
Zhan got into the driver's seat, started the car, and drove out of the compound. He stepped down briefly to close the gate, then got back in, and they left the neighborhood. For some reason, he couldn't stop smiling to himself. Yibo, however, refused to make eye contact with him the whole way.
After a while, Zhan spoke softly, "Aren't we supposed to take a bath before going out?"
Yibo quickly glanced at him. "Bath? I already did," he said.
Zhan chuckled. "Oh, I thought you hadn't."
Yibo turned his face away, frowning, and said nothing.
They stopped at a large eatery where Zhan bought breakfast for both Yibo and Ning Li. Yibo didn't say a word throughout. Once they were back in the car, Yibo asked, "Gege, can I borrow your phone? I want to call Li Na Jie and check if her place isn't too far. Maybe you could drop me off to say hi."
Zhan shook his head. "Not today."
Yibo pouted, as if about to cry. "Please, Gege. I really want to go."
Without waiting for an answer, Yibo started searching Zhan's pockets for his phone. Zhan widened his eyes in surprise and stared at him as he pulled out the phone, unable to look away.
Yibo unlocked the phone and went straight to the gallery. He saw countless pictures of Ning Li and, without hesitation, marked all of them and deleted them. Then he opened the contacts, found Li Na's number, and dialed.
After a few seconds, she picked up. After greetings, Yibo said, "Jie, send me your address. Gege's bringing me over now. You're home, right?"
"Yes, I'm here. I'll send it now," she replied.
Yibo ended the call and glanced at Zhan, who was still focused on the road.
"We're about to have guests from Beijing," Zhan said casually.
"Who?" Yibo asked.
Just then, the text with the address came in. Yibo looked at it, then turned the phone to show him. "Can't I take you there tomorrow instead?"
Yibo responded sharply, "No."
Zhan just smiled and took the turn toward the address. About fifteen minutes later, they arrived. Zhan parked directly in front of the house number Li Na had sent.
Yibo called her again. "I'm outside."
"Come in," she said. "Wait, are you with Zhan?"
"Yes," Yibo replied.
"Good, then both of you come in. My husband's here too—you can meet him."
"Alright," Yibo answered.
He turned to Zhan. "Go say hi. I'll wait for you here."
"You're not coming in?" Yibo asked.
"No."
Yibo frowned. "Come on, she specifically said you should come in and meet her husband. Or… are you feeling something deep down?"
Zhan raised a brow. "Like what?"
Yibo smiled mischievously. "Like jealousy, maybe?"
Zhan let out a laugh he hadn't meant to. "Not when I've already got you."
Yibo pouted. "You mean not when you've already got your precious Ning Li."
Zhan tugged his nose lightly. "And you're the husband, huh?"
Yibo shrugged. "I'm not your husband. Your wife's at home."
With that, he got out of the car. Zhan stepped out too, still watching him.
"We'll settle this little argument later tonight," Zhan said with a teasing smirk.
Yibo quickly turned to look at him but said nothing. He walked toward the gate as Zhan followed behind, still smiling.
The security guard opened the gate for them, and they drove in. Zhan stopped in the compound and said, "I'll wait here." Yibo walked to the front door and rang the bell. Li Na opened it and smiled brightly at the sight of him.
"Welcome, Yibo. Where's your gege?"
Yibo smiled back and replied, "He said he's not coming in. He's waiting outside."
Li Na looked surprised. "I thought you both came together with Zhan's wife."
Yibo gave a small laugh. "He dropped her off somewhere else."
Just then, Li Na spotted Zhan through the gate. "Dr. Zhan, come in! You should greet my husband."
Zhan nodded. "Alright," he said, then started walking toward them.
Li Na gently took Yibo's hand as they walked inside. Both she and her husband, Dr. Wuxia, gave them a warm welcome. Dr. Wuxia turned to Zhan and said with a smile, "So, where's your wife? You should've brought her to catch up with Li Na."
Zhan smiled as he looked at Yibo, who subtly shook his head, silently pleading with him not to say anything. Li Na noticed their silent exchange, as did her husband.
Zhan scratched his head, still smiling, and said casually, "She's right here... He's my husband."
Li Na stared at Yibo in pure shock, blinking in disbelief. Her husband smiled and said, "Well, congratulations then. So it's a family bond marriage. Li Na told me you were his cousin."
Zhan nodded. "Yes, it's a family match....but we already love each other."
Li Na kept staring at Yibo, who still refused to meet her eyes. Meanwhile, Zhan carried on chatting comfortably with Dr. Wuxia.
Eventually, Li Na stood up, looked at Yibo, and said softly, "Let's go to the other room. I want to talk to my little brother."
Yibo got up without a word. Zhan watched him leave with a smile, and Yibo shot him a glare, as if on the verge of tears, before following Li Na.
Once they entered the room, Li Na locked the door behind them and turned to Yibo quickly. "Yibo, are you serious? Zhan is your husband now?"
Yibo didn't respond. His eyes welled up with tears. Li Na immediately hugged him, filled with happiness.
"Oh, I'm so happy for you, Yibo! You really got yourself a good husband…"
Yibo still said nothing, wiping away a tear. Li Na looked at him with concern. "Why are you crying? Don't you want this marriage, Yibo?"
He sat on the edge of the bed, wiping his face. "I love him, of course. In fact, I was the one who suggested we get married. It's just… after the wedding, I don't know why I started feeling uneasy. I've been scared and shy around Gege. There was someone else I almost married… someone I thought I wanted, but I let go. Now I think the pain in my heart is slowly fading."
Li Na sat beside him, full of sympathy and concern. "Oh Yibo, I didn't even know all this… But listen to me: Zhan is the best thing that could've happened to you. That's why this all worked out the way it did. You know him better than anyone."
Yibo broke into quiet sobs. "But what about the girl, Ning Li? The one his mom wanted him to marry? He already has someone else…"
Li Na couldn't help but laugh. She grabbed his hand and said, "Come on, Yibo. In this kind of marriage, you fight for your place and win him over... even from his mother! You're already doing it… just keep spoiling him like you do, and show her he's yours with actions like today."
Yibo pouted. "But I'm still embarrassed…"
Li Na smiled knowingly. "Yibo, I've always suspected Zhan had feelings for you. The way he cared about you.... it was more than brotherly love. Even after we drifted apart, I never believed he didn't love you. I think he just kept it buried because of his mom. But I never feel jealousy around you. That last time he came to visit me, he told me maybe someday he'd meet his little brother. I knew he meant you."
Yibo just stared at her in surprise.
Li Na asked, "So, he broke things off with that girl his mom wanted him to marry?"
Yibo pouted and replied, "No. She's still around. We're actually all living together now. And I don't like her."
Li Na's eyes widened. "She's still there?? How long have you two been married now?"
Yibo replied, "Tomorrow makes it a week. But this is our first day in Tianjin."
Li Na asked, "And how many nights have you actually spent with Zhan?"
Yibo hesitated, then softly answered, "Just two…"
Li Na smiled and said, "Well then, there's no room left for awkwardness between you and Gege now, right?"
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛