It was almost eleven at night when Yichen entered Zhan's room. He was sitting on the bed, his head resting against the headboard. He looked up at her briefly, then turned his face away. He looked so frustrated. The plate of food Yibo had brought him earlier still sat untouched.
Yichen quietly closed the door behind her and walked slowly into the room. She sat down on a chair, watching him. Just one look at her, and you could tell she was deeply troubled... and visibly unwell.
Zhan didn't say a word, and she finally spoke up softly, "Can you hear me, Zhan?"
He gave her a small nod, still not looking at her. "I can hear you."
Instead of speaking further, tears began to spill from her eyes. Then she broke down completely, sobbing. Zhan refused to look her way or say anything.
Shaking her head and speaking through trembling lips, she said, "I don't even know where to start, Zhan. I don't know how to explain. But you need to know... everything Ning Li said was true. She didn't lie. Every single word was the truth. And the only reason I ever did what I did... was because of the resentment I held toward Yuting.
"I've been through hell in my husband's house because of her. She dragged me into this mess, made me bitter and hateful. She made me do the things I did. But if I had known that fate would twist like this...that you would end up marrying Yibo...I swear, I never would have done any of it.
"I still can't believe you're going to have children with Yuting's son. I don't even know how I'm supposed to live with that, Zhan."
She wiped her face, sniffling, then burst again, "To this day, I hate this marriage between you and Yibo. I hate it with every fiber of my being. I've said it before, and I'll say it again....I don't want it. Not now, not ever. If this marriage continues, I'd rather God just take my life…"
She sobbed harder, shaking. Then her voice dropped low again. "But I know there's nothing I can do now. I can't stop this marriage, no matter how much I wish I could. All I can do is keep hating it silently. But I won't interfere....I won't come between you two. You've always listened to me since the beginning, Zhan. No matter what I told you to do, even when you didn't want to, you always obeyed me with respect. You never argued."
"So I'll say this....I want no part in your marriage. I don't care about your husband or whatever children you two might have. I won't recognize any child from Yuting's family as mine. Not now, not ever. And honestly, I even hope you never get to have children with him."
She drew a deep breath, her voice more composed now. "Lastly, I'm sorry… for the pain, the humiliation, and the frustration I've caused you.... before and now. I know people are talking... but you'll have to be strong. Just pretend everything is fine."
With that, she stood up, wiped her tears, and quietly left the room. Zhan watched her go, then slowly leaned his head back against the bedframe. He closed his eyes, and the tears he had been holding back finally fell.
In another room, Yibo lay on his bed, wide awake. He wasn't sleeping....he was wondering if Zhan had eaten the food he brought earlier or not.
After a while, he sat up and stepped off the bed, heading toward his wardrobe. He stood there for over two minutes before opening it and pulling out his lesson bag. He returned to the bed, sat down, and carefully opened the bag.
Inside was a paper Zhan had once thrown at him through the window a long time ago. Yibo took it out and stared at the neatly folded sheet. Slowly, he began to unfold it, eyes tracing the handwriting inside. He hadn't even read a full line when he suddenly looked up...someone had just opened the door.
Yuting entered the room and quietly shut the door. Yibo kept watching her as she walked over and sat beside the bed, her eyes on the paper in his hand, which she then gently took from him. Yibo lowered his gaze, his heart pounding.
After reading the contents of the paper, Yuting set it aside and softly said, "Yibo."
He raised his head slightly to look at her.
In a gentle tone, she asked, "From everything I can see, you're now happy being married to Zhan, aren't you?"
Yibo dropped his gaze again and said nothing.
Yuting shook her head with a faint, strained smile. "I'm shocked you gave in so easily, Yibo. Truly shocked. But know this....I will never be proud of your marriage to Zhan. Never."
Tears welled up in Yibo's eyes as he remained silent.
"And since you accepted him so quickly just because he sweet-talked you like men often do, just know whatever happens from now on, I'll only offer prayers for you, Yibo. Since you've decided this marriage is a blessing and gave in so calmly… and it happened so fast."
With that, Yuting stood and walked toward the door. Yibo stared after her, tears rolling down his cheeks.
Before she could leave, he called out, "Gege has nothing to do with it, and you know that Mu Qin. And I never said I've accepted it. It's not about accepting or not accepting… I've always loved him and you know that deep down. You're just pretending because of his mother."
Yuting turned back, gave him a soft smile, and said, "I never said your Gege had anything to do with this. And I never said I didn't know you love him. In fact, I knew about your first marriage too. I just pray that you're safe from his mother's wickedness. Go now, be with him."
Then, Yuting left the room.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
The next day, Yichen noticed the unusual silence. Zong hadn't called her like she'd been waiting for, and he had left the house early that morning. In the evening, she went to the sitting room after he returned, but he said nothing to her. He only asked what Zhan and Yibo came for the previous day, since she hadn't seen Zhan herself.
Forcing a smile, she replied, "Maybe they just came to greet us. I think they've already left.... I haven't seen them at all today."
Zong didn't say anything further. Yichen quietly left the room, puzzled about why Nainai or Beiting hadn't spoken to him about Mochen's visit. At least now, she felt a bit at ease, assuming they didn't approve of Sen Wen's mother. She prayed the matter would end there. The anxiety had been eating her alive..... she hadn't told a single one of her friends about her worries.
As she stepped out of the sitting room, Meiling said, "Xulin came looking for you. She's upstairs."
Yichen hurried upstairs upon hearing that Xulin had come to see her. She found her dear friend sitting at the edge of her bed. Yichen shut the door and, noticing her expression, asked with concern, "Is everything alright, Xulin?"
Xulin suddenly burst into tears, dropping the paper in her hand and clasping her head with trembling hands. "I'm ruined, Yichen! Suiye's father divorced me…"
Yichen's eyes widened. "He divorced you? What happened? Why?"
Tears streamed down Xulin's face as she shook her head. "Suiye disgraced me publicly, Yichen. She followed a boy to a hotel. One of her father's friends saw her taking a phone from the boy, took a picture, and brought it straight to her father. Since yesterday, I've known no peace. He almost beat her senseless, and when I tried to express my anger at what he did, suddenly.... just like that....he divorced me."
She grabbed Yichen's hand, pleading, "Please, Yichen, come with me. Let's go talk to that man. He has to have a solution to this. I can't go back to my maternal house like this.... it's not mine anymore…"
Yichen, her mouth agape, said, "Well, it seems my problem is even worse than yours, Xulin..."
Then she poured out everything that had happened from the previous day till now, her eyes brimming with tears. Shaking her head, she added, "Xulin, I'm scared. I don't know what kind of scheme Sun Yue and her cursed daughter are planning against me, but I know this won't end here. And that woman we visited... the boy's mother....I still don't understand what lies she told Nainai and Beiting. And Zong... he hasn't said a word to me. Did they not tell him? Or is he just silent? What am I supposed to do, Xulin? I couldn't sleep last night. I've had nothing but water all day. My whole body feels like it's coming down with a fever."
Xulin, tears sliding down her own cheeks, replied not for Yichen's sake but for her own, "Honestly, Yichen, your issue is nothing compared to mine. At most, you'll be asked about the boy's mother, and all you have to do is swear over and over that you never went to her house. An oath is final. They'll leave you and your truth to the heavens. But me? Get up and go with me to that seer. If my marriage falls apart, then my whole life is finished. Where will I even go? I have no one. I'm an orphan."
Yichen shook her head. "Then you'll have to go with Fang because as for me, I'm never setting foot in that seer's place again. Knowing him has brought me nothing but misery. All I've done is suffer, and I've never tasted a single moment of success. What good was it that he split that marriage and arranged one for my son? The man is a fraud! Just a pathetic charlatan who pretends to know the future while taking all my money. And now? Now he's ruined my life. Look at the mess I'm in!"
Xulin stood up, glaring. "You're truly ungrateful, Yichen. After everything I did for you...going from one place to another, dragging you to that seer and then that spiritual man...this is how you repay me?"
Yichen stood too. "Please, Xulin. Just leave. You've seen me now. I'm dealing with something heavier than you can imagine."
Xulin gave a bitter smile. "Fine, Yichen. I'll go. But just know, you too will reap what you've sown. All the wrong you've done, all the destruction you caused, it's coming for you. What you're experiencing now is just the beginning." With that, Xulin stormed out of the room, wiping away her tears as if she were about to fly away.
🔹▪️▫️🔸
That night, Yibo was sitting in Nainai's sitting room, staring blankly at the television. It was on, but he had no idea what was playing. His mind was elsewhere. Nainai, meanwhile, was by the sink, grinding spices. When she finished, she came in and started dusting the chairs. Glancing at Yibo, she said, "There's word of an attack coming up in two days. They're planning something big, but whatever happens... It will harm the ones that couse it, we'll survive it. We'll cling to hope and carry on."
She continued, "Honestly, it's because of all the charity I gave that Zhan brought you back safely to me. One thing I know is that unless Zhan wronged you in your marriage, he hasn't give you the marriage gifts. And if Zong talk, then let him talk.... I won't let this humiliation continue... Zhan had to arrange something for you. Did he ever enter your room at night? Did he ever sleep there?"
Yibo kept staring at the TV, silent.
Nainai snapped, "Hey!"
Startled, Yibo turned to her quickly. Nainai said, "So, are you ignoring me now? It's been days since you came around, and suddenly the house has been so quiet. No one has provoked me or made me shout. And who else would make me shout and yell around here if not you and Zhan?"
Angrily, Yibo replied, "Why do you always assume everything is about me?"
He suddenly buried his face in the cushion and started crying. Then he stood up and ran into Nainai's room.
Nainai rolled her eyes. "What do I care if he brought you and then left you? Still, I don't believe it happened like that. That man didn't create you; he think he have you like charity. So clearly, the worthless one isn't you... it's him."
Lying on the bed, Yibo muttered softly, "Like she even cares..."
A few minutes later, he reached for Nainai's phone on the bed, stared at it for a while, then dialed Zhan's number. Just as it was about to disconnect, Zhan answered.
In a choked voice, Yibo said, "Where did you go today?"
Zhan replied gently, "I'll be back soon. Where are you?"
"I'm in Nainai's part of the house," Yibo answered.
Zhan gave a light laugh. "Are you missing me?"
Yibo quickly replied, "No, not really. I just realized I haven't seen you. And I don't know if you've eaten."
Zhan chuckled. "I'll come in now. What should I bring for you?"
Yibo hid his face like Zhan's looking at him and muttered, "Chicken wings... Our baby's feeling cranky today."
Then they both heard Nainai's voice from the door way.
"So now you're calling Zhan with my phone credit? Honestly, I'm leaving this one to the heavens. Zhan didn't buy me this credit, and neither did his father. Quentin did before he left. What kind of temptation is this? What exactly do you have with Zhan that you're calling him with my phone? I swear, this child will be the end of me."
Yibo quickly hung up and tossed the phone onto the bed, turning his back with a stiff expression.
Nainai picked up her phone. "Who even is this Zhan that you keep calling with my phone, you stubborn little..."
And with that, she walked out of the room.
Yibo still lying on her bed when he heard the front door of the sitting room open. He quickly sat up, eyes on the doorway.
Zhan was sitting in the sitting room, watching Nainai as she turned the milk porridge mixture in front of her while eyeing the bag in his hand. He said, "Good afternoon."
With a smile, she replied, "Welcome."
He didn't respond. She picked up a cup and nearly filled it with the milk porridge mixture before handing it to him. "I made this especially for you," she said.
He accepted it and set it aside. As she reached for the bag he had dropped, he quickly snatched it away and asked, "Who told you this bag is yours?"
She scoffed, "What, do you think I was going to take it, Zhan? Come on, don't be ridiculous. I was only curious about what's inside."
With that, she sat back down, her face tight with annoyance.
Yibo stood at the bedroom door, watching them quietly. Zhan glanced at him but said nothing. Yibo turned to Nainai again and asked, "So where's my own porridge?"
Before he could finish the question, Nainai snapped, "I'm not giving you any."
Zhan laughed, picked up his cup, and handed it to Yibo instead. Yibo smiled at Nainai and took it.
Nainai stood up and walked to the door. She opened it and said sharply, "Get out and give me space, Zhan."
Zhan got up, glanced at Yibo, and switched to English as he said, "I'll call you with her phone."
Yibo pouted, "She won't let me use it though."
Zhan grinned, "Then hide the phone."
They paused when they noticed Nainai was suddenly quiet. They turned to see her with tears in her eyes. Zhan suppressed a laugh, and Yibo looked away with a sulky expression.
In a trembling voice, Nainai muttered, "If I don't scold you, who will... That you're insulting me in another language?"
Zhan turned to Yibo and reminded him, "Don't forget to hide the phone."
"I will," Yibo nodded.
Zhan smiled, walked toward the door, and switched back to Mandarin, saying, "Good night, Nainai."
He left, and she locked the door behind him.
Yibo was about to storm into the bedroom when Nainai warned sternly, "Don't even think about entering that room. Your mother, Yuting, isn't here to clean up after you. You want to throw those chicken bones away and cause me trouble."
Yibo scoffed and returned to the sitting room. He placed the chicken wings bag and the cup of porridge Zhan gave him on the table and went to the kitchen to fetch a plate. By the time he came back, Nainai had already snatched the cup and poured its contents into a bowl, covering it tightly.
"I'm not giving it away," she muttered.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
Until Sunday, Yibo stayed in Nainai's section of the house, refusing to go to his own area....mostly out of embarrassment around his mother. Eventually, even Nainai gave up, and whenever Zhan called using her phone, she would just tell them, "If it's using my credit, don't even try."
At ten minutes to ten, Yibo was in the sitting room watching TV, while Nainai sipped her tea. That's when Quentin walked in. Yibo jumped up from where he was sitting, full of joy at the sight of him. But oddly enough, he found himself hesitating...he didn't run into his father's arms as usual.
Quentin smiled at the sight. "You guys didn't leave yet?" he asked.
Nainai cut in, "Nope. I told him he's not going anywhere. Zhan didn't arrange something for him to start giving out wedding gifts. As long as there are no boxes, he's not leaving this house, Quentin. Is that how they gave you his mother...empty-handed?"
Quentin didn't say anything. He sat on the sofa. Yibo sit beside him, smiling, and greeted him.
"How are you doing son?" Quentin asked.
"I'm good, Fu Qin. How was your trip?"
"Good," Quentin replied.
Then he looked over at Nainai. "Good evening, AYi."
"Evening, Quentin. Blessings upon you," she said.
"Amen. How's the household?"
"Well, we're here, and we thank God," she replied.
"Well, I'm back, Ayi like you want me," Quentin said.
Nainai snorted, "Oh no, don't say you're back yet. Go rest before I send someone looking for you again."
Quentin fell silent, just watching her. Then he stood up and said, "See you later."
"May we live to see it," she replied.
Yibo also said goodbye as Quentin left the sitting room.
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛