Chapter 22

Yi Bo glanced at his phone screen, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the number. He quickly released Zhan, frantically checking the call logs to see if Zhan had dialed the number. Seizing the opportunity, Zhan darted out of the room and into his own, locking the door behind him. He leaned against it, trying to catch his breath, a look of disbelief spreading across his face.

"How did Leo's number appear on Lee's phone after I only started dialing? How is that even possible?" he wondered aloud. Then he reassured himself, "It must've been when he took my phone yesterday and copied the number." Zhan sat down on the edge of his bed, deep in thought. "Does this mean after Lee threw my phone in the water, he dried it off, went through my call logs, and took Leo's number?"

Frustration crept in as Zhan muttered, "Only Leo, Aunt Bing, and He Peng have my new number. I bet he saved them on his phone too." Annoyed, he clicked his tongue and stood up, pacing to the window. "Why am I even stressing over this? My real frustration is that I didn't throw his phone in the water myself."

By noon, hunger forced him to venture out. Quietly, he opened his door and slipped into the living room. Yi Bo wasn't there, but Zhan noticed his door was ajar. He cautiously made his way to the kitchen. Through the window, he spotted Yi Bo sitting outside, talking on the phone. Zhan strained to listen, but the window was closed, and he didn't dare open it for fear of drawing attention.

Determined to find out who Yi Bo was talking to, Zhan snuck outside, positioning himself where he could overhear the conversation. Yi Bo's voice dropped as he said, "But Baby, why do you think I'm in China? Did someone say they saw me?" Zhan's eyes widened in disbelief. Yi Bo chuckled softly, "When I get back, I'll visit my mom and then come straight to you. I won't eat anything from her... I'll eat yours until I'm full."

Zhan, shocked and speechless, stood frozen as Yi Bo continued in a smooth, cool tone, "I know, Nia... Soon, just like I promised, we'll get married."

Unable to contain himself, Zhan burst out laughing and clapping his hands sarcastically. "Oh, the wonders never cease! A grown man sitting here telling fairy tales!" Yi Bo spun around, startled, as Zhan approached, glaring at him. "A grown man, lying through his teeth! So you're not in China? Really? Which planet are you on then?" Zhan scoffed. "And as for her, she's a fool for believing such nonsense."

Yi Bo's face hardened as he ended the call. "Don't ever call her a fool," he warned, his voice cold.

Zhan crossed his arms defiantly. "I'll call her whatever I want. What are you going to do about it? You want to make your sweet little calls? Go to the street and do it! This is my father's house, not some phone booth."

Yi Bo took a step forward, his eyes locked on Zhan. "You'll see who the real fool is."

Zhan shot back, "Oh, it's definitely you two fools, not me. And don't you dare call anyone in my father's house again."

Without another word, Yi Bo shook his head and walked away, leaving Zhan fuming. "Not in China, huh? You can't even afford a plane ticket out of this city, let alone leave the country!" he muttered under his breath. "You'll never even smell an airport."

Yi Bo was already out of sight, his phone ringing again. Zhan followed him, yelling, "Go make your calls in the street! Not in my father's house!" But Yi Bo ignored him, locking himself in his room.

Zhan huffed in frustration and went back to the kitchen, throwing together some ramen. As he cooked, he heard a knock at the gate. Peeking into the living room, he saw Yi Bo coming out to answer it. Seizing the chance, Zhan darted out of the kitchen and snuck into Yi Bo's room. His hands shook as he grabbed Yi Bo's phone from the bed. He quickly scrolled through the call logs, searching for the number he was talking to earlier.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw the name....Nia. "How is this possible?" he whispered to himself. He had blocked this number just yesterday.

Determined to expose Yi Bo, Zhan dialed the number. It rang, but there was no answer. He called again....still nothing.

As Yi Bo reached the gate and opened it, Zan Jin stood outside, smiling slightly as he greeted, "Good afternoon?" Without much emotion, Yi Bo responded, "Where are you from, and who are you looking for?" Still smiling, Zan Jin replied, "You might act like you don't recognize me, but I know you do. I didn't come for anything else but to apologize for what my friends and I did to you two days ago. Since then, I haven't had peace because mistreating others isn't in my nature or how I was raised. It was the first time I did something like that, and we only did it to make our friend happy. But afterward, I realized we were wrong to follow him and disrespect you."

"I talked to my friends about coming here to apologize without Zhan knowing, but they refused. So, I decided to come on my own. Please forgive us. Yesterday, when Zhan left for school, he came back early because we explained the consequences of disrespecting elders, even if you don't like them. That's why he returned home early. He doesn't know I'm here; I came alone."

Yi Bo replied curtly, "In short, what do you want, mister?" Zan Jin lowered his gaze, speaking quietly, "I came to apologize for what we did and seek your forgiveness." Yi Bo responded, "Keep your apology to yourself, and pass theirs back to them. You didn't do anything to upset me enough to need an apology."

Zan Jin looked up, confused. "So, you haven't forgiven us?" Yi Bo replied indifferently, "I said, did you even do anything to upset me to the point of needing an apology?"

Zan Jin tilted his head slightly. "By the way, my name is Zhu Zan Jin, but my friends call me Zan J...." Before he could finish, Yi Bo closed the gate in his face and walked back inside.

When Yi Bo returned to his room, his phone rang. Seeing Nia's name, he answered. "I saw your missed calls," she said. Surprised, Yi Bo replied, "My missed calls?" "Yes, a few minutes ago." He quickly said, "Oh, sorry, that was a mistake." "Alright, talk later?" "Sure."

After hanging up, he checked the call logs and saw that Zhan had called Nia. He stared at the door, his expression hardening.

*****

Later in the evening, Yi Bo got ready to leave for the Mansion, as Zhan's father had called him. Meanwhile, Zhan was in his room, overwhelmed by everything. He moved restlessly from the bed to the floor, unable to stay still. His life had never been so confined. He used to leave the house at ten in the morning and not return until evening, always out with friends. But now, he was stuck between his room and the bathroom, without a phone or any distraction. This realization brought him to tears, his frustration erupting in a fit of crying and foot-stomping. He wished someone would just shoot Yi Bo to dead so he could be free.

When Yi Bo arrived at the Mansion, he parked outside and saw Yang rushing over with a big grin, waving enthusiastically. "Finally, boss!" Yang laughed as he approached. Yi Bo turned off the car and stepped out. Yang burst into laughter. "Two days ago, Sheng told us something funny he heard from Lian. Is it true?"

Yi Bo frowned. "What story?" Yang grinned. "Come on, it's me, Yang. What are you hiding?" Yi Bo smiled faintly. "Nothing to hide from you." Yang dragged him over to a bench where they usually sat. "Even this bench missed you," he joked.

Yi Bo rubbed his head. "So, what's going on?" Yang replied, "Not much has changed since you left. Mr. Xiao still hasn't returned to work. He's been receiving condolences in his room all day. Zhan's mother is still bedridden with an IV drip. Her younger sister is taking care of her, while the other one—the troublesome one who came back from abroad—has been at the Mansion. Yesterday, she left early in the morning without even checking on her sister and got into a small accident. No one told Mr. Xiao, and she made sure to hide the car so he wouldn't see it."

Yang continued, laughing. "So how's it going with that boy? I thought he'd kill himself after seeing his father marry him off to you. He really hates you."

Yi Bo replied calmly, "Well, I haven't killed myself yet, so if anyone does, it'll be me." Yang burst into laughter. "You've been wronged, my friend. Even his future grandkids will see that viral video of him. It's a stain that'll never wash off. Thank goodness your parents aren't tech-savvy, or they'd never have agreed to this marriage. Did you see the video?"

"Sheng zoomed in so we could see everything clearly. At this point, it doesn't matter if he's clothed or not; the world knows what he looks like underneath."

Yi Bo's expression darkened instantly, but Yang shook his head. "Honestly, getting involved with that boy is a disaster. If not for his father, what would you even see in him? You're a decent man, but he's... trash. He's ruined his reputation all over town. We've seen him stumbling in at dawn so many times, even before you came. His antics are too many to count."

"Ling talks about it all the time. If he knew about this arranged marriage, he'd have stopped you. He would've told you not to go through with it, no matter what Mr. Xiao said. Mr. Xiao hasn't been fair to you, forcing you to marry his spoiled son when his elder brother's children are around. Zhan's a ruined boy, and everyone knows it. Even if I had money, I wouldn't marry him, let alone for free."

Yi Bo stood up, heading towards the house. Yang called after him, "Wait, we're done already? Or are you coming back after you go inside?"

Yi Bo sat on the balcony and called Mr. Xiao to inform him of his arrival. Mr. Xiao, busy with guests, asked for a few minutes, and Yi Bo agreed, sitting back down, still lost in thought over Yang's words. Aunty An soon appeared, gathering laundry. Noticing him, she said, "Oh, it's you... here again." He greeted her, and she asked, "How's everything?" He replied, "All good." She then said, "Why don't you go inside?" Yi Bo only smiled and stayed silent. She added, "Go on, Lei can take you to see Ren. You know she's not feeling well." He asked, "But she's getting better, right?" Aunty An nodded, "Yes, she's improving." Yi Bo replied, "I wish her a quick recovery."

After she left, Yi Bo made his way to the living room with his head down. Lei spotted him and rushed over, hugging him excitedly. "Handsome Gege, it's been so long!" Yi Bo patted Lei's head and said, "I'm here now. Where's Mei?" Lei answered, "She's with Aunty Ren; she's not feeling well." Yi Bo nodded, "Alright, take me to greet her."

Lei led Yi Bo to Mrs. Xiao's section of the house. He knocked on the living room door, and one of Mrs. Xiao's friends answered. Yi Bo entered, keeping his head low, and sat on the carpet, quietly greeting everyone. They all returned his greeting. Ren, who had just had her last IV drip removed, sat silently, watching him. After a few moments, Yi Bo lifted his head and asked softly, "How are you feeling… Mother?"

With a weak voice, she replied, "I'm better now, Lee. How are things with you?" Yi Bo lowered his gaze again and answered, "Everything's fine. I wish you a speedy recovery." She thanked him, and they both sat in silence.

After some time, one of Ren's friends stood up and left. A few minutes later, Ren broke the silence. "I'm sorry, Lee. You've been wronged, marrying someone who doesn't deserve you. I know you couldn't refuse the offer Xiao made..."

Yi Bo quickly interjected, "No, Mother. Maybe this is just our fate, and we have to believe it's for the best." Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered, "I don't know what to say except to apologize for what Xiao did. And I won't ask you to endure Zhan if you can't. If it's too much, I'll support you in divorcing him and bringing him home..."

With quiet determination, Yi Bo responded, "That won't happen, Mother." She wiped her tears and fell silent. Yi Bo, feeling emotionally drained, stared at the floor, his mind swirling. After a moment, he glanced up to see her watching him. Gently, he said, "I'll go see Father." She replied softly, "Thank you, Son." He slowly stood up and left the room.

In the main living room, Yi Bo crossed paths with Aunty Bing. She gave him a brief look, clicked her tongue, and disappeared into the kitchen.

He simply watched her in silence.

Yi Bo took a seat and respectfully greeted Mr. Xiao. Zhan's father replied, "How's everything at home?" Yi Bo answered, "We're managing." Mr. Xiao continued, "It's time for you to prepare. Tomorrow, you should take Zhan to your hometown to visit your parents. You can both return after a few days." Yi Bo paused for a moment, then lifted his head and said, "Yes, Father." Mr. Xiao added, "Zhuo approached me about a matter yesterday, but we'll discuss it when you return."

Yi Bo responded, "Understood, Father. Thank you." Mr. Xiao pulled out some cash and handed it to Yi Bo, saying, "Fill up the car with gas and buy some gifts for your parents with the rest." Yi Bo accepted it with both hands, replying, "Thank you very much, Father." Together, they left the living room, and just as they reached the main hall, Aunty Bing emerged from the kitchen and said, "Oh, Lee, you're leaving? Wait, here's some food for you to take to Zhan; everything's ready."

Yi Bo looked at her and replied, "Okay." She quickly returned to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Mr. Xiao sat in the parlor, visibly distressed. His expression revealed the inner turmoil he was battling. Though he pretended to punish Zhan for various things, deep down, he knew how much he loved his son. Still, he couldn't shake the disappointment and embarrassment Zhan had caused him in front of others.

Aunty Bing returned with a food warmer and another containing chicken. Opening them, she gave Yi Bo a concerned look. "Please make sure to coax him into eating when you get there. He's lost so much weight from worrying. The last time I was there, it took everything I had to get him to eat. I don't even know what his current state is. That poor boy... who knows, maybe he's not eating anything nutritious."

Mr. Xiao remained silent while Yi Bo stared at her. After a while, Mr. Xiao stood up and said, "Wait for me, Lee." Yi Bo replied, "Okay, Father." It didn't take long for Mr. Xiao to return, holding more cash, which he handed to Yi Bo, saying, "Buy him a carton of malt drinks and some canned milk."

Aunty Bing shot Mr. Xiao a sideways glance as she observed him. Yi Bo took the money and said, "I'll stop by and buy them, Father." Mr. Xiao replied, "Good night." Aunty Bing quietly turned and retreated into the kitchen, standing by the cabinet, lost in thought.

When Yi Bo arrived home, he parked his car, locked the gate, and carried the food into the living room. He then returned to the car to fetch the drinks and milk, putting them away before locking the house. He sat on the sofa, leaned back, and closed his eyes.

If only he had known things would turn out like this, he would never have agreed to come to Beijing in the first place. Where would he even begin to make amends? The only person who kept coming to mind was his mother. This wasn't going to be easy. Finally, he stood up and slowly headed to his room. But just as he opened his door, he hesitated, turned around, and opened Zhan's door instead.

He found Zhan sitting on the floor, his eyes red and swollen from crying. Yi Bo said, "Don't you ever get tired of crying? Like a baby, you cry over everything instead of finding solutions." Zhan glared at him. Yi Bo shrugged and closed the door, returning to the living room.

A few moments later, Zhan followed him, standing behind the sofa and sobbing quietly. Yi Bo glanced up at him, seemingly unwilling to say anything, but then he spoke, "Did you take your meds?" Frustrated, Zhan snapped, "I don't know! Do you think you have the right to keep punishing me? You took both my phones away! Just wait and see what happens if you don't return them to me!"

Yi Bo got up and walked away, heading straight to his room and locking the door behind him. Zhan was left crying once again, his greatest worry being that Leo would keep calling only to find the phone switched off. Now he had no way to reach him. If the gate hadn't been locked, he would have gone to a neighbor's house to call Leo, but Yi Bo had locked it when he came in.

Ignoring the food warmers in the living room, Zhan returned to his room, crying until almost 2 a.m., unable to sleep. The weight of the world seemed to rest on his shoulders. Just last week, he had been sleeping peacefully on his bed, and now everything was falling apart. Slowly, he got up, wiped his eyes, and headed toward the door.

Carefully, he opened his door and stepped out. The whole house was dark, as Yi Bo had turned off all the lights. Feeling his way in the darkness, Zhan made his way to Yi Bo's room and gently turned the handle, opening the door. It was dark inside too. He began fumbling for a socket or switch to find Yi Bo's phone charger but found nothing. Quietly, he approached the bed, reaching out, only to feel his hand land on Yi Bo's bare chest.

Startled, Zhan jumped, ready to flee, but Yi Bo grabbed him and pulled him onto the bed beside him. Yi Bo knelt beside him, hearing Zhan's shaky breathing in the dark. Unable to see his face, Zhan stammered, trembling, "I swear, I was just looking for a flashlight to go get water in the kitchen..."

Yi Bo smirked in the darkness and said, "You were looking for a flashlight because of a power outage instead of just turning on the light? Or... did you come to claim your rights as a married couple?"

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