26

Hai Kuan parked right in front of Yibo's house, then turned to Zhan and said,

"See you tomorrow."

Zhan asked, "Gege, will you bring my bag tomorrow?"

Hai Kuan raised a brow, "What do you need it for?"

"My readings materials are inside."

Hai Kuan didn't say anything else. Seeing that, Zhan opened the car door and said,

"Good night Gege."

Hai Kuan replied, "Take care."

Zhan got out of the car, locked the door, and headed toward the gate. Hai Kuan didn't leave until he saw Zhan enter the compound, then he reversed and drove off.

Zhan stood quietly by the door, knocked lightly, then stepped aside to wait. After hearing no response, he knocked again. The door finally opened, and he came face-to-face with Min. She shot him a sharp glare, let out a loud hiss of disapproval, slammed the door in his face, and locked it.

Zhan couldn't help but purse his lips in frustration. He unlocked his phone and called Yibo. It barely rang before Yibo picked up.

"You're back?" Yibo asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll open the door for you."

Yibo hung up, walked out of the bedroom, and into the living room. Min sat on the couch, glaring at the TV with an expression that revealed neither joy nor anger. Yibo reached the door, opened it, and saw Zhan standing there.

Once Zhan entered the living room, Yibo asked, "Hai Kuan ge left already?"

Zhan nodded.

Yibo added, "Alright, I'll give you a spare key to keep with you."

Zhan headed for his room while Yibo watched him.

"Where's your bag?"

"Hai Kuan Gege will bring it tomorrow," Zhan replied.

"Okay," Yibo responded, watching him disappear into his room.

Yibo sat down next to Min.

"Where's the black tea I asked you to make?"

Min ignored him.

"Madam, I'm talking to you," he repeated, his voice calm.

After a few seconds, Min finally stood up and walked toward the kitchen. Yibo watched her disappear inside, then stood and went to Zhan's room.

Zhan was standing, folding his jacket. Yibo shut the door behind him, lowering his voice.

"Why didn't you greet her, Baby?"

Zhan replied bluntly, "She slammed the door in my face."

Yibo paused, saying nothing. Zhan finished folding his jacket and was about to take out his sleepwear when Yibo added,

"You could've at least greeted her… she's your elder."

Zhan turned to look at him, his eyes sharp. Yibo rubbed his head awkwardly, "She deserves some respect."

Zhan's voice trembled with frustration,

"And that gives her the right to slam the door on me? Did she think I want to be here either?"

His eyes filled with tears. Just then, the door opened. Yibo quickly turned, while Zhan grabbed his nightwear and other essentials, picked up his pad and innerwear, and slipped into the bathroom, leaving them alone.

Min give a cold glare and turn away.

Yibo returned to the living room to find

Min giving him another sharp look.

"Did you make the tea?" he asked.

Min shot him a glare from head to toe and walked away, heading to their bedroom.

Later, Zhan came out of the bathroom, locked his room door, changed into his nightwear, and lay down. He refused to let Min's behavior bother him; that wasn't his concern tonight. What did trouble him was why Dr. Kexing hadn't called him all day.

Zhan picked up his phone and dialed Dr. Kexing's number. It rang for a while before he finally answered. The look on Zhan's face was tense, and he stayed silent for a moment.

On the other end, Dr. Kexing finally spoke, "How are you feeling?"

Zhan's voice cracked slightly,

"Would you have asked if I didn't call first?"

Kexing stayed quiet for a few seconds before responding, "I tried calling, but your line wasn't reachable."

Zhan argued, "You didn't."

Kexing sighed, "Well, at least you've been taken care of now, right?"

Zhan exhaled, "Yeah, I'm fine now."

"Did you eat?"

"I did."

"Good. Get some rest."

Zhan hesitated before softly asking,

"Will you be at school tomorrow?"

Kexing replied, "You didn't show up today even after I told you to. Will you come tomorrow?"

Zhan's tone softened, "I wasn't feeling well, but I'll come tomorrow."

"Alright. Take care of yourself."

Zhan whispered,

"Sure."

The call ended, but Zhan stared at the screen for a while.

***

The next morning, before 7:30, Zhan had already slipped out of the house unnoticed, except by the security guard. The rest of the household was still asleep. He didn't even stop for coffee. He left for the spot where he could get transport to school.

By exactly 8 o'clock, he was seated in his department. He and Ji Li, along with another classmate, Maleeha, sat quietly in class, waiting for their 8 o'clock lecture. But by 8:30, the lecturer still hadn't arrived.

Ji Li glanced at Zhan.

"Hey, Shu isn't around. Haven't seen her in school for a while, and exams are coming up."

Zhan shrugged.

"I don't know either. Maybe she's in Yantai, but I'm sure she'll show up for the exams."

Just then, the lecturer entered, and everyone settled down. Zhan unzipped his bag, pulled out his notebook and pen, and focused on the class.

By 10:30 AM, they were done with lectures. Zhan pulled out his phone from his bag and noticed six missed calls—three from Yibo, two from Hai Kuan, and one from Dr. Kexing. He stared at the screen for a moment, then decided to dial Dr. Kexing's number.

The call barely rang before Kexing answered.

"Are you done with lectures?" he asked.

Zhan's eyes widened slightly.

"How did you know I was at school?"

"I could smell your perfume all over the department," Kexing replied, amused.

Zhan couldn't help but laugh softly, unaware he was even smiling. Ji Li, sitting nearby on the gossip bench, quietly watched him. Even without Zhan saying anything, Ji Li could tell he was stressed—it showed all over his face.

On the other end of the line, Kexing stayed silent, just listening to Zhan's laughter. After a pause, he spoke softly,

"I'm waiting for you at my office now."

Zhan hesitated.

"Sir… I actually wanted to do some reading right now."

"Perfect," Kexing replied. "I was going to ask… Did you change your project supervisor without telling me?"

Zhan's eyes widened. He had completely forgotten about the project.

"No… I didn't change," he said quietly.

Kexing chuckled, "Okay, I thought you did. Your mates are almost done with theirs, and you're still on Chapter One."

Zhan quickly corrected, "No, I'm on Chapter Three now."

Kexing smiled, "Uh-huh, I see."

Zhan's voice softened, "But sir… I didn't bring my laptop today."

"Finish your reading. I'll still be here waiting," Kexing replied, ending the call.

Around 11 AM, Zhan quietly knocked on Kexing's office door. After being granted permission, he entered. Kexing's eyes never left him from the moment he walked in. Zhan, keeping his gaze low, approached politely.

Kexing stood, offering him his seat.

"Here… I noticed the ones in front weren't comfortable for you."

Zhan smiled faintly, settling into the seat across from him.

"Good morning, sir."

Kexing returned to his seat and muttered under his breath, "Morning… How was your night?"

"Good," Zhan replied.

"Hope you slept well?"

Zhan tilted his head slightly, pouting playfully.

"Well, you didn't call me yesterday, sir. So… not really."

Kexing paused, staring at him without blinking. He never thought the bond between them would return like this. Before all the drama, he had wondered if Zhan would ever change....even if they were married. Yet here they were, talking openly. Zhan expressed his feelings now, unlike before, when it was all silence and shyness.

Zhan watched him curiously. Kexing smiled softly.

"I wanted to see you yesterday… I wasn't happy I couldn't."

Zhan lowered his head again, "It's because I wasn't feeling well… That's why Gege didn't let me go out. They gave me medicine… I slept all evening."

He stood up hesitantly, his heart racing. He walked over to Kexing's table, about to sit on the edge. But Kexing quickly pulled him onto his lap, holding him gently, his eyes locked onto Zhan's.

"I'm glad you're okay now. No more pain?"

"There is… but not like yesterday," Zhan admitted.

"Did you take your meds?" Kexing asked, but before Zhan could answer, he leaned in, pressing his lips softly against Zhan's. Their kiss was warm, lingering, filled with unspoken longing. Zhan tried to pull away with a shy smile, feeling guilty for enjoying it so much.

"I didn't have breakfast," Zhan said suddenly.

"Why?" Kexing asked, surprised.

Zhan shrugged.

"My mom made breakfast as usual. It's in the car. But you know me, I never eat it. Sometimes the cleaners or security guys do…" Kexing said again.

He handed Zhan his car keys.

"Go get the food. I don't even know what she packed today."

Zhan just stared at him.

"Or… should I get it for you?" Kexing teased, smiling.

Zhan shook his head.

"Sir, I can't eat the food… not here, at school."

"Ah, what you mean is… 'Sir, I can't eat your mom's food,' right?"

Zhan's eyes widened.

"That's not what I meant!"

Before Kexing could tease him further, there was a knock at the door. Zhan jumped up from Kexing's lap.

"Is something wrong?" Kexing asked.

Zhan shook his head.

"Alright, sit back down."

Zhan returned to his original chair, lowering his head, tapping on his phone.

"Come in," Kexing called to the person at the door.

The door opened slowly.

"Good morning, sir," came a soft, familiar voice.

Zhan's heart clenched. He recognized that voice instantly but didn't turn around.

"Morning, Shu. How are you?"

"I'm fine, sir."

"You can come in."

Shu walked in carefully, looking as though the floor might collapse under her. She stopped a few steps from the desk, fidgeting with her textbook.

"Sir, I… I had a question about something I didn't understand. I… I don't know if you'll have time."

Kexing nodded, "Okay. Is it about my course?"

She nodded quickly, looking nervous. Kexing smiled lightly.

"Why are you so tense, Shu? You have every right to ask your lecturer questions."

She approached the desk, handing him the textbook politely. Her strong perfume quickly filled the room. Only then did her eyes meet Zhan's.

Zhan averted his gaze immediately, focusing on his phone.

Kexing gestured to the chair across from Zhan.

"You can sit."

Shu sat delicately at the edge of the chair, playing with her hands. Her satin outfit hugged her figure perfectly, her scarf neatly pinned. Her manicured hands glowed, nails polished in black and red that contrasted beautifully with her fair skin. A light touch of makeup enhanced her natural beauty. In a few seconds, Zhan shot her side-eyes.

Kexing flipped through her textbook, explaining the topic she struggled with. Then he stood, walking around to her side, leaning over her as he placed the book beside her.

"Listen carefully… It's not that complicated."

The scent of his cologne overwhelmed Shu. With him leaning so close, she nearly fainted. She barely heard a word of what he explained, too distracted by how handsome he looked—the sharp features, thick brows, flawless teeth, the smooth way he spoke… and that addictive cologne. She wanted to just throw herself into his arms.

While Kexing patiently explained, Shu was lost, staring at him without blinking.

Meanwhile, Zhan stood, grabbing his bag. Kexing turned.

"My car keys... go get the stuff."

Without making eye contact, Zhan replied,

"I'm taking a call. I'll be back."

He left the office quietly.

Kexing sat down in Zhan's chair, now facing Shu, who was practically melting in front of him.

"Did you understand where I was going with that?"

She nodded quickly, eyes sparkling with admiration.

Kexing continued explaining, oblivious to her dreamy stare…

As Zhan came downstairs, his phone started ringing again.... it was Hai Kuan. He picked up the call, speaking softly,

"Good morning, Gege."

Hai Kuan asked, "Didn't you see my missed calls?"

Zhan pouted, "We just got out of lectures."

"So why did you tell me to bring your bag if you knew you were leaving early?"

Zhan asked, "Did you bring it?"

"I'm by your department. Come collect your bag," Hai Kuan replied and ended the call.

Zhan tucked his phone into his pocket and headed toward the building entrance. He waved at Ji Li, "Ji Li, see you tomorrow."

Ji Li raised a brow, "But we have lectures later today?"

"I just can't attend them," Zhan replied.

"Alright, see you tomorrow then," Ji Li said.

Zhan walked out of the department building. Hai Kuan hadn't parked close, so Zhan had to walk a little distance before spotting him by the car. Zhan opened the door and glanced at him, "Good morning, Gege."

Hai Kuan handed him the bag, but Zhan refused to take it. Instead, he gave a pleading look, "Gege, please drop me off at home."

Hai Kuan looked him up and down,

"Are you done with lectures for the day?"

Zhan shrugged, "I'm just tired. I want to sleep."

Without waiting for Hai Kuan's response, he got into the car, locked the door, and leaned his head back against the seat, avoiding eye contact.

A few seconds later, Hai Kuan started the car, and they drove off. Once they got onto the main road, Zhan turned slightly, catching the scent of food from the back seat. He noticed a takeaway bag from a well-known eatery.

He looked at Hai Kuan, "I'm actually hungry, Gege."

"So am I," Hai Kuan replied bluntly.

Zhan frowned slightly, then asked,

"I see food at the back… is it mine?"

Hai Kuan shot him a glance, "Since when?"

Zhan stayed quiet, still watching him. Then looked away, muttering, "This is exactly why I'm more close to Yibo Gege, he treats me better than you."

Hai Kuan's phone rang. He picked it up,

"I'm on my way."

After a short drive, they pulled up to the gate of another university nearby. Once inside, Hai Kuan glanced at Zhan, "Will you wait for me under that tree?"

Zhan shook his head, "No. I'll follow you."

Hai Kuan frowned, "Do you know where I'm going?"

"Why don't you want me to meet her, Gege?" Zhan asked, tilting his head.

"Meet who?"

"The person you're delivering the food to," Zhan teased.

"You're not serious," Hai Kuan replied.

Zhan chuckled, "So Gege, you actually have a girlfriend, huh?"

Hai Kuan's expression darkened, "When have I ever joked with you?"

Zhan quickly shut his mouth, saying nothing else. They reached the department building, and Hai Kuan parked. He stepped out to make a call while Zhan sat in the car, smiling to himself.

He couldn't help but think back to how, just a few months ago, Lan Yi was convinced Hai Kuan didn't have a girlfriend. She believed it because Hai Kuan never brought anyone home, unlike Yibo, who always called to chat with his partner. Lan Yi had concluded Hai Kuan wasn't seeing anyone, but Zhan had argued otherwise, saying Hai Kuan ge was just private and introverted. Of course, Lan Yi never believed him.

Zhan hoped he would visit Lan Yi after this and finally tell her the news. The thought made Zhan's chest tighten. He leaned back, reflecting on how different his life had become.

A light knock on his window pulled him from his thoughts. Standing there was a tall, fair-skinned girl smiling brightly at him. Zhan rolled down the window, returning her smile. They looked about the same age. She was tall, beautiful, and carried herself confidently.

Zhan stepped out of the car as the girl introduced herself, "Hi Zhan, I'm Ma-Liyana. Nice to finally meet you."

Zhan smiled politely, "Nice to meet you too, Ma-Liyana. How were your lectures?"

"Good. Yours?"

"Same."

"I've been wanting to meet you for a while now. Glad it finally happened," she beamed.

"Me too," Zhan replied warmly.

Ma-Liyana added, "Barrister told me you're studying Nursing Science. I'm in Biochemistry, final year, just like you."

Zhan smiled, "That's great. Wishing us both success."

Almost instantly, Zhan found himself genuinely liking Ma-Liyana.

Just then, Hai Kuan returned with the food from the back seat, handing it to Ma-Liyana.

"See you later," he said.

Ma-Liyana held the bag, still smiling. Hai Kuan turned to Zhan, "Get in. Let's go."

Ma-Liyana pouted playfully, "Since I'm done with lectures today, leave him with me, please. We can spend time together and get to know each other better."

"Not today," Hai Kuan replied firmly.

But Zhan suddenly remembered… Hai Kuan would drop him off at Yibo's house, and Min would be there—alone with him. That thought alone made Zhan uneasy.

Without thinking, Zhan said, "I'll stay… I'm not going home now."

Ma-Liyana smiled brightly, "Perfect. Later, I'll tell our driver to drop him off first before taking me home."

Hai Kuan gave them one last look, got into his car, and drove off.

Barely ten minutes later, Zhan's phone buzzed with a message from Hai Kuan. He opened it, reading the text:

"Watch your words."

Zhan slipped his phone back into his pocket, smirking to himself.

Zhan didn't regret staying back with Ma-Liyana and her two friends; he actually enjoyed their company. They were all his age, and he felt comfortable around them. While they were chatting, Zhan took out his phone from his bag and saw three missed calls from Dr. Kexing and two from Yibo. His phone was always on total silence, so he never heard the calls, only saw the missed notifications—which he actually preferred. Just as he was about to put the phone away, Yibo's call came in again.

Zhan excused himself, left his bag with Ma-Liyana, and moved aside, sitting under a tree as he answered the call.

From the other end, Yibo's voice came through, "Baby, why weren't you answering my calls?"

"We were in lectures earlier. I just finished," Zhan replied calmly.

"Why did you leave home without waiting for me?"

"I didn't know when you'd wake up… Besides, I had lectures at eight," Zhan explained.

Yibo sighed, "Why didn't you call me? And you just left without breakfast too."

Zhan stayed quiet, not saying a word.

Yibo continued, "I'll bring you food now."

Zhan quickly replied, "No, Gege, I already ate."

"Where did you eat?"

"Ge Hai Kuan brought me food."

There was a short pause before Yibo asked, "When?"

"This afternoon."

"When does your lecture end?"

"Later."

"Six o'clock then?"

Zhan hesitated, then replied,

"Yeah."

"I'll come pick you up."

"Hai Kuan ge will pick me."

"Oh, is that so?"

"That's what he said."

"Okay," Yibo replied and ended the call.

Zhan pouted slightly, stood up, and returned to where Ma-Liyana and the others were seated.

Around 4:50 pm, Ma-Liyana called Hai Kuan to inform him that they would drop Zhan off, so he didn't need to come.

Hai Kuan's response was blunt, "No, Ma-Liyana, I'm already on my way to pick him."

"Alright, then," she replied.

While they waited under the tree by their department, Hai Kuan arrived. Ma-Liyana's driver was already at the school, but she waited until Hai Kuan came and picked Zhan before she left.

She walked with Zhan to Hai Kuan's car and said goodbye, "I'll be going home too. Thanks a lot, Barrister."

"Alright, greet Aunty for me," Hai Kuan replied.

Once they left the school, Hai Kuan gave Zhan a serious look, "Hope you didn't talk too much."

Zhan widened his eyes, clutching his chest in mock offense, "Do I even talk that much, Gege?"

"Look, Mister, stop being ridiculous… Ma-Liyana is my friend. Just a friend, don't get ideas about her being my girlfriend or anything like that. She's my friend because of Hai Leo, her brother. We've known each other through him. That's all."

Zhan couldn't help but laugh, "I already knew she's just your friend, Gege. Besides, she'll be my friend too now. And for the record, I never even asked for this whole explanation."

Hai Kuan simply stared at him. Their eyes met, and Zhan burst into another round of laughter.

Hai Kuan's expression tightened, and Zhan quickly covered his mouth, amused. He couldn't believe Hai Kuan was here giving lengthy explanations that he hadn't even requested. Zhan never imagined Hai Kuan could even explain things this much until today. That thought alone made Zhan laugh again unexpectedly.

Hai Kuan just kept driving in silence.

When they arrived at the compound, Zhan noticed Yibo wasn't back from work yet. He simply walked over to a chair by the parking area and sat down, not feeling like going inside. He stayed there for a while, almost until 6 pm, when Yibo finally returned.

As Yibo parked and got out of his car, Zhan stood up and greeted him, "Welcome back."

Surprised, Yibo asked, "She didn't open the door for you again today?"

Zhan shook his head, "No, I just wanted some fresh air out here."

Yibo handed him a food bag, which Zhan took, and they walked towards the house. As they entered the sitting room, a cloud of smoke with an intense, almost ritual-like scent filled the air.

The moment Zhan saw the smoke, he quickly turned and left the sitting room entrance.

Inside, Min was burning incense, but this didn't smell like ordinary incense.... it had a strange, overwhelming scent, unlike anything familiar.

Yibo followed Zhan outside quickly,

"Did you inhale too much?"

Zhan shook his head, still walking away from the smoky area. He went back to the parking space and sat on the chair again. Yibo knelt down in front of him, "Sorry, just sit here for a bit until it clears. She doesn't realize you can't handle it."

Zhan didn't respond. Yibo stood and went back inside.

The moment he entered, he called out for Min. She came out of the kitchen, wearing a long gown, heavy makeup on her face, and gum in her mouth. She walked over and hugged him tightly, "Welcome home, my husband," she greeted playfully.

Yibo's expression darkened,

"What's with all this smoke in the house, Min?"

She blinked innocently, "Just burning incense."

"No, that's not incense, and you know it. Didn't I tell you Baby has asthma? That's why he can't come inside right now."

Min scowled, "So what? Because of your precious Baby, I can't burn incense and make my house smell nice?"

"Madam," Yibo's tone hardened,

"My mom burns incense too, but never like this. It smells awful, and the smoke is choking. It's nothing like what my mom uses…"

Min rolled her eyes, "Well, that's my own choice of incense. Take it or leave it, Yibo."

With that, she stormed off towards the bedroom. Yibo said nothing more, just sighed and walked back outside to where Zhan was.

Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛