The sunlight was what woke Zhan once again. Slowly, he sat up, his entire body aching, especially his head, which felt unbearably heavy. His anxiety spiked when he realized Yi Bo was not in the room. Leaning his head against the wooden bed frame, he wept silently, his tears falling unchecked. After a while, he forced himself to get up, aware that time was slipping by. He grabbed his backpack, which held his toothbrush and toothpaste, and left the hut.
Back in the small, bare room, Zhan sat alone on the mat, occasionally wiping away the tears that continued to roll down his cheeks. Yi Bo's absence only heightened his distress. At the doorway, a shadow appeared, and Zhan's heart leapt with hope, but it wasn't Yi Bo. Instead, a young girl, about his age, stepped inside.
She was fair-skinned, even paler than Yi Bo, and strikingly beautiful. Her long hair was braided into two thick plaits that reached down to her lower back, and a prominent gap between her teeth made her smile even more noticeable. Zhan recognized her as the girl to whom he had given two shirts and some men's cologne the previous day, as she had requested.
With a friendly smile, she knelt in front of him, placing a bowl down. "Good morning," she said brightly. "It seems you're running late today, huh?" Zhan forced a smile in return. "Morning. How are you today?"
"Doing well," she replied cheerfully. "I brought you some porridge. They're cooking cassava and cocoyam right now. When they're ready, I'll bring whichever one you prefer."
Zhan's heart sank. Cassava and cocoyam? More unwanted foods. He had never eaten any of the things they had been offering him since he arrived. Smiling tightly, he replied, "Thank you."
As the girl played with her hair, she introduced herself. "By the way, my name's Chu. What's yours?"
Lowering his gaze, Zhan mumbled, "My name's Zhan."
Chu's eyes widened. "Zhan? Like the city? I don't think I can even pronounce that properly!"
"Just call me Pengyou," Zhan offered quickly.
"Ah, much better!" Chu laughed. "But aren't you staying for a week?"
Zhan shook his head immediately. "No, we're leaving today."
Chu frowned, confused. "But Granny told me you'd be here for a week."
Before Zhan could respond, Yi Bo entered the hut, his familiar scent filling the room. Chu stood aside shyly, smiling. "Gege, are you leaving today?"
Her tone was unmistakably bashful, and she was clearly taken by Yi Bo. He glanced at her and asked, "Who said that?"
Chu pointed at Zhan. "He did."
Yi Bo's expression remained impassive. "No, we're staying for a week."
Zhan's heart lurched. A week? He stared wide-eyed at Yi Bo, disbelief and dread building inside him. Chu, on the other hand, beamed. "That's what Granny said too! I'm so glad! I'll take Pengyou around our village and the next one. Gege, would you like cassava or porridge for breakfast? The milk is fresh."
"Porridge," Yi Bo answered simply, and Chu left the room, bubbling with excitement.
Zhan, still in shock, turned to Yi Bo with tear-filled eyes. "But... you'll take me home first, right? Then you can come back and stay for a week."
Yi Bo sat down on the mat without looking at him. "Or I could leave after a week and come back for you. Your father asked me to bring you to your in-laws so you'd get used to them."
Zhan didn't realize he had started crying until the tears blurred his vision. "Please... don't do that to me," he begged. "I'm begging you..."
Only then did Yi Bo look at him. "You're starting to irritate me with all this crying. Are you a baby? Or do you just enjoy it? You cry even when people just look at you."
Zhan, his voice trembling, clasped his hands together. "Please, I swear I can't stay here for a week."
Yi Bo shifted slightly and said, "Granny gave you a hut where you can stay alone, without anyone bothering you."
Desperate, Zhan crawled over and knelt in front of Yi Bo. "I could die if you leave me here, please don't go."
Yi Bo just stared at him as Chu returned with the porridge bowl. Zhan quickly scrambled back to sit beside Yi Bo, trying to compose himself.
Chu knelt before Yi Bo again, smiling as she asked, "Do you want some sugar in your porridge?"
"Just a little," Yi Bo replied. Chu got up to fetch the sugar, and Yi Bo watched her leave.
Zhan glanced between Yi Bo and the girl before quietly asking, "Is she your sister?"
Yi Bo gave him a side glance. "No. She's our neighbor's daughter. Her mother came in yesterday, and you greeted her."
Chu returned with the sugar and knelt down again, offering to mix the porridge for Yi Bo. Zhan, feeling a something heavy on his chest, quickly said, "I'll do it." Chu, startled, stood up and stepped back. "Okay," she said, a bit uncertain.
Yi Bo watched as Zhan clumsily took over, spilling some porridge as he tried to stir it. Yi Bo pulled back slightly, his expression one of disbelief. It was obvious that Zhan had never done this before.
Pouting, Zhan retreated to the far end of the wooden bed, sitting down as he stared at the mess. Yi Bo, still taken aback, said, "I'll add another week to your stay here for this."
Zhan sprang up in panic, fake tears filling his eyes. "It wasn't on purpose, it slipped!"
Yi Bo frowned, unimpressed. "If you didn't know how to do it, why didn't you let someone who knew handle it?"
Wiping his eyes, Zhan muttered bitterly, "Why does she have to come in here, smiling at everyone, anyway?"
Ignoring him, Yi Bo stood up and said, "Prepare yourself to stay for twelve days now."
This time, Zhan's tears were genuine. He grabbed at Yi Bo's shirt, pleading desperately. "Please, forgive me. If I stay here one more day, I might die of hunger."
Yi Bo calmly pulled his shirt free and left the hut. Zhan collapsed onto the floor, his body shaking with quiet sobs.
Zhan straightened up quickly as he sensed someone approaching the entrance. A group of women had started gathering there, offering their greetings. He smiled back, hiding his growing hunger. Never before had he felt such intense hunger gnawing at him. One of the women entered, swept up the porridge that had spilled earlier, and left.
Watching her go, Zhan thought bitterly, Even animals are treated better than this. Even chickens get cardboard to stand on, but here, the ground is just dirt—inside, as if it were outside.
Granny was the last to enter, carrying a bowl of cocoyam. She set it down beside him and asked, "How are you, young man? Did you sleep well?"
Forcing a smile, Zhan replied, "Good morning, Granny."
"All is well. Here's some cocoyam. Maybe you can eat it before washing up. Or would you like some pepper and oil with it?"
Zhan quickly declined, "No, thank you, I'll eat it like this."
Granny nodded. "Alright then. I noticed you didn't eat much yesterday either. I added some salt this time—you might like it better. I know you city folks don't use much salt."
Zhan's smile grew even more strained, as if he were advertising toothpaste. Granny continued, "Or should I mix some millet porridge for you? You didn't drink much porridge either."
Shaking his head, Zhan said, "No, this is enough, Granny. Thank you."
"Alright then. Once you're done, the water's ready for your bath." Zhan forced another smile, replying, "Okay."
After about fifteen minutes, Zhan left the hut. As he walked through the yard, the women watched him. Granny came forward and asked, "Finished eating?"
Zhan replied, "I want to take a bath."
Granny led him to the toilet, opened the door, and said, "The water's inside."
As soon as she left, Zhan's expression fell. Is this really happening? He stared at the makeshift bath, barely managing to wash himself while holding his breath against the awful stench. He rushed through it, desperate to get out. The women still watched him as he emerged. Not bothering with lotion, he put on his clothes and returned to the wooden bed, weak and defeated. Flies buzzed around the room, and he buried his head in his knees, quietly sobbing.
~~~~~
By midday, there was still no sign of Yi Bo. They brought him cassava with oil and salt, but after the woman left, Zhan stared at the dish in disbelief. He hesitantly took a bite, but quickly spit it out, disgusted. Pushing the bowl away, he sat, head in hands, overwhelmed by self-pity.
Around 4 p.m., Granny appeared again. "Why don't you come outside for some fresh air? It's too hot in here."
Zhan shook his head slowly, forcing a weak smile, unwilling to move. Granny left him be, and every sound made Zhan glance toward the door, hoping it was Yi Bo....but it never was.
By then, Zhan was trembling with hunger, too weak to even cry anymore. He had been tossing and turning on the bed until finally, desperation drove him to open the porridge bowl. With trembling hands, he lifted it to his lips, bracing himself as he took several sips. He quickly put it down after drinking half, feeling nauseous. Rushing outside, he barely made it before vomiting everything up.
Granny and the other women rushed over, alarmed. "What's wrong?" Granny asked. "Your husband isn't here."
One woman handed Zhan some water, which he accepted shakily, rinsing his mouth as his body trembled. Granny fetched a chair and urged him to sit down. "What's wrong that you're vomiting like this?" she asked.
"I've been unwell," Zhan managed to say, his voice weak.
The women murmured words of concern, noticing how pale and shaky he was. Granny guided him back into the hut, her face full of worry. Moments later, a young girl returned from searching for Yi Bo, saying, "Granny, we couldn't find him."
Granny sighed, "Let's prepare him some herbal medicine to bring down the fever."
After some time, Granny returned with a bowl of herbal concoction. She sat Zhan up, saying, "Here, drink this. It's not bitter, don't worry."
Zhan, still trembling, stared at the bowl before taking a small sip. "Drink more," Granny urged. With a deep breath, he took another gulp, the bitterness shocking him. "Good," Granny said, "Now lie down. You'll sweat soon—it's traditional medicine with all sorts of herbs."
Zhan lay back down, letting Granny cover him. Just then, Yi Bo entered the hut, his face filled with concern. "He's running a fever and has been vomiting," Granny explained.
Yi Bo knelt beside Zhan, checking his temperature. It was dangerously high. Granny suggested, "There's a small clinic in the village. You should take him there for medicine."
Yi Bo nodded. "We'll go."
Once Granny left, Yi Bo pressed his hand to Zhan's forehead. "Where does it hurt?" he asked softly.
Zhan, tears spilling again, pushed his hand away. "Take me home," he cried, "or I'll hold you responsible for my death."
Yi Bo stared at him for a moment, then nodded slightly and moved aside. Zhan, still sobbing, grabbed his hand again, pleading, "Please, for my sake. Take me home, not because of my attitude."
"Where does it hurt?" Yi Bo asked again.
"My head. And I'm starving," Zhan choked out.
Yi Bo stood up and said, "Come down."
Zhan struggled to sit up, too weak to stand on his own. Yi Bo watched him for a moment before offering his hand. Zhan took it and slowly rose, then grabbed his backpack, ignoring everything else. Together, they left the hut.
Granny and the women gathered around them, concerned. "Are you taking him to the clinic?" Granny asked.
"Yes," Yi Bo replied, while the women murmured their hopes for Zhan's recovery. Nearby, Chu, holding a baby cow, called out, "Granny, should I go with them to the clinic?"
Zhan quickly looked at her, lowering his voice as he shook his head at Yi Bo, saying, "No, we're not taking her." Yi Bo glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Granny said, "Or maybe Chu can help you out at the hospital?" Zhan quickly smiled and replied, "No, Granny, I can handle it." She said, "Alright then, I wish you a quick recovery and good health, and you'll return safely." Zhan said nothing more, but in his heart, he was wondering, Where does she think we'll return from? Not from this hell, right? That was the reason he didn't want Chu to accompany them because if she went, they'd have to return her to the village, and he had no desire to return here.
When they reached where Yi Bo had parked the car, he unlocked it and walked around to the other side. Slowly, he opened the front seat and got in. After warming up the car, he started driving, passing by the women of the house who had gathered at the entrance, some even with their chests wrapped, and their children standing bare without pants. They were waving, looking like typical villagers. Even the neighbors had come out when they heard the car.
Zhan let out a deep sigh of relief, At long last! He already felt the fever leaving him, but now, hunger began to gnaw at him. After driving for about thirty minutes, he noticed that they were entering the city. He couldn't hide his joy. He never imagined he'd leave that village alive; he thought it would only happen after his death. Truly, are there people who live their lives in such villages?
Suddenly, he felt a chill. And they're living happily without any worries. He didn't even see an electric pole in the village, let alone electricity. He saw Yi Bo park the car in front of a pharmacy. Even though Zhan didn't know where they were, he knew they had entered the city. Yi Bo turned off the engine, got out, and said to him, "Come on, get out."
Slowly, Zhan opened the door and followed behind, dragging his feet due to the dizziness he felt. They entered the pharmacy, and after greeting the pharmacist, Yi Bo stepped aside, watching Zhan, who was leaning against the door and hadn't come in yet. His body had become thin and dark, as if he wasn't the same Zhan.
Yi Bo looked at the pharmacist and said, "He's the one who's sick." The pharmacist replied, "Come in, please." Zhan dragged his feet toward the counter and sat down. Since his birth, he had never been taken to a pharmacy when he was sick, only to a hospital. Yet here he was, in a pharmacy, about to receive treatment instead of going to the hospital. The pharmacist's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
He slowly lowered his gaze and said, "I have a fever and a headache." The pharmacist asked, "Are you vomiting?" He nodded and replied, "Yes, I did earlier." The pharmacist nodded and looked at Yi Bo, saying, "He'll need some medication and injections." Yi Bo crossed his arms and said, "Just give him painkillers for now, and I'd like you to check his blood. Do a blood test and give us the results now. I'll handle the rest because the village we came from is far, and we can't keep coming back every day."
Zhan, in shock, looked at him and suddenly burst into tears, pleading, "Please, I beg you, don't take me back to that village." Yi Bo suppressed his laughter, but the pharmacist burst out laughing at Zhan, who had become completely distressed. Yi Bo said, "So you're calling our village that village?" Zhan clasped his hands together, crying, "Please, take me home. I beg you."
Yi Bo turned to the pharmacist and said, "Mister, do what you need to do so we can leave. The road to the village is rough at night, and it's almost dark." Zhan kept crying, his mind in turmoil as he watched Yi Bo. The pharmacist did as instructed, and after a few minutes, he handed Yi Bo the test results.
Yi Bo accepted them and asked, "How much is it?" The pharmacist told him the amount, and he pulled out the money from his pocket and handed it over. Looking at Zhan, Yi Bo frowned and said, "Get up, let's go." Zhan stood up, still crying, pleading, "Don't take me back to that village; I can't bear it. I might even die." Yi Bo said, "Get out, let's go." Zhan exited the pharmacy with Yi Bo following behind, while the pharmacist watched them, amused.
Zhan walked toward the car, still crying, oblivious to the people staring at him. Yi Bo unlocked the back seat and said, "Get in, since that's where you're most comfortable when insulting people and being disrespectful."
Zhan got into the back seat, wiping his tears. Yi Bo started the car and drove away. He parked in front of a restaurant, leaving the car on with the AC running, then got out and locked the doors. Zhan, still wiping his tears, began planning in his mind that if they headed back to that village, he would just pretend to die in the car, no matter what they did to him, and he wouldn't wake up.
After a short while, Yi Bo returned, holding a takeaway bag. He placed it in the back seat, then got into the driver's seat and glanced at Zhan through the mirror, saying, "Let's take you somewhere you can have a good shower before we head back, since there's no proper place to bathe in the village." With that, he reversed the car and left the restaurant's premises. Zhan frantically began begging him to go home, but Yi Bo ignored him.
Yi Bo pulled into the parking lot of a hotel. Zhan immediately recognized it since he had been there once with Zan Jin. Is he really planning on making me shower before we return to that village? Zhan thought. If that's the case, I'll run away as soon as I realize he's serious about taking me back there. It's better I walk home.
After parking the car, Yi Bo got out, locked it, and opened Zhan's door with a stern face, saying, "Come on, get out." Slowly, Zhan stepped out of the car. Yi Bo grabbed the food and led the way, with Zhan following closely behind. They entered the hotel's reception area, where Yi Bo greeted the staff and only collected a key, indicating that he had already booked a room. Seeing him head toward the stairs, Zhan followed, feeling like he might collapse at any moment. Yi Bo opened the door to the room, and they both entered before he locked the door behind them.
Zhan scanned the room, noticing a tray with tea and an empty cup, suggesting that tea had already been consumed. Yi Bo drew the curtains and turned on the room's lights and air conditioning before turning to look at Zhan.
Remembering something, Zhan wiped his eyes and stopped crying, then suspiciously looked at Yi Bo and said, "Since this morning, I noticed you've been hiding your neck, avoiding letting your high-necked sleeveless vest drop down. What are you hiding on your neck?"
Yi Bo simply glanced at him and turned to head toward the bathroom, but unexpectedly, Zhan grabbed his shirt and said, "Let me see what you're hiding." Yi Bo pushed his hand away and glared at him, saying, "Don't touch me again…" before he could finish his sentence, Zhan grabbed his shirt again.
"No, I need to see what you're hiding." They began struggling, with Yi Bo trying to shove him away as he headed toward the bathroom, while Zhan, suddenly filled with a strength he couldn't explain, clung on, determined to see what was under his shirt. Before long, they both fell onto the bed, with Zhan on top of Yi Bo, their faces close enough to feel each other's breath.
They stared at each other for nearly 30 seconds before Zhan pulled down Yi Bo's shirt collar. He gasped and shouted, "A HICKEY! On your Adam's apple!" Immediately, Zhan felt a strange sensation tightening in his chest, the same feeling he had when he saw Chu smiling and offering Yi Bo porridge earlier.
Yi Bo shifted, trying to get up, but Zhan, using all his strength, pinned him down, staring into his eyes. "Is Nia from the village, or do you have a girlfriend there?" Zhan asked.
Yi Bo frowned, wondering, What is this Boy talking about? Zhan, feeling a rising anger, looked at Yi Bo's lips, which were plump and rosy, shining under the light. Without thinking, Zhan bit down hard on Yi Bo's bottom lip until blood came out.
Yi Bo, caught off guard, hissed in pain, shoving Zhan off to the side of the bed and glaring at him, saying, "Are you a dog?" Zhan pouted and glared back before getting off the bed. Yi Bo said nothing further and headed into the bathroom wiping the blood off his lip.
Hearing the water running, Zhan sat on the floor and pulled the food bag closer, opening it. Inside, he found roast pork with Chinese vegetables and white rice, along with peppered chicken. He unwrapped the chopsticks from the tissue and, with trembling hands, began eating. Despite rarely eating much, Zhan finished the meal, leaving only some of the meat.
He opened the chilled Pepsi from the bag, drank a little, and then set it down.
Only then did he start to feel better, and the dizziness began to fade. Yi Bo came out of the bathroom and looked at him with surprise. Then he said, "Who told you it was yours to take and eat?" Zhan didn't even look at him, let alone answer, and just stood up, walking past Yi Bo to the window. He gazed outside at the cars moving on the street, thinking to himself how impressive those villagers were.
When he heard Yi Bo leave the room, Zhan turned back around slowly, walked to the edge of the bed, and sat down, reflecting on the kind of life he had experienced in that village in just two days. He knew he had lost weight and had become darker. Finally, he got up, went to the bathroom to take a shower, and wrapped himself in a towel. Apart from Leo, no one else was on his mind. He walked slowly to the door and tried the handle, but found it locked. He came back to the bed, collapsed onto it, and closed his eyes. He quickly drifted off to sleep...
Maybe I will take a break for 24 hours so that my poor fingers rest well... 😏
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛