After finishing his shower and applying lotion, Zhan sat down, thinking about what he should wear to bed. He only had two sets of pajamas left, and he hadn't washed either of them. He sighed, knowing he'd never done laundry in his life, except for his boxers. Zan Jin stretched, looking at him, and asked, "What are you thinking about so deeply?"
Zhan replied quietly, "I only have two sets of pajamas left here, and I've worn both without washing them." Zan Jin sat up and asked, "Wait, how did you come here with only two sets of pajamas?" Zhan pouted and said, "I donated all of them, the people in his village were walking around in rags"
Zan Jin laughed and said, "Just wear your boxers and go to bed." Zhan asked, "Have you ever seen me sleep like that?" Zan Jin replied, "Okay then, where's your laundry?"
Zhan pointed to where he had left his clothes. Zan Jin stood up and said, "I bet you'd let them sit there and rot without washing them. Let me wash them for you and earn some good deeds." He grabbed the clothes and headed to the bathroom. Feeling a slight chill in the air, a sign of an approaching storm, Zhan put on his boxers and a shirt. As he sat playing on Zan Jin's phone, Zan Jin came out holding a bucket, asking, "Should I hang them outside?"
Zhan replied, "Yes, you can hang them in the backyard." Zhan watched him from head to toe, noting he was only wearing boxers and a vest. Zhan stood up, saying, "Let me do it."
Zan Jin responded, "No way! Let me earn my good deeds. You didn't wash them, so why should you hang them? I'll take care of it." He headed for the door, and Zhan followed, carrying the empty malt cans and water bottles they had finished.
YiBo was sitting in the living room, remote in hand, with his food still in its container, unopened. Zan Jin kept stealing glances at the food bag until he bumped into a chair and nearly fell. YiBo glanced at him before Zan Jin hurried outside. Zhan, watching from behind, changed direction and headed for the kitchen, disposing of the trash before returning. He was about to enter his room but then stopped by the sofa, watching YiBo, who was still focused on the TV.
Zhan was lost in thought about how to approach YiBo with the question Aunty Bing had asked him to. Seeing that Zhan showed no signs of leaving, YiBo raised his head and asked, "Is everything okay?"
Zhan glanced at him and replied, "Apart from wanting to ask you a question, did anyone say I would stand here all night?"
YiBo paused for a moment, then asked, "Who do you want to ask a question?" Briefly, Zhan replied, "You." YiBo continued, "Oh, so you want to ask me a question?"
Zhan glared at him, noticing how full of himself YiBo was acting, as if he was doing Zhan a favor. YiBo locked eyes with him and said, "Ask your question."
Without much enthusiasm, Zhan said, "You never told me your grandmother's name back at the village. You didn't even tell me your father's name either." He knew he sounded stupid, scratching his head. YiBo stared at him without blinking before saying, "You didn't ask back in the village, and now you're asking late at night?"
Zhan responded briefly, "Yeah, because I just remembered." Nodding, YiBo replied, "Oh! So, who sent you to ask for their names?" Zhan's eyes widened as if he had been caught, "No one, honestly. I just wanted to know."
YiBo looked directly into Zhan's eyes and said, "ZHAN."
Zhan blinked in confusion, "Yes?" YiBo calmly said, "That's her name."
Zhan furrowed his brows, "I don't get it. What do you mean her name is my name?"
YiBo explained, "Exactly." Zhan gave him a cold stare, then said, "So you're just disrespectful enough to call my name directly like that, huh? And who even told you my name? Was it Yang?"
YiBo didn't reply and instead opened his food container and took out a drink. Just then, Zan Jin walked into the living room, spotting the drink in YiBo's hand. He smiled with excitement and turned to Zhan, saying, "It's starting to drizzle. Go close the windows."
YiBo placed the drink down and headed to the kitchen to grab a glass. Zhan sprinted toward the drink, but before he could reach it, Zan Jin snatched it from him, saying, "What's wrong with you, Zhan? Acting like you're starving. That's his drink! What were you going to do with it? And you even know whose money he used to buy it, You've really surprised me."
Without waiting for Zhan's response, Zan Jin quickly returned the drink.
YiBo came back from the kitchen, and Zan Jin grabbed Zhan's hand, pulling him into their room and locking the door. He said, "You embarrassed me. You don't need to take his drink. If you wanted a whole carton of it, I could have gotten it for you, or even Aunty Bing would have sent some to the house. What were you thinking? Honestly, you're still acting childish, and now I see why he doesn't respect you."
Zhan didn't respond, but deep down, he had a bad feeling about the drink. Ever since Zan Jin had arrived the day before, Zhan had felt uneasy about his friend, especially when it came to that driver. Zan Jin let out a long sigh and noticed the rain had started pouring heavily. His eyes widened, "Oh no, it's raining hard! Go close the windows in the room while I handle the ones in the living room."
With that, he dashed to the living room, and Zhan watched him before following.
Zan Jin was grinning, seeing YiBo holding a glass of the drink. He couldn't stop smiling as he locked the windows in the living room, then moved to the kitchen to close those as well. When he returned to the living room, he looked at YiBo and said, "Good night." He didn't wait for a response and headed back to their room, smiling as he saw Zhan standing by the door.
He said, "Every time I come out, you follow me around."
Zhan said, "Nah, I'm just heading to the kitchen." Zan Jin didn't reply and went into the room. Zhan entered the kitchen, though he knew there wasn't anything to do there. After wandering around for a bit, he left and headed to his room. YiBo followed him with his eyes until he entered the room. Zhan locked the door and removed the key. Zan Jin, lying down and playing with his phone, said, "Feels like the rain is going to stay longer. At least the weather's nice and cool, perfect for a good sleep."
Zhan didn't say anything, climbing onto the bed on the other side. He threw the key onto a pillow. Zan Jin glanced at him and said, "I'm thinking about grabbing a malt drink, but I can't finish one by myself. If I leave some for you, will you drink it?" Zhan shook his head. "Nah, I'm full."
"Alright then, I'll skip it. Don't want to waste it," Zan Jin replied. Zhan said, "You can drink and leave some for later." Zan Jin smiled, "You know I hate wasting food. And we don't have a fridge in here, so if I leave it, it'll spoil. It's not like I'm going to leave much, just a little."
Zhan shrugged, "Who told you malt goes bad?"
Zan Jin teased, "You're just picky! You don't like leftovers, so I might as well skip it and sleep with this craving." Zhan laughed softly, "I've never heard of malt going bad before, but do what you like."
Zan Jin didn't reply, lying back down. After about 10 minutes, he checked the clock—it was 10:30 p.m. He opened one malt drink and started sipping. He glanced at Zhan, who seemed to be falling asleep, and nudged him. Zhan opened his eyes lazily, and Zan Jin asked, "What, you've stopped washing your face before bed now?"
Still half-asleep, Zhan mumbled, "I'll do it."
"Come on, do it before you fall into a deep sleep," Zan Jin insisted, nudging him.
It took three tries before Zhan reluctantly got up. He shuffled to the bathroom, dragging his feet. Meanwhile, Zan Jin quickly grabbed his bag, opened it, and poured a strange powder into the remaining malt drink. He sealed the bag just as Zhan returned from the bathroom.
Zhan lay down, and Zan Jin offered, "Just finish the rest of this malt.....it's just a little. Come on, have a sip." Zhan shook his head. "No, thanks. I'm good."
Zan Jin pushed, "Oh, I get it. You just don't want to drink it after I've had some, huh?"
Zhan shot him a look. "Did I say that?"
Zan Jin grinned, "Come on, what's the big deal? I didn't spit in it or anything. Why not finish it off?"
Zhan sighed. "You always twist my words. Did I say that? You drank my water earlier, and I didn't dump it."
Zan Jin handed him the can. "There's not much left, just finish it. I hate wasting food."
Zhan grumbled, "Didn't you just see me drink my own malt earlier? I'll end up running to the bathroom all night."
Annoyed, Zhan took the can, drank it all at once, and set it aside. Zan Jin watched him with a sly smile. Zhan narrowed his eyes and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?" Zan Jin quickly turned away, pulling the covers over himself. "Turn off the light. Goodnight."
Zhan made a face. "It tasted weird."
"Must be your taste buds," Zan Jin muttered.
Zhan frowned, "Come on, Zan Jin. You didn't put anything in that malt, did you? I've told you before, I don't like your little games, and you always push me. Was that why you were so insistent on me drinking it?"
Zan Jin just chuckled. "Don't worry. At least tonight you'll have a great sleep and your mind will finally relax." He slipped under the covers, smiling to himself.
Zhan gave him a hard look before rolling his eyes and lying down. he wished he had known what Zan Jin was up to, as he would have avoided the drink at all costs. Barely ten minutes later, Zhan was knocked out, falling into a deep, heavy sleep. Zan Jin turned over and watched him with a grin.
Outside, the rain poured down relentlessly.
~~~~~
At exactly one o'clock, Zan Jin threw off the duvet and climbed out of bed. He walked over to where Zhan lay fast asleep, like someone who had run a two-hour marathon. Carefully, he pulled the pillow from beneath Zhan's head and retrieved the key hidden inside. After putting the pillow aside, he grabbed his bag and began applying some ointment before quietly heading toward the door. He opened it slowly, noticing that all the lights in the house had been turned off. Feeling his way through the dark, he approached YiBo's room, turning the doorknob gently to open it.
He found YiBo kneeling beside his bed, his head resting on the mattress, wearing only his trousers. Hurriedly, Zan Jin closed the door behind him and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
YiBo raised his head, his eyes sharp and intense, staring at him. Zan Jin knelt beside him, his voice dropping to a whisper as he touched YiBo's broad chest, saying, "You don't look well. Are you sick?" Without waiting for an answer, he moved closer, clearly driven by his own desires, and began to loosen the ties of his robe. Wrapping his arms around YiBo, and put the other hand in his pant grabbing his hard dic*k, he whispered, "Tell me what's bothering you…"
YiBo clenched his eyes shut, then opened them abruptly. With all his strength, he shoved Zan Jin away, sending him tumbling to the floor. As he stood up, YiBo's voice came out rough and cold, "Why are you in my room?"
Zan Jin looked up at him from where he had fallen, amusement flickering in his eyes. The very fact that YiBo had the audacity to ask why he was in his room, in this moment, only made Zan Jin laugh lightly. In his mind, tonight was a clear invitation, and things were bound to get intense. With deliberate slowness, he removed his robe, casting it aside while giving YiBo a seductive look, his eyes half-lidded.
"Come on Man, whatever you're feeling right now... I'm responsible for it" Zan Jin admits, he continue " What? Don't look at me like that, he lick his lips and roll his eyes, ok, ok I just wanted to test you. Your are so fresh and hot, Zhan is so fool to ignore this delicious treat as a husband".
He move closer again, laying his hands on YiBo's chest, he bend to kiss him.
YiBo turned his face away angrily and grabbed his belt from the nearby chair. Before Zan Jin could react, the belt struck him sharply across his skin, making him scream in shock and pain. YiBo didn't stop. He continued lashing Zan Jin with the belt, the force behind every strike showing no mercy. Zan Jin screamed, his voice piercing through the quiet night, but the beating continued relentlessly.
Desperately, he crawled around, trying to find some way to escape, but no matter where he went, YiBo followed, his belt striking any part of Zan Jin's body it could reach.
That night, Zan Jin saw the fury in YiBo like never before. He truly believed that this was the end, that YiBo was going to kill him. At first, he begged and pleaded, but soon his voice became hoarse, and words failed him. YiBo's assault didn't relent. He kept beating him, feeling some twisted sense of relief with every blow he landed, as if it eased the anger that had been boiling inside him.
After what felt like an eternity... nearly thirty minutes.... YiBo finally stopped. He threw the belt aside and opened the door, panting from the exertion. Zan Jin, lying bruised and battered on the floor, could barely move. The door was wide open, but he couldn't muster the strength to escape.
YiBo walked back over to him, delivering two hard slaps to his face before grabbing the robe he had discarded earlier. Dragging him out of the room by the robe, YiBo pulled Zan Jin all the way to the living room, where he dropped him unceremoniously. With one final glance, YiBo stormed back to his room, leaving him lying on the cold floor.
Afraid YiBo might return for more, Zan Jin summoned the last bit of strength he had left. He crawled, inch by inch, toward the kitchen, his body marked with bruises and the painful welts from the belt. Blood trickled from his lips, and one of his eyes was swollen shut. He barely made it into the kitchen, his trembling hands managing to lock the door behind him. Then, completely drained, he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
***
Since YiBo was restrained, he felt himself slipping away. He moved from one place to another, his body aching as if he were in labor, and he sensed that he was about to harm himself. No amount of jacking under the cold showers was helping him; he couldn't bear it any longer. He stood up, as if propelled by an unseen force, and exited the room. Leaning against the corridor wall, he stood there for almost five minutes before glancing at the door of Zhan's room. He turned the knob but didn't push it open. Instead, he closed his eyes and stepped inside the room, staggering as he entered.
He pressed his hand against the light switch, breathing heavily, and stood there for another two minutes before gradually turning on the light. Zhan lay on the bed, cocooned in the duvet, from his waist down to his legs, with no barrier other than his boxers, and he was sleeping soundly.
YiBo leaned his forehead against the wall, shutting his eyes and releasing a slow breath. When he opened his eyes, which were now bloodshot, he turned off the light and approached the bed, settling beside him, enveloped by his scent. As he reached out to touch him, a flurry of emotions overwhelmed him, and suddenly he withdrew his hand, resting his head on the edge of the bed, crouching there until nearly two in the morning. It wasn't until then that the rain outside began to calm...
Eventually, Zhan stirred, waking up due to the need to use the bathroom, he got out of bed, swaying slightly as he made his way to the bathroom. His body felt utterly weak, and he stumbled upon YiBo, who was sitting on the floor. A gasp escaped his lips, filled with panic as he steadied himself, but his mind settled when he caught a whiff of YiBo's familiar scent. He shifted, sliding off YiBo to sit beside him in the dark, noting how warm he felt. Instantly, the drowsiness that had been consuming him disappeared.
He quickly got up and turned on the light, realizing YiBo was sprawled out on the floor without a shirt. Yibo opened his tired, red eyes. Zhan knelt in front of him, concerned, and asked, "Are you alright?" He didn't respond; instead, he mustered the strength to sit up. Zhan stepped back, unsure of what to say next. YiBo stood unsteadily, looking like he had been through a battle. Zhan rushed to his feet, instinctively moving toward him just as YiBo swayed, threatening to fall.
Zhan's eyes widened as he reached for him, determined to catch him, but Zhan toppled over, landing on the floor beside him. He gasped in pain, exclaiming, "Oh no, my back!" With surprising strength, YiBo pulled him up and lay him down beside him, mumbling an unintentional "Sorry" before closing his eyes again.
Zhan sat up, scrutinizing him closely; he was burning up with fever. Frantically, he began pounding on the bed, shouting, "Zan Jin! Zan Jin, wake up!" But when silence fell, he raised his head to find that Zan Jin was nowhere in sight. He quickly jumped up and dashed into the living room, searching for his friend, but to no avail. Almost in tears, he murmured, "Where could he have gone?" Then, with a hint of panic, he thought, "What am I going to do now?"
Turning swiftly, he rushed back into the room, kneeling before YiBo again, and asked, "Should I call my father on your phone?"
YiBo opened his eyes wide and quickly replied, "No."
Zhan stood up and stepped into the living room again, just in time to hear the kitchen door creaking open. Startled, he hurried down the hallway, peeking into the kitchen. There stood Zan Jin, his mouth agape, lips swollen like a camel's, and his face was flushed. One eye was bloodshot, while the other was wide open. He was still dressed in his rope. Zhan clutched his chest in fear and asked, "Zan Jin, what happened?"
Zan Jin struggled to respond, barely managing to say, "Ghost."
Zhan leaned against the wall in sheer terror, his eyes wide. "A ghost?"
Zan Jin nodded slowly, fear evident in his voice. "They're in this house. Get me my bag."
Zhan, panic rising within him, exclaimed, "Did you see them?"
Zan Jin exhaled deeply, "I said get me my bag."
Zhan stood frozen in place, paralyzed by fear. Zan Jin sank to the floor, feeling lost and overwhelmed. The tension in his body was palpable. Zhan glanced at him, noticing how his rope clung to him, drenched in sweat. "Zan Jin, look at yourself!"
Angrily, Zan Jin replied, "Just get me my bag!"
Zhan turned and rushed into the bedroom, not seeing YiBo where he had left him. Within five seconds, he grabbed Zan Jin's bag and phone and dashed back into the room. Seeing him, Zan Jin rose unsteadily, his body trembling, and snatched the bag and phone from Zhan's hands. He hurried toward the door.
Zhan burst into tears, saying, "You're leaving? You can't just abandon me like this!"
Without stopping, Zan Jin pushed open the door and hurriedly stepped out, managing to lock it behind him as he rushed outside.
Zhan returned to YiBo's room, locking the door behind him. He saw YiBo slumped on the carpet, unable to stand. Kneeling beside the bed, he looked at him, panic washing over him as Zan Jin's words echoed in his mind. Zhan cautiously got up and headed toward the bathroom, leaving the door ajar. After splashing some water on his face, he quickly returned to YiBo's side, feeling the heat radiating from his body.
As he looked at YiBo, he noticed him slowly opening his eyes, sensing Zhan nearby. Zhan frowned, "You said not to call my father." He reached for the phone he had seen on the edge of the bed, but Yibo mustered the strength to grab it from him, closing his eyes tightly again.
Zhan sat quietly beside him, watching. As dawn approached, Yibo still hadn't opened his eyes. Despite the exhaustion tugging at him, Zhan remained, determined to stay by his side. Suddenly, Yibo stirred and sat up. Zhan's eyes widened as he realized, "Are you going to throw up?"
YiBo bowed his head, and after a few minutes, he lay back down, eyes closed again. Zhan gently placed his hand on YiBo's forehead, feeling the heat radiating from him. When Yibo opened his eyes, Zhan said, "It's morning now; give me your phone so I can call my Father."
In a faint voice, Yibo instructed, "Get me some paper and a pen."
"Paper and a pen?" Zhan repeated in disbelief. Noticing YiBo's silence, he stood up and moved toward the door but stopped in his tracks. He rushed back, kneeling beside YiBo, almost in tears, saying, "Zan Jin told me there's a ghost in this house! He said they're all around him, and his face has changed!"
I will do my best, but not promising anything tho😂 to update 2 chapters per day.
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛