Zhan stared at Nia, who was approaching with Ru, without blinking until they reached the parking space. Nia smiled softly and greeted him, "Welcome." Without much enthusiasm, Zhan replied, "Thanks," then looked away. YiBo locked the car and glanced at them with a small smile, saying, "Hi, Nia..."
Nia refused to look at him and simply responded, "Welcome." Ru signaled to Nia's maid, who had come to carry their trolley from the car. The maid took the items from the trunk and headed inside, while Nia picked up a small bag and followed her. Ru looked at YiBo and asked, "Are you coming inside?" YiBo replied, "Yeah, you go ahead. I need to make a call first."
Ru turned to Zhan and said, "Let's go in, Zhan." He didn't respond. Ru glanced at YiBo, who had pulled out his phone and seemed ready to make a call. She then looked back at Zhan but, seeing no reaction, shrugged and followed Nia inside. After they had walked a good distance, YiBo pocketed his phone and approached Zhan, saying, "Why aren't you going in?"
Briefly, Zhan replied, "I'm not staying in this house." YiBo stared at him and asked, "Why?" Without looking at him, Zhan said, "I just can't." YiBo was silent, studying him. Zhan leaned against the car with his arms crossed and a frown on his face, showing that he wasn't budging. YiBo leaned beside him and lowered his voice, saying, "Okay, how about we spend the night at a hotel together?"
Zhan glanced at him quickly, and YiBo raised an eyebrow. Zhan looked away, his heart racing. YiBo gently took his hand and said, "You know, it was Mom who asked you to come here today. It wouldn't make sense to send you home and say you refused to stay without any reason. So, let's just go to the hotel." With that, he opened the back seat door and looked at him, saying, "Your usual spot." But Zhan remained silent and refused to get into the car.
YiBo's phone rang... it was Ru. He answered, and she said, "Brother, Aunt is waiting for you; she hasn't gone upstairs yet. Aren't you coming in?" YiBo quickly responded, "Okay, okay, I'm coming." He hung up, turned to Zhan, and said, "Let me go greet the family. Once I'm done, we'll head to the hotel." He then walked toward the house, and Zhan watched him without blinking, tears welling up in his eyes. Why would they bring him to this house, the home of that girl? He knew he wouldn't follow YiBo to the hotel, but he was definitely not staying in this house.
As YiBo entered, he found Nia's mom sitting in the living room. He greeted her politely, and she responded warmly, "Where's the guest?" YiBo replied, "He's on a call with his brother outside." Nia just kept watching him. Her mom said, "Oh! Alright." YiBo glanced at Nia, who was sitting on the couch. Their eyes met, but she quickly looked away.
Remembering Zhan was still outside, he stood up and said, "Aunt, I'll be right back."
Nia's mom said, "Alright, go ahead... There's food waiting for you when you return." YiBo headed for the door and looked toward the parking space, but Zhan was no longer where he had left him. YiBo scanned the area, but there was no sign of him. In a few seconds, he rushed over to the gate and asked the security guard, "Did you see a boy leave just now?"
The guard responded, "Yes, he left not too long ago." YiBo's eyes widened in shock. He stared at the guard for a moment, then quickly ran out of the gate. At first, he was unsure where to go, as there were many roads in the area. Eventually, he chose the main road. Within minutes, despite the distance, he reached the road but saw no sign of Zhan. He looked around desperately, his heart pounding, and a cold sweat broke out as his legs suddenly felt heavy.
Meanwhile, Zhan had walked far from the neighborhood. He kept walking through side streets until he found himself on a large road, realizing he was very far from where he had started. Standing at the edge of the road, he watched the passing cars, unsure of his next step. He stood there for over 15 minutes until a car pulled up next to him. He stepped back, eyeing the car cautiously.
A man, probably around 55 years old, lowered the window and asked, "Hey, are you okay, young man? Going somewhere? Get in, and I'll give you a lift. You've been standing here for a while."
Zhan stared at him in silence. The man continued, "Why are you so quiet? I've been watching you since I went into that supermarket, did my shopping, and came out. I mean no harm; I just want to help." Finally, Zhan said, "I don't have money for a ride. I lost my wallet."
The man replied, "That's fine. Hop in, and I'll take you wherever you need to go." Zhan remained silent, staring at him. He wasn't foolish enough to trust a stranger. Eventually, he said, "Just give me the money for the ride."
The man chuckled and said, "Alright, how much do you need?" Zhan paused before replying, "Anything you can give." The man said, "But why don't you just get in? I'm not a kidnapper or anything. It's late, and it's not safe for a young boy like you to be standing by the road at this hour."
Zhan said nothing. The man sighed and said, "Okay, I'll give you the money since you don't trust me. But where exactly are you headed?" Zhan answered, "Just a bit further." The man took out some money and handed it to him along with his phone, saying, "Here, put your number in so I can check if you get home safely." Zhan took the money and placed the phone back on the seat, saying, "Thanks, but I don't have a phone." With that, he quickly walked away, leaving the man staring after him, speechless.
***
Zhan kept walking, but he didn't see a single taxi in the neighborhood, and he was utterly exhausted, as he wasn't used to walking such long distances. He hadn't even checked how much the old man had given him. Eventually, he found himself in front of a large supermarket and spotted a taxi driver. Rushing over, he said, "I need to get to the bus station or train station."
The driver asked, "Which one?"
Zhan replied, "The one for buses to Beijing."
"Alright, let's go," the driver said. "How much?" Zhan asked. After hearing the fare, he counted the money in his hand and realized he had just enough. He climbed into the taxi, and they drove off.
Once at the bus station, Zhan paid the driver and entered the terminal. Luckily, he found a bus heading to Beijing. When he asked how much the fare was, his heart sank, realizing he didn't have enough. He stood to the side, trying to look inconspicuous, while the bus driver called out, "Are you coming or not?"
Zhan hesitated and then replied, "I don't have enough money, but will you take this instead?" He held out the gold ring he had pulled from YiBo's finger earlier when they were holding each other in the car.
Despite the lights in the station, the driver turned on his phone's flashlight to inspect the ring closely. After a moment, he called over a colleague to take a look as well. One of them finally said, "Instead of giving me the ring, why not sell it and get the money? I'll give you a fair price."
Zhan hesitated. "I'm not sure what it's worth," he admitted.
"How about 5 million yuan?" the man offered. Zhan's eyes widened at the amount. He paused for a moment before nodding in agreement.
The man returned with 500,000 yuan in cash, handing it to Zhan. "I'll transfer the rest to your account," he said. Zhan recited his account details, paid the bus fare, and pocketed the remaining cash before boarding the bus, which was full of other men. He didn't even care if the man followed through with the transfer. His only concern was getting to Beijing.
Lily stood in the living room with Nia's mom, watching YiBo, who was sitting on the couch, silent and clearly distressed. Ru was crying softly in the corner, and Tin sat next to Lily, as the two had come together. Nia stood by the dining area, also worried.
Lily finally broke the silence. "I'm talking to you, Ai Bo, and you're just sitting there quietly. Where do you think that boy went in the middle of the night? Time is running out!"
YiBo stood abruptly without looking at them. "I don't know," he muttered before heading toward the door. Nia watched him leave the living room, concerned.
Nia's mom sighed. "They've only been here for ten minutes, and I asked him where the boy was. He said he was outside talking to his brother on the phone. Where could he have gone?"
YiBo's mother couldn't bring herself to say anything, her worry deepening. Where were they even supposed to start looking?
Meanwhile, Zhan had already fallen asleep on the bus, and they hadn't even left Shanghai.
YiBo had never felt such anxiety before... not even when his father had done something to upset him. This felt surreal, like a bad dream. As the clock ticked closer to 10 p.m., his worry became more visible. He had returned home since 8 p.m., leaving his mother and the others at Nia's house. Seeing his mother so anxious, Nia's Mom had insisted on going back with her.
They were all sitting in YiBo's mom's living room when, just after 10 p.m., YiBo finally returned, having answered his mother's call. Lily, trying to keep her composure, said, "I told you to call his family, and you didn't. I asked you to call his siblings, and you ignored me. What am I supposed to do with you? If you won't call, at least give me their numbers! This is becoming a nightmare!"
Trying to stay calm, YiBo replied, "What do you want me to say, Mom? Call them and tell them what? That I lost their son in the middle of the night? Should I tell them we couldn't keep him in our house because Dad's sister didn't want him here, and my mom can't do anything about it?"
He turned to his mother. "I thought you'd go to any length for that boy. I thought you'd repay the kindness his family showed me by taking care of him, just like you did for Tin and Ru. I believed you would always be there for him. If it weren't for his family, I'd be depressed right now. You watched Dad kick me out of the house, and you couldn't do anything. You saw me leave, and you didn't stop it.
They took me in without knowing who I was, trusted me with everything, and now this is how we repay them? By failing to protect their son?"
His mother just stared at him, unsure of what to say, though she felt a heavy weight in her chest. Without a word, he turned and left the living room, and Nia followed him with her eyes, unblinking. Mia found a seat and sat down.
***
Around 9:30 a.m., Zhan arrived in Beijing. He had slept through most of the journey, he is now in a taxi. When the driver asked where he was headed, Zhan remained silent, pondering whether he should just go to a hotel since he had money and knew the rates in Beijing. Finally, he told the driver to take him to a small hotel because he intended to pay in cash, lacking any identification on him.
When they arrived, he got out, paid the driver, and entered the hotel. After paying for a room, he received the key and went straight to his room. He took a shower and changed into fresh clothes before lying down, but sleep eluded him. He tossed and turned, with only one person occupying his mind... Nia. He hated her with a burning passion. If he'd known they would visit her house, he would've run away from YiBo's place, as he detested even the thought of seeing her.
At about 1:45 p.m., Zhan woke from a short nap. He went out to a nearby supermarket to buy a toothbrush and toothpaste, then returned to the hotel. By 4:00 p.m., he was fully dressed and caught another taxi. When the driver asked for his destination, Zhan hesitated. His heart started racing as he realized he didn't know what to expect when he reached home. His father might even throw him out. But despite the fear gripping him, he gave the driver his home address and sat back in silence as they headed toward his family's house.
Throughout the 30-minute journey, Zhan's anxiety only grew. When they finally arrived, he felt too paralyzed to get out of the taxi at first. Noticing the driver looking at him, he gathered his courage, paid the fare, and slowly walked toward the gate, every step weighed down by fear.
He opened the gate to find Yang sitting by it, talking on his phone. The moment Yang saw him, he jumped to his feet in surprise. "Young master!" Yang exclaimed. Zhan smiled faintly. "Mr. Yang," he replied. Yang beamed, welcoming him warmly, assuming he had arrived with YiBo.
Zhan continued walking, but his heart sank at the sight of his father's car in the parking lot. Zhuo Ge's car was there too, indicating he was also at the house. By the time he reached the balcony, his legs felt heavy, and fear consumed him. He stood there for nearly a minute, gathering his courage before he quietly opened the door and stepped inside the living room.
Aunty Bing emerged from the kitchen, carrying a breakfast tray she had prepared for Zhang. She froze when she saw him, her eyes widening in shock. "Is that really Zhan?" she asked aloud. Zhan glanced at her briefly before looking away, walking slowly toward his mother's quarters. Aunty Bing watched him with astonishment as he passed by.
Zhan softly opened the door to his mother's living room and stepped inside. Ren had just come out of her bedroom when they locked eyes. She stood frozen in the doorway, shocked by his sudden appearance. Zhan rushed forward and embraced her, filled with joy at seeing her again. His mother, still in shock, managed to lift his chin and asked, "From where have you been?"
Smiling, Zhan responded, "From home, Mama." She frowned slightly. "With whom?" Zhan replied, "He dropped me off and said he'll come back later." Just then, the living room door opened again, and both of them looked up. Aunty Bing entered. Seeing her, Zhan quickly slipped into his mother's bedroom and locked the door behind him. Aunty Bing stood there, stunned by his reaction. After a moment, she found her voice and asked, "Was that Zhan?"
Ren forced a smile and nodded. "Yes, it was him. He just arrived." Aunty Bing, still bewildered, said, "Well, I hope he gets some rest. He must be tired." She then left the living room, still in disbelief.
Ren hurried back into her room and scolded Zhan, "Why did you act like that? She came to see you, Zhan! Why did you leave the living room?"
Zhan remained silent. Ren pressed further, "Why didn't you greet her?"
Zhan finally responded quietly, "I need some rest. Besides, I only came to see you, and I'm hungry." His mother sighed, then left the room to get him something to eat. She had barely left for three minutes when Zhang entered the room...
I hope I didn't upset a certain people's 😔😔😔
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛