Zhuo came out of Paa's living room and headed over to Ren's area. She came out of her room, having heard him knock, and asked, "Were you sleeping?"
"No, I wasn't, Zhuo. How was your trip? Last night, you didn't come in until I'd already gone to bed."
"I was exhausted. I had some issues with my car," he replied.
Ren responded, "Is that so? Did you manage to reach Shu's husband on the phone?"
Zhuo nodded. "Yes, I tried to contact him, but he didn't answer and hasn't called back." Ren was quiet for a moment, then said, "Well, wouldn't it be better to go to his house and speak to him directly?"
Shaking his head, Zhuo replied, "No, I won't go. Whatever problems he has with her, he usually comes to me about it anyway, and I end up apologizing on her behalf. So this time, I don't even know what she's done to him since he didn't even bother to return my call."
Ren sighed. "It's unfortunate."
Zhuo continued, "Actually, Lee called me to let me know that his father will be coming over today to meet with Paa…"
"Today?" Ren asked.
"Yes. That's why I came to let you know. We should at least prepare some snacks since there's no time left to make a full meal. He mentioned they'd be here around noon, and it's already after nine," Zhuo explained.
"Alright then. Fortunately, sister An is in town, but she mentioned she might leave today. I'll call her to see if she can stay until the afternoon," Ren said.
"Good. And let's add some drinks and water to the list," Zhuo added.
"I'll take care of it," Ren assured him. Zhuo nodded and headed out, while Ren called Aunty An. Soon after, Aunty An arrived at the house and joined Ren and Lian in the kitchen to start preparing. Hearing the smell of cooking fill the house, Aunty Bing came to the kitchen door, watching Ren and An.
"Hard at work, I see," Aunty Bing commented. "Well, let's hope they can appreciate all this. Do these villagers even know what samosas and spring rolls are? You should've just prepared some cocoyam and cassava instead."
Aunty An ignored her, continuing with her task. Ren replied, "Well, we're already doing it. How's Shu feeling?"
"She's better…" Aunty Bing answered, turning to leave. As she walked away, she gave a slight scoff and returned to her area.
Zhan couldn't meet Aunty Bella or Lily's gaze as they sat in the lounge. Only Aunty Yu, who hadn't consulted anyone, slipped into one of the convoy cars, and neither Lily nor Aunty Bella said anything to her. Fang didn't accompany them either, as Aunty Yu hadn't told her to follow. At one point, Zhan spotted General seated with another soldier, dressed in uniform, as they engaged in conversation.
Zhan lowered his head and greeted Lily quietly, and she replied without looking at him. Aunty Bella watched him, signaling him to sit next to her when she saw him standing off to the side. Zhan slowly approached and took a seat. Aunty Yu glanced at Zhan, reflecting on everything Leo had told her. YiBo, meanwhile, avoided entering the lounge, preferring to sit in the departure area with everyone else.
General's personal jet would be taking them, and everyone boarded. Aunty Bella showed Zhan where to sit in the plane before taking her own seat. Just as YiBo avoided eye contact with Lily, Zhan did the same, feeling ashamed. YiBo was the last to enter, head lowered, and Aunty Bella frowned as she watched him, sensing something was seriously wrong. Despite her trust in him, he had hidden this entire situation from her.
***
At around twelve-thirty, the plane landed at Beijing International Airport. Zhan watched the lineup of cars, including military vehicles, waiting for them at the airport. A soldier promptly opened the car door for General and the senior officer accompanying him. YiBo, however, maintained a cautious distance as if he didn't want anyone to know he was with them. Aunty Yu walked with poise, as if she were the General's wife herself. For the first time since leaving Shanghai, Zhan looked over at YiBo, realizing how distant he was from his family, almost like an outsider.
Suddenly, Zhan felt a pang of guilt, recalling some of the things he'd done to YiBo in the past—the ways he'd humiliated him in front of their family. And yet, YiBo had never once tried to show superiority over him, often ignoring Zhan's taunts as if he hadn't noticed. He didn't realize when tears gathered in his eyes, and because of YiBo, he now found himself among the elite, standing alongside them. Sensing his gaze, YiBo looked in his direction. Their eyes met briefly before Zhan quickly looked away.
Aunty Bella opened one of the cars, looking at Zhan. "Get in." Zhan entered, and she joined him. Lily got into another car, and Aunty Yu joined her in the luxurious vehicle, leaving the airport in their convoy.
YiBo led the way for them to the house, taking the car in front. They drove for nearly thirty minutes before finally arriving.
As they entered their neighborhood, Zhan's heart started to pound. Yang rushed out, peeking through the gate at the sound of the convoy. Seeing the line of cars, including military vehicles at the front, he widened his eyes, waiting for them to pass, hoping they were headed somewhere else. But when they stopped directly in front of the house, soldiers got out and surrounded the area. Nervously, Yang shut the gate and locked it, his eyes wide with fear, wondering why they were stopping at the house. Could they have lost their way?
In a daze, Yang made his way back into the living room, where Grandma was recounting her visit to the police station to report the incident at Shu's house. She stopped mid-sentence, staring at Yang. "What's going on? Who are those people?"
Shaking, Yang stammered, "Lao Lao… there are more than fifty soldiers at our gate, all heavily armed. They're knocking."
Zhuo stood up, watching Yang carefully. Grandma frowned. "Soldiers? What on earth are they here for?"
Aunty Bing, who had been sitting there, also looked alarmed. "Soldiers? Are you sure, Yang?"
Wiping sweat from his forehead, Yang nodded. "Yes, Madam, I saw them with large rifles outside our gate."
Grandma scoffed. "Maybe they're lost. You should go tell them they've taken a wrong turn and stumbled into the neighborhood."
At the loud knocking on the gate, Paa stepped out from his room, hearing the persistent sound. Zhuo just kept staring at Yang, too nervous to go outside. Seeing Yang in the living room, Paa asked, "What's going on?"
Yang, still huddled by the chair, replied, "Sir, soldiers...almost a hundred of them...I don't know who they're looking for, but I locked the gate, and they're knocking nonstop."
Before he could finish, Zhuo hurried toward the door. Grandma called after him, alarmed. "Where are you going, Zhuo?" Aunty Bing also scolded him, but Zhuo was already outside. Grandma chased after him, calling his name anxiously.
As he walked, he pulled out his ringing phone from his pocket, seeing YiBo was calling. YiBo informed him they were waiting outside. When Zhuo finally reached the gate and opened it, there stood YiBo, surrounded by soldiers, each armed. At that moment, General Wang Hong got out of the car, accompanied by a friend. Grandma widened her eyes as she caught sight of YiBo surrounded by soldiers. Tears filled her eyes as she mumbled, "I knew it… I knew it all along. And they treated me like a fool..."
Then she looked at the General and the soldiers and said, "Excuse me, but we don't know him. Did he say he's related to us? He's from America!" Then, she ran back inside, saying she would tell Paa to hide.
Zhuo watched the General carefully, wondering if this was indeed Lieutenant General Wang Hong, the owner of Wang Cooperation Company, or if it was simply a resemblance. The General stood patiently, while Lily and Aunty Bella remained inside the car.
YiBo lowered his voice, glancing at Zhuo once they were in the compound, and said, "He's my father." Hearing this, the soldier accompanying the General remarked, "Is this how you treat your guests?" His words were straightforward, and Zhuo quickly greeted them nervously, opening the gate wider to let them in.
Lily and Aunty Bella got out of the car. YiBo kept his head down as he walked ahead of the General and his friend toward the main living room. Zhuo seemed nervous, sensing that if the General were pushed too far, he could easily lash out.
Watching his brother from inside, Zhan felt an urge to go and embrace him, feeling happy to see him again. On the balcony, YiBo met Zhan's father, who looked at the General approaching like the soldier he was. He glanced from YiBo to the General and his friend, a bit uncertain. He almost felt as if he was looking at the well-known General Wang himself, but wondered if his eyes were deceiving him.
Meanwhile, the soldiers who had followed the General and his friend dispersed throughout the compound, securing every corner.
That didn't prevent Paa to shook the General's hand and his friend to welcome them, he shook hands with one of the soldiers, who then led the group into the main living room.
Sheng and Lin, waiting nervously from the chalet, were prepared to see the whole household emptied, even though Yang had already crouched in the living room, and Grandma had retreated to a corner in Ren's room, so distressed she hadn't even noticed arriving there. She kept muttering to herself, "He deceived us, he deceived us! I knew I shouldn't trust him; I knew something was off!"
YiBo looked up at Aunty Bing, who had stepped back, wide-eyed with fear, while Ren stood by the kitchen door with Aunty An, both visibly shaken. YiBo kept his head down as the General and his colleague took seats, then motioned for Paa to sit as well, saying, "Please, sit down, Mr." Paa forced a smile as he sat and replied, "Welcome, but I'm not sure what brings you here. I hope it's nothing serious?"
At that moment, Zhan entered the living room, with Aunty Bella following close behind. They both took their seats, while Ren and Aunty An watched them closely, unease showing clearly on Ren's face as she thought, "What's happening?" Aunty Bing kept her eyes fixed on the new visitors, practically hawking at them as Zhuo greeted everyone warmly, bustling about to fetch them water, soda, and snacks.
Zhan could barely stay seated; instead, he hurried over to give Ren a hug, filled with a new, intense appreciation for his Mom, even though it hadn't been that long since they last saw each other. Ren swallowed hard, lowering her voice to whisper, "Who are these people, Zhan? Why are they here?"
Everyone in the room, from Aunty Bing to Aunty An, was waiting tensely to hear the reason for the visit, especially Paa, though he was doing his best to hide it. After a few seconds of silence, the General looked directly at Paa and finally said, "Nothing concerning... only good intentions. I also want to apologize for entering your home without prior notice… and, most importantly, I hope you are Mr. Xiao Zhen?"
Paa nodded, "Yes, that's me." The General introduced himself, saying, "My name is Wang Hong…." Paa responded slowly, "Former Lieutenant General… Wang Hong, the owner of Wang cooperation company?." The General confirmed, "Indeed, and he gesture towards his friend, this is my best friend Lieutenant General Xioang Dao, who is currently in power right now" Aunty Bing clutched her chair, her eyes widening as she took a closer look at the General, as if fully recognizing him just now. Ren and Aunty An, too, watched him in shock, not blinking.
The General gestured toward YiBo and said, "Mr. Xiao, I'd like a briefing on what you know about that young man." Paa's heart raced as he glanced at YiBo, who kept his head down, almost as if hiding something. At that moment, tears welled up in Ren's eyes. Paa could barely speak, but the General prompted, "We're listening, Mr. Xiao." Taking a steadying breath, Paa replied, "He came to this house a little over a year ago, asking for work as a driver, and I hired him. He takes the boy to school and helps with errands around the house." Paa spoke with forced composure, and Zhuo was the only one in the room who seemed calm.
The General nodded, "Is that all?" Paa shook his head, "I also gave request him to marry my child after I judged him to be honest and trustworthy and was impressed by his calm and respectful nature." The General kept nodding, while Paa looked at him steadily. The General then asked, "And how did you determine he was honest and trustworthy?" Paa replied, "Well, I've tested him on several occasions regarding matters of money, and he's never let me down. He even maintained the car I gave him remarkably well, unlike any driver I've ever had."
The General continued, "And how much do you pay him?" Paa answered, "I give him hundred or One twenty thousand yuan every month." The General remained silent for a moment, then asked, "Didn't you feel the need to meet his family before requesting him to marry your child?" Paa explained, "I actually traveled to his family's village and gained their approval. It wasn't done casually, Sir."
The General and Lily both glanced at YiBo in surprise. YiBo kept his gaze lowered, but the General couldn't stop watching him, realizing he even went as far as feigning a family in the village. The General then picked up a remote from the side of the chair and suddenly threw it at YiBo. Despite his attempts to dodge it, the remote hit him, causing Zhan to cover his mouth to hide his laughing as YiBo scratched his head, smiling slightly.
Meanwhile, Zhan's Grandma stood frozen in the doorway, unable to leave, with tears streaming down her face. She cursed YiBo under her breath at least fifty times, while Sheng and Lin eavesdropped through a window outside, and Yang, exhausted from staring wide-eyed, looked as though he'd wronged a king. The General, looking at Paa after a few seconds of silence, finally said, "Well, he is my son Wang YiBo; I am his father…."
"There's no other reason I came here but to confirm the legitimacy of his marriage. I'm happy to be related to you, Mr. Xiao, and I appreciate that you trusted him enough to request him to marry your child, and I will always be grateful for that." Everyone in the room froze at these words. Paa, struggling to process the revelation, asked, "Your son?" The General confirmed, "Yes, my son... and he's my only son." Aunty Yu, who had been tapping her foot anxiously, looked up at the General upon hearing him say "his only son," while Paa gazed unblinkingly at YiBo.
Aunty An grabbed Ren, who nearly fainted, while Aunty Bella watched Ren with deep sympathy, noticing the resemblance between her and Zhan. YiBo knelt down before Paa, speaking softly, "I am sorry I wasn't truthful with you, Father. I had no choice but to hide my identity… Please forgive me; it was never my intention to deceive you."
Zhan's Grandma, who had been standing with her mouth open for nearly a full minute, hurried into the living room, drying her tears, and pointedly asked the General, "Are you talking about a son you gave birth to or a hired hand?" The General smiled and pointed to Lily, saying, "There is his mother." Ren and Aunty An immediately looked up, shock evident on their faces. Silent tears started rolling down Ren's cheeks as she leaned against her sister for support, feeling like she was in a dream.
Aunty Bing watched everyone in the room with a strange smile, as if she had just recovered from a spell of madness, while Grandma clutched her head, saying, "Oh my, what is happening here?" The General, watching her, looked at Paa, who, after a few seconds of silence, simply gestured toward YiBo, visibly shaken.
Suddenly, everyone heard a thud. Ren, Aunty An, and Zhuo rushed to Aunty Bing, who had collapsed, while Paa stood up. Lily rushed over, asking, "Is she okay?" Aunty Bella didn't even move, having already anticipated Aunty Bing's reaction. She had watched Aunty Bing's growing tension and wasn't surprised when she suddenly dropped to the floor, blood now pooling from her head after hitting the tile. Zhuo and YiBo carried her outside as the General instructed one of the soldiers at the door to take her to the hospital with the convoy.
As they moved her out to the car, blood dripping from her head, Grandma rushed to the gate, yelling at the soldiers there to open it. She froze when she saw the lineup stretching down the road, not a soul to be seen. With soldiers stationed from the beginning of the line to Zhan's family home, each one holding a gun, standing at attention, as the convoy of General Hong's and his friend awaited them....
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛