Yuting sat quietly in the sitting room, having been called there by Nainai. She had been sitting for over fifteen minutes, yet Nainai hadn't said a word to her. Instead, Nainai was busy dusting the furniture while occasionally glancing at her. Yuting finally spoke up, "Mother, I've already started cooking…"
Nainai raised an eyebrow and replied, "You've started cooking? Really? Then what's the use of that boy you left behind? Can't he check on the food for you? Doesn't he have the day off from his lessons?"
Yuting sighed and said, "He was asleep when I left."
Nainai clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "It's the same story every day. I hope we spared from disgrace, but honestly, I've never tasted even a warm water that Yibo prepared—not once. So what's he going to cook for his spouse when he gets married? Every time he gets a little sick, everyone coddles him like he's made of glass. Well, it's none of my business. If he grows up to embarrass himself, that's on him. If he ever does something worthwhile, I'll leave it to God's to witness."
Yuting remained silent, not wanting to argue. Nainai sat down and continued, "Ever since he was a boy, he's been so fragile and delicate in everything he does, moving like he'll break at the slightest touch. They even blame his health for everything. Well, it's none of my concern. Anyway, I called you and Zihan here to talk, but since Zihan hasn't bothered to come yet, she's out there preening herself like she's about to hand me something precious…"
Before Nainai could finish her sentence, Zihan walked in. "Good afternoon, A Yi," she greeted politely.
Nainai gave her a stern look. "Afternoon," she replied curtly.
Zihan sat down, turning to Yuting with a smile. "It's been a while, Yibo's mother."
Yuting chuckled softly. "We've all been keeping to ourselves lately."
Nainai, still standing, resumed her dusting. Zihan commented, "Still cleaning, A Yi?"
Nainai's expression hardened as she snapped, "Should I stop cleaning and let myself die in filth, child? Can't you see how spotless everything is? Can't your nose smell how fresh the sitting room is? I haven't sat down all day—I've been working, and my back feels like it's going to break, but I won't stop until everything is clean. Even the floor you just walked on, I scrubbed it until it shone. Dirtiness is unacceptable. I swear, I'll die in a clean home, and that's that. Filth is a disgrace! Honestly, among all my grandchildren, only Zhan has inherited my love for cleanliness."
Zihan and Yuting exchanged glances as Nainai continued her rant. She sat down, shaking her head as she said, "Zhan is the only one who's truly clean. No matter where there's dirt, you won't find him there. He's always spotless, always neat. You wouldn't believe me unless you went into his room. Whether it's because of how I raised him or not, I don't know, but he's incredibly particular about cleanliness."
She then turned her attention to Seth. "Now take that big boy Seth—his only concern is wearing fancy clothes and spraying cologne. But the moment you serve him food, he'll leave the plate right where he sat and walk off. Tell me, where's the cleanliness in that? A person's tidiness shows in how they handle things like that. And his room? He'll barely make the bed before running off.
"And then there's Yibo. Look at him with all that hair, yet he doesn't take care of it. It's always messy. Sometimes weeks will pass, and he won't bother combing it. He claims it's because it's too hurt, but cleanliness starts with taking care of yourself. And don't get me started on his hats—he leaves them everywhere when he visits. Look over there; I've gathered over a hundred of them now. Should I eat them? Who knows. I've even told Quentin to stop buying him hats. They're expensive, but he treats them carelessly."
She continued with a sigh, "And Meiling? She'll pile up dirty clothes until they're everywhere. She waits until there's no more space left, and only then will she finally wash them, turning the house into a laundromat. Where's the dignity in that? Honestly, some of the other girls here, too—they reek sometimes. It's appalling."
Zihan tried to stifle her laughter, but Nainai snapped, "This isn't a laughing matter! I called you both here for a reason." She paused for a moment before lowering her voice. "Now, count the days from last Saturday to today for me."
"Six days," Yuting replied softly.
"Six days," Nainai echoed. "That's how long it's been since Zhan and Yibo last came to see me. Is that fair? Just because I got upset about them drinking my porridge and milk and said I wasn't happy, they've decided to stay away from me. What did I do wrong?"
Zihan opened her mouth and said, "Honestly, they shouldn't have done that. Six days is a long time."
Nainai's eyes started to water. "Imagine, Zhan refusing to come here for six whole days because I scolded him. Just because I told him to repay my porridge, now it's turned into this? And you, Zihan, I called you because you're like a mother to him. I don't have anything to say to that woman who gave birth to him. And Yuting, I called you because Yibo is your son."
Zihan hesitated before saying, "But A Yi, weren't you the one who said they shouldn't come back to your part or you'll runaway?"
Nainai widened her eyes in disbelief. "What? Did I really say that? And even if I did, do you think I meant it? Where else do I have to go if I leave this house? Of course, I was only speaking out of frustration. Everyone knows I'm all talk. Do you really think I'd chase my grandchildren away over porridge? Porridge! What is it, some magical potion? What nonsense."
Zihan stifled another laugh. "You're right, A Yi. They were wrong for staying away."
Nainai turned to Yuting, her gaze sharp. "And you, Yuting? You're just sitting there quietly. Don't you have anything to say?"
Yuting replied softly, "Please forgive them, mother. I'll make sure to speak with Yibo when I get home."
"And I'll talk to Zhan when he gets back from work," Zihan added.
Nainai adjusted her seat, nodding slightly. "Good. Make sure you do. Tell me, what's the point of all my kindness if they can't see it? I'm not a nagger. I'm not quarrelsome. I don't snoop around, and I'm not greedy. So why would they stay away unless Zong has been whispering nonsense into their ears? Otherwise, what kind of smarts do they have to come up with such a plan on their own?"
Zihan began to laugh, while Yuting simply smiled. Nainai shook her head, saying, "Look closely at this matter—it's all Zong's doing. No one else would stir things up like this. Quentin doesn't act this way, I'm sure of it. Honestly, I've decided to stop involving Zong in my affairs since all he does is fill the children's heads with resentment toward me. Later, I'll have Quentin come here so he can hear what's been going on. Imagine, six whole days!"
Yuting stood up, saying, "Please forgive them, mother. I'll speak to Yibo when I get back. Let me go check on the food now."
Nainai frowned. "Food? You're concerned about food while we're discussing something so serious? Zong has been poisoning their minds, and you're thinking about cooking! Honestly, food as if we're starving!"
Yuting headed toward the door, replying, "Alright then, I'll see you later, mother."
Nainai sighed. "May we all find peace. Make sure to sit him down and figure out why he's acting like this." Yuting nodded, said goodbye to Zihan, and left the sitting room.
Nainai clicked her tongue and said, "Look at that boy's barbarian ways. Have you seen someone more stubborn? You should be wary of him, especially when he's unusually quiet. And then there's Yuting, leaving the room like that without saying much. It's no wonder Yibo didn't take after her personality. At least Yibo can stand up for himself and speak his mind anywhere. Ever since I told him to stop greeting Zhan's mother, he hasn't greeted her once. Even Zong and Quentin gave up trying to get him to change his mind. Honestly, Yibo is probably the only one in this house who inherited my spirit.
"And really, why should he greet that woman if she can't even respond properly? She's the one being rude, not him. If she can't act with dignity, why should he bother?"
Zihan couldn't help but laugh, but Nainai shook her head. "Help me out here, Zihan. When Zhan gets back, corner him in his room and find out what I did to make him stay away from me like this."
Zihan nodded. "Of course, A Yi. I'll go now—I'm sure he's back since it's already past five."
"Good, go quickly!" Nainai urged. Zihan stood, said her goodbyes, and left. Nainai got up and continued her cleaning, muttering to herself, "Zong has really gone astray. He wasn't always like this."
Later, Yibo couldn't stop laughing when Yuting passed along Nainai's message. He laughed so hard that he sat up from where he was lying down and said, "I'm not going anywhere, Mu Qin. Since Sunday, I haven't been hearing Nainai complaining about me to Fu Qin. Let it stay that way—it's better like this. She said herself that this time she's not joking, and Fu Qin really scolded us last time for visiting her part. She said, as soon as we get there, she'll run out and leave the house."
Yuting sighed. "I told you just to go greet her. Say hello and come right back."
Yibo started fake-crying, his voice trembling dramatically. "Please, Mu Qin, don't make me go! If I go, she'll just accuse me of something again."
Yuting stood up. "Fine then. If I give food to you to take to her, will you deliver it, or not?" Without waiting for his answer, she left the room.
Real tears welled up in Yibo's eyes now. He truly didn't want to visit Nainai, dreading whatever she might say to him next.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
Zihan finished preparing dinner and stepped out of the kitchen. Seeing Zhan about to leave, she said, "Doctor, when you get back, meet me in my bedroom."
Zhan replied, "Alright," and left the sitting room. He returned later with Seth, and after they went upstairs, Zhan entered Zihan's room while Seth headed to his own. Zihan was sitting, watching Zhan as he stood at attention like a soldier. "Don't just stand there," she said. "Sit down."
Smiling and scratching his head, he sat on the edge of the bed. Zihan sighed and said, "Now, Zhan, if everyone avoids A Yi, does that mean you'll avoid her too?"
Zhan blinked. "Nainai? What about her?"
"She called me earlier," Zihan replied. "She said it's been six days since you and Yibo last visited her."
Zhan chuckled but didn't say anything. Zihan frowned. "Alright, you've had your laugh. Now get up and go greet her."
Standing up, Zhan replied, "What? I'm not stepping foot in her apartment, not after the warning Papa gave me—it's not funny at all."
Zihan cut him off. "So, you're not going, huh?"
Zhan sighed. "Honestly, Yemei, isn't it better that things have been quiet lately? She hasn't complained about anything, and we've all had peace."
Zihan crossed her arms. "I'm telling you, get up and go. Or do my words mean nothing to you? If Yichen asked you to go, would you tell her no?"
Smiling, Zhan said, "Even Mom told me to stay away from Nainai's apartment entirely."
Zihan raised an eyebrow. "Fine then, get out of my room. And don't come back until you've visited her. Tomorrow morning, I'll make sure to ask if you actually went."
Shaking his head, Zhan reluctantly stood and left the room, muttering to himself.
Meanwhile, Yibo had been standing in the courtyard, holding a basket of food. He leaned against a large flowerpot, clearly hesitant to move. It looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown. From the corner of his eye, he saw Zhan walking toward him, phone pressed to his ear. Quickly, Yibo ducked behind the flowerpot, waiting for Zhan to pass.
As soon as Zhan walked by, Yibo jumped out and let out a loud yell behind him. Zhan froze for a moment before slowly turning around to glare at him.
"Really?" Zhan said, crossing his arms.
"You didn't even flinch," Yibo said, feigning disappointment.
Zhan rolled his eyes and gave him a pointed look. Yibo pouted and walked off, but Zhan waited for a moment before quietly following him.
He found Yibo standing outside Nainai's sitting room, peeking in through the partially open door. Zhan removed his shoes on the balcony and tiptoed behind him. With a mischievous grin, he reached out and tickled Yibo's side.
Yibo let out a loud scream and dropped the food basket he was holding. The dishes scattered, and food spilled all over the floor.
"Look what you've done!" Yibo exclaimed, wide-eyed and panicked.
Zhan, laughing to himself, quickly moved the basket out of the way, surveying the mess. "Me? You're the one who dropped it!" he teased.
From the sitting room, Nainai called out, "What fell and made that noise?"
Xinyi opened the door, while Yibo stood frozen, staring at the spilled food as if he were about to cry. Nainai got up and approached, asking, "What's going on here?"
Almost in tears, Yibo replied, "Gege spilled the food I brought for you."
Nainai sighed. "Well then, clean it up and take it back to your mother so she can replace it. I have nothing to do with this."
Yibo sulked and walked into the sitting room, crossing his arms. "Great. No Mu Qin will scold me, eat the one that Xinyi brought for you."
Nainai responded, "No way. I was eating something else earlier anyway. Xinyi, clean this up and take it to Yuting. Tell her Zhan spilled it and she needs to send me something new."
Xinyi frowned. "But this is the same food we made too."
Annoyed, Nainai snapped, "And how is that my problem? Your food doesn't taste as good as hers. Just do what I said, or everyone in this house will be upset."
Reluctantly, Xinyi gathered the food and placed it back into the basket. Yibo muttered under his breath, "You might as well tell her it was Zhan who spilled it, not me."
Nainai chuckled. "Come on now, you couldn't have dropped it. It's clearly something Zhan would do."
Zhan stepped over the mess and entered the sitting room, sitting down without a word. Xinyi carried the food back to Yibo's section of the house. Meanwhile, Nainai started cleaning up the mess herself while everyone else sat around watching.
Before she could finish, Xinyi returned with another dish and placed it in front of Nainai. "Yibo, your mother said you should go see her," Xinyi announced.
Nainai scoffed. "And what exactly will happen if he does? She'll just give him another headache with her complaints. Why not just confront Zhan directly? He's the one always spilling other people's food. Honestly, ever since I've known him, this has been his habit. Just because he ran into someone on the way today doesn't mean he gets a pass."
With that, Nainai walked into the sitting room and turned to Xinyi. "Please, for the love of everything, help me finish cleaning this place. My back feels like it's about to give out."
Xinyi hesitated. "But they're the ones who—"
Zhan's sharp look silenced her. Frustrated, she got up and continued cleaning the area.
A few moments later, Nainai returned with a bowl of fried meat. "I've been saving this since Monday, but no one's come to visit me, so I thought maybe something was wrong. I didn't give it to anyone yet."
Zhan, curious, asked, "Who is it for?"
"For you and Yibo," Nainai replied.
Yibo quickly interjected, "Nainai, please just divide it for us yourself."
Zhan added, "Yes, just grab a bag and split it for us."
Nainai sighed and went back to her room. Before Yibo could process what was happening, Zhan stood up and left the sitting room.
Yibo called after him, but Zhan slipped on his shoes and walked away. Confused, Nainai peeked into the sitting room and asked, "What's going on?"
Yibo started crying and said, "He took all the meat with him."
Nainai replied, "Get up and go after him. If you can't catch up with him, take it straight to Zong's sitting room."
Yibo reluctantly stood up and left the sitting room. He couldn't run because of his condition, so by the time he reached the compound, Zhan had already gone into his part of the house. Yibo wiped the tears from his eyes and muttered to himself, "He'll regret this." With that, he returned to his own apartment.
Later, Yibo endured Yuting's scolding about spilling the food before finally retreating to his bedroom.
:-*:-*:-*:-*
That night, while Yibo was putting on his pajamas, his phone started ringing. He assumed it was Sen Wen, who always called him at night for a quick chat. Their conversations weren't long, just polite exchanges, but Yibo still got excited whenever he called.
To his surprise, it was Fu Qin calling. Yibo hesitated for a moment before answering softly, "Good evening, Fu Qin."
Quentin asked, "How are you? How's everything at home?"
Yibo replied, "Everything's fine, thank you. How's work?"
"It's going well," Quentin said. "Are you keeping up with your studies?"
"Yes, I'm working hard," Yibo assured him.
"That's good to hear," he replied. "But A Yi called me earlier, complaining that it's been a week since you visited her. Why is that?"
Yibo quickly said, "I went to see her today, Fu Qin."
"And what about the other days? Why didn't you go?"
"She told me and Zhan not to come back," Yibo explained.
"That's because you both were disrespectful to her," Quentin said sharply. "The warning I gave you before I left seems to have been ignored, hasn't it?"
Yibo fell silent, unsure of what to say.
"From now on," Quentin continued, "don't let a day go by without visiting her. Even if your mother scolds you, you still need to go and greet her. She's my mother, Yibo, and you need to show her respect. Now, i give your brother a call too. I've been trying to reach him, but he isn't answering, go and handed the phone to him I will call back later."
Holding back tears, Yibo replied, "Okay," before Quentin ended the call.
Yibo went into the sitting room, where Yuting was watching TV. She glanced at him as he walked by.
"Fu Qin said I should handed my phone to Gege," Yibo said hesitantly.
Yuting frowned. "What's wrong with his phone?"
Yibo shrugged, raising his hands as if to say she should know better than him. Yuting gave him a long look before turning her attention back to the TV. Yibo sighed and left the room.
In Zong's main sitting room, the lights and TV were off, and no one was around. Yibo climbed the stairs, glancing at Zhan's bedroom door, realizing it had been ages since he last went up there. He walked to the door, hesitated, and then pushed it open slightly.
A cool breeze mixed with a soothing fragrance greeted him, making him pause. The room was immaculate, with a white bedsheet neatly spread on the bed. Even without looking, Yibo could tell Zhan was taking a shower, as the sound of running water and the scent of soap filled the room.
Yibo's eyes widened as he noticed his old sketches on the wall—four in total. He had drawn them back in grade eight, perfecting each one because Yibo's features were more than ideal for sketching.
Pouting, Yibo dragged a chair from the vanity table, placed it by the wall, and carefully began removing the sketches from the wall. He was extra cautious not to tear the carbon paper as he worked.
Zhan stepped out of the bathroom wearing shorts, drying his hair with a small towel. He froze in surprise when he saw Yibo standing in his room. Yibo turned at the sound of the door opening, their eyes meeting. Pouting, Yibo said, "Gege, Fu Qin asked me to bring you the phone."
Just as Yibo finished speaking, his phone, which had been left on the bed, began ringing. Yibo quickly climbed down from the chair, grabbed the phone, and said, "Here, it's ringing again." He handed it to Zhan, adding, "It's Fu Qin."
Zhan took the phone, pressing it to his ear as he greeted his Shushu. Meanwhile, Yibo's gaze wandered to the bowl of meat Zhan had taken earlier, now sitting on the vanity table.
While Zhan spoke to Quentin, his attention remained on Yibo, watching as he moved toward the mirror. Sensing Yibo's intentions, Zhan grabbed his arm and yanked him back.
Yibo's eyes widened, about to protest, but Zhan pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him. He quickly wrapped up the call, telling Quentin, "Alright Shushu, we'll talk tomorrow. Goodnight."
Quentin agreed and hung up. Zhan turned his attention to Yibo, giving him a pointed look. "Put the drawings you just took down back on the wall, right now. And while you're at it, explain to me when I ever gave you permission to barge into my room without knocking."
Yibo pouted, his expression defiant. "I brought you the phone, didn't I? Besides, I have just as much right to be in this room as you do."
Zhan pinched his ear lightly and ignore Yibo last words. "If I don't answer, you knock and leave. You don't just walk in. Got it?"
Yibo smirked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Ah, Gege, what are you so afraid of me seeing if I don't knock?" His smirk deepened as his eyes flicked down toward Zhan's lower body. With a teasing pout, he added, "Don't tell me you're shy. That thing is mine anyway. If I wanted, I could demand its services right now… but don't worry, I won't. Not yet, though."
Zhan's face reddened, caught between embarrassment and disbelief. "Yibo, you're pervert you know, pervert teenager!"
They heard Yichen's voice in the corridor, scolding Meiling for not cleaning properly and asking her to take the trash away from her door. At the same time, she inquired if Zhan was in his room. Meiling, frowning, replied, "He's inside."
Zhan's eyes widened in alarm as he quickly pulled Yibo into the bathroom, locking the door behind them just as Yichen entered the room, calling his name.
The fear on Yibo's face was unmistakable. Zhan crouched down to his level, his voice low and teasing. "Hey, calm down, or I'll kiss you. Do you think she's coming in here?"
Yibo could only nod, his breathing shallow. Zhan moved closer, gently caressing Yibo's cheeks in an intimate way to soothe him. "I told you, she's not going to come in. Just breathe in and out slowly."
Yibo tried to lean against the wall for support, but Zhan pulled him into his arms, holding him close and rubbing his back in soothing circles. Yichen left the room after a few moments of searching and not finding Zhan.
After about five minutes, Yibo's breathing finally steadied. Zhan lifted his chin, studying his face. Tears clung to Yibo's lashes. Zhan pressed a gentle kiss to his eyelids and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Yibo pointed weakly to his chest. Zhan's expression turned serious. He stepped out of the bathroom, locking the bedroom door, and returned to help Yibo. Opening the drawer where he kept medicines and supplies, he found Yibo's inhaler on the floor. It was something Yibo often left in Zhan's room when he visited.
Turning back, Zhan saw Yibo curled up on the bed, trembling slightly. He returned to his side and handed him the inhaler. Yibo took it, calming himself further.
Once Yibo was steady, Zhan got dressed, spritzed on some cologne, and started re-hanging the drawings Yibo had removed earlier. Yibo sat up, pouting, about to protest, but his eyes wandered to the bowl of meat on the vanity. Slowly, holding his chest, Yibo walked over and picked up the bowl.
Hearing the door creak open, Zhan turned sharply, spotting Yibo attempting to leave the room in a hurry. "Hey, did you already forget what just happened in the bathroom? If you..."
But Yibo had already rushed out, running down the stairs.
Zhan made sure the corridor was clear before following him. By the time he reached the other wing, he spotted Yibo crouched near their apartment, struggling to catch his breath. Zhan hurried over, kneeling beside him. "Didn't I tell you not to run?" he said, his voice full of concern.
Noticing Yibo's asthma flaring up, Zhan gently took the bowl from him and carried him into their apartment. Yuting, sitting in the living room, gave them a side-eye before getting up to grab Yibo's inhaler. She tossed it to them without a word.
Zhan made sure Yibo's breathing returned to normal before standing up. He placed the bowl of meat in Yibo's lap, giving him a pointed look before leaving the room.
As Yibo sat there, catching his breath, he casually opened the bowl and began eating the meat with a smug expression.
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛