"Qiaoxi, Yibo is dead. He's no longer in this world."
Haozhi said it flatly, without hesitation, his eyes fixed on her face. By his count, more than ten seconds passed while she stared back at him before she finally shook her head.
"That's a lie. Whoever told you that lied. If Yibo were dead, I would know. My heart would tell me first, not anyone else. I would feel it... deep inside me...that Yibo is gone, Haozhi."
She called him by his name directly, her tone calm, without visible distress. He only nodded.
"Fine then. Stay here. I'll bring you proof....proof you'll believe."
With that, he turned and left without waiting for her response. And he meant every word. He would find a way to give her proof she could not deny.
Because on that day his eyes truly landed on Yibo, there was no resentment he hadn't once carried in his heart. Yet the moment he stood in her room and looked at her now, all those feelings unraveled completely....thread by thread, until nothing remained.
Only one thought filled his mind.
Why should they keep suffering for a wrong they never committed?
Why should their lives be thrown into chaos, stripped of balance and meaning, because of a boy who showed them no concern?
From what he had seen of Yibo....his appearance, his demeanor....there was no weight on him, no visible burden. Wherever he went, whatever he did, he seemed completely at ease.
So why should they be the ones paying the price?
Especially when he looked into his wife's eyes now and saw that pain lying openly within them, something like pity stirred in him. Why should she keep tormenting herself over a son who never understood the value of her worry? Why should he be out there living freely while they were denied peace in their own lives?
After all, the years of their marriage had long passed the point where reconciliation still mattered. They should have moved beyond such turmoil, seeking only calm and stability, like others their age.
That was why he felt no hesitation. He told her directly. He resolved to prove it. And in his heart, he made a vow....one he repeated again and again....that from now on, he would do everything possible to pull his wife's attention away from the pit she and her son had fallen into together. So that even if Yibo ever decided to look back at them in the future, it would have no effect on anyone's heart.
That was his vow.
And when he made a vow, he never failed to carry it out.
That was his thinking.
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By around 7:30 on Wednesday evening, that song filled the compound of the late Mr. Min Ghao's house. The crowd had thinned noticeably; with one glance, it was clear that many of the guests who had packed the place earlier in the afternoon... attending Yufei's get-together...had already left.
The invitation card had stated 4:00 p.m., and by exactly 5:00 p.m. the program had begun, pushed forward by Nainai. Ever since 4:00, she and the other elders....her relatives and those of her late husband....had been complaining that there was no reason to keep waiting.
Aunty Shui had argued that they should wait a little longer for more people to arrive, even though many guests had already shown up early since everyone knew the family well. Still, it wasn't until after five that the event truly began.
And despite Yufei's radiant smiles throughout the celebration, she cried as though there were no tomorrow. By the time it ended, her eyes were red and swollen. It took Aunty Shui and a few of her friends considerable effort to comfort her.
Zhan couldn't bring himself to attend the event at all. And when he saw Yufei crying like that, his own eyes filled with tears as well.
That morning, before leaving for work, Yufei had begged him not to go....asking him to stay and talk with her instead. There were only a few days left before she left, she said. And once she went to Macau, she didn't know when she would be back.
With some difficulty, Zhan finally persuaded her to leave, assuring her that his job wasn't something he could simply put aside and that he would return early. After all, he himself had enjoyed staying with them the previous night when they came and spent the night....because it wasn't just that close friend of hers who came along, but also two other relatives, and the house had been lively with endless conversation.
One of the upstairs rooms in the house....where Uncle Ruobing had insisted that Taichen move some of her belongings....was cleaned up and prepared for them to sleep in. Half of that night was spent chatting, teasing Yufei about her upcoming marriage to Macau, until her laughter eventually faded and she began to feel emotions.
That was why, even now as she cried, Zhan knew that those memories were part of what weighed on her heart.
A wide variety of food had been served. Beyond rice and meat with salad, there were flour pancakes, cup cakes, millet fritters, and tufo, all fried on the spot and handed out to guests. This was the work of some of Noni's relatives whom she had brought from the village. As for the main cooking, it was done entirely by Nainai's relatives who came together and prepared everything in the house. By the time it was over, everyone had eaten their fill and kept praising the food.
Even the bride's mother asked Nainai who had prepared all the cooking. Nainai replied casually, saying she wouldn't hand wedding cooking over to outsiders. Everything was done in the house and finished there. Then the woman pleaded that Noni and those who had handled most of the work should come and cook for her other daughter engagement ceremony as well, since she hadn't entrusted anyone yet. She explained that she didn't want to risk problems by giving the task to people whose cooking she didn't know well.
Nainai simply said that this was how they always did things. In their family, wedding food was never cooked elsewhere....when relatives gathered, they cooked together and ate together that same day. That, to them, was the celebration.
No matter how much planning and thinking Nainai and Aunty Shui had put into organizing everything, today it all came together smoothly. People were full of praise for how impressive it was. Since most people were already used to seeing the same wedding format everywhere, anything different naturally stood out and pleased them.
The entire area was covered only with mats and rugs....there were no chairs at all. Even for the bride, only a small cushioned seat was placed. And with that, everything was done.
Now that people had begun to leave, Zhan sat on a small raised step near the entrance to Uncle Ruobing's section of the house, holding Aunty Shui's little boy, who had just woken up. He had been sleeping on Zhan's chest since evening. Some of Uncle Ruobing's wife's relatives teased him, saying he should return the child to Aunty Shui....how could a young man carry a baby at a wedding like that and scare away potential admirers?
The joke made Zhan laugh so hard he almost couldn't stop. In fact, he was one of the few who hadn't been busy all evening. Ever since he spotted his brother Bai surrounded by friends and acquaintances, he hadn't seen him again. Everyone was busy attending to their guests.
Zhan had invited only two people, Aji and his friend Hamida, whom he attended nursing school with. Hamida arrived briefly but soon left, explaining that she had to attend her cousin's graduation celebration. Aji called twice.... saying she was at the hospital for a doctor's appointment and wouldn't finish early. On the second call, she told him not to wait for her at all, since she wasn't feeling well and would just head home.
After the little boy finished everything he could do on Zhan's chest, they began searching the house for Aunty Shui, moving from room to room. The child was already getting restless and close to starting a tantrum, and Zhan was even holding her phone. When Zhan got tired of walking around, he sat down and asked Han and the other children who were playing nearby to go inside and help look for her. But for no clear reason, they couldn't find her....of course, she was the host of the event, so it was only natural that she'd be busy inside.
Zhan looked down at the little boy, who had stopped struggling and now simply lay against him with his hand in his mouth. A wave of affection washed over him. The child wasn't troublesome at all....he was patient and calm. Without another thought, Zhan lifted him up and stood, planning to step outside to buy him something...maybe a yogurt....to settle him down.
Zhan adjusted the fabric of his outfit....the matching attire they had sewn for the occasion. It was orange and brown, beautifully tailored and richly adorned with stones. The gate stood wide open, people moving in and out constantly. Cars had been banned from entering, so everyone parked outside, and the road was packed.
When he stepped out holding Nan in his hand, the crowd was thick. Zhan didn't even know how his eyes ended up locking with Peng's....the moment Peng stepped out of a cousin's car. Zhan subtly gazed toward two other cars nearby, both belonging to male relatives of Yufei. Even if Zhan didn't know their names, he recognized their faces. They were laughing, stepping out confidently, clearly at ease.
He hadn't expected men to show up here at all. There was supposed to be a dinner at Yufei's place the next day, so why come now, to a women-centered event? By this time, most guests had already left.... only close family remained. Instinctively, Zhan turned quickly toward the path leading to Nuren's shop.
But just as he suspected, Peng had already seen him.
He hadn't passed more than three cars when Peng's voice came from behind.
"Zhan, where are you going like that?"
Zhan briefly closed his eyes, then opened them....an unconscious sign of reluctance....before stopping and turning around.
"Peng Ge, I'm going to the shop. I want to buy Nan some yogurt."
Peng smiled at the child in his arms and nodded.
"Alright then, let's go together. I'll walk with you."
Zhan shook his head.
"It's close. I'll be back soon."
"No, let's go. You know I came here because of you."
Zhan didn't respond. He simply kept walking.
"You're still angry, aren't you? Come on, Zhan....how many times do I have to apologize?"
Peng's words dragged Zhan back to that day....the day Dr. Yibo picked him up in his car and drove off so suddenly that Peng had been left standing in the road, nearly hit.
"You're going home now."
Zhan remembered Yibo's voice clearly, his eyes fixed on the road as he spoke.
"Don't go out late with other men again."
That was what Yibo had said before dropping him off at his gate. Zhan hadn't even recovered from the shock when Peng called, furious, demanding to know why he'd followed someone else and left him behind.
No matter how hard Zhan tried to hold himself together that night, he failed. He told Peng bluntly that he didn't see why he should be yelled at....he didn't even understand what Peng thought existed between them. He hadn't asked Peng to come pick him up in the first place.
After ending the call, Zhan stood still, replaying Yibo's words over and over. Why didn't tell Yibo the same thing he told Peng? There was nothing between them too.....nothing at all.
His head spun. Unable to make sense of it, he turned off his phone completely, because Peng wouldn't stop calling.
The next day at work, Zhan kept expecting Yibo to say something. But nothing happened. It was as if they had never crossed paths anywhere except the hospital. They worked, finished their duties, and went their separate ways.
After days passed with not a single personal word exchanged, Zhan finally stopped expecting anything at all.
That was why he kept ignoring Peng....until Peng's persistence proved relentless. Eventually, Zhan gave in and answered. Peng apologized repeatedly, just like in his messages. And just like that, the days rolled on until today....the start of the celebration.
"I'm saying it again, Zhan. I'm sorry. I will never raise my voice at you again."
Peng said this after buying the yogurt and turning back. They had reached the shop before Zhan could reply. Peng insisted on buying it himself and told Zhan to wait outside.
Zhan nodded slowly and said,
"It's fine, Peng. It's okay. But please....I'm begging you....stop pushing this conversation. My mind isn't there right now. And honestly, I think you should go back and focus on your wife than what you're about to do."
Peng stopped walking.
"Zhan, anything that drives a man out of one fire into another must be worse than the first. I can't go back to a marriage with Xuelu. What I want is peace.... calm.... like any man wants in his life. And I found that with you. I've known it for a long time. The only mistake was timing... and the child between Xuelu and me. That's why I'm asking.... give me a chance to fix what I ruined. You and I.... we're meant to be together. You know it. That's why you're still not married."
Everything Peng had said until then only tightened Zhan's chest.... but those last words struck him hard. So hard that he stopped walking completely.
Then he turned.
And looked straight at Peng.
And just like that, Zhan felt a sudden surge of courage rise within him. Hearing what Peng had just said, he realized it was time to speak his own truth. Zhan lifted his head, looked straight at him, and said calmly,
"Let me be honest with you, Peng Ge. I can't marry you. I will never be able to build a life with you. So it's better you stop pushing yourself through this and go somewhere you'll be truly valued."
He finished speaking without looking away, watching the effect of his words play across Peng's face. Then, with the hand not holding Nan, Zhan extended the yogurt he was carrying. Peng stared at it for a moment before reaching out to take it.
When Zhan let go, he said simply,
"See you later."
Then he turned and walked straight toward the gate, leaving Peng standing there without looking back. Peng watched Zhan until he disappeared into the house. Then he turned and leaned against a nearby car. Clearly, this was the point where he would have to rely on who he truly was to get what he wanted. If he lost Zhan now, then what had all this been for? All that excitement and pride he had felt when he finally discovered who's Zhan..... would it all have been for nothing? Would he return to a life where years of struggle meant absolutely nothing?
He didn't have the patience to wait for Bai. He couldn't afford to wait. The Zhan's now was his only hope.... and he had no intention of changing his mind. He had to achieve his goal. He had to marry Zhan. Whether Zhan wanted it or not no longer mattered to him. This had been his friend Malo's idea from the start, which was why he had swallowed his pride and endured all the humiliation so far.
But now it had reached the end. Zhan had said it clearly....he would not marry him. Any further effort from Peng would be wasted, and any effort Peng made would also be wasted if Zhan slipped away.
He had no idea how long he stood there lost in thought before his eyes finally caught sight of someone.
Fuyue.
He was stepping out with another young woman, probably seeing her off. Peng's lips curved into a smile he hadn't planned. Why was it that some things appeared exactly when they were needed?
*°°°*
"So you mean you haven't arrived yet? But you left the house hours ago?"
Yibo asked into the phone pressed to his ear. He was speaking to Duan, who had been pestering him since morning, insisting that he must attend the reception. Duan already knew Yibo disliked gatherings of any kind, but he still begged relentlessly until Yibo finally gave in and come out.
The event was scheduled for the evening, which had eased Yibo a little. Even so, he had decided not to go inside. If they arrived, he would just step out, greet them briefly, and leave.
"...Seriously, we're almost there," Duan continued on the phone. "It's the whole dressing-up situation. We went to wait for her....she just finished getting ready."
"Alright. Call me when you arrive," Yibo replied and ended the call.
He leaned back into his seat, enjoying the cool air inside the car. It was his spare vehicle, and ever since Friday returned it after repairs, it felt brand new. It drove so smoothly he felt the money spent had been worth it. Maybe after this wedding, once Duan returned the other car, he'd have Friday service its air-conditioning too.
Through the glow of the streetlights, he watched people arrive at the reception venue, some even parking behind him. Cars pulled in, people stepped out, and walked past him toward the entrance. He adjusted the air conditioner again, grabbed his phone, and opened his email.... something people often complained he neglected.
Almost twenty minutes passed before Duan called again.
"Where are you? We're here."
Yibo lifted his head just as he spotted their convoy....about three cars....pulling in.
"Okay, I'm right here."
He ended the call, switched off the engine, and stepped out. He almost grabbed his water bottle, then remembered he wasn't going inside. He locked the car and walked forward. At the entrance, security seemed to be checking invitations, but when he reached them, they greeted him and waved him through without question.
He approached the cars just as people began stepping out. Only Duan's car....where Duan and his wife were seated....remained closed. As Yibo walked toward it, his eyes suddenly caught sight of someone.
Zhan.
He was stepping out from the front of one of the parked cars.
At the same moment, the venue lights illuminated Zhan's face....perfectly make up, striking enough to steal Yibo's breath. Zhan was dressed in πΊπππ π³ππππππ ππππππ, π·πππππ. Yibo didn't even register the details clearly; he only knew it made Zhan look impossibly beautiful. It felt as though everyone else around them had faded away, leaving only Zhan in his field of vision.
Yibo's eyes refused to move. His chest tightened, his breathing faltered. He drew in a slow breath, trying to steady himself, but he couldn't. He couldn't look away. Couldn't shift his focus from Zhan. Almost unconsciously, his feet changed direction, carrying him toward Zhan just as Zhan bent slightly, to adjusting his shoe.
Yibo didn't know what Zhan was thinking or what crossed his mind when he looked up and found him standing right in front of him. Zhan shook his head lightly and began explaining something he barely registered. Yibo was too busy taking him in....the makeup, π‘βπ π βπππ¦ ππππππ π π‘πππ ring on his long fingers, the delicate waist ππππ‘. His mind filtered out almost everything else.
He vaguely heard Zhan say,
"...we're coming from the makeup place, and there wasn't space in the other car, so I got into this one..."
Yibo gently cut him off, shaking his head.
"Shhh..."
He stepped closer.....very close....and finally spoke the words echoing in his mind.
"You look breathtaking, Zhan."
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2026
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